Today in Royalty: June 28

Today in royalty….

Queen Victoria in her coronation robes. Image: Wikimedia Commons

King Henry VIII of England was born at Greenwich Palace in 1491. He is remembered to this day for his controversial six marriages and the break of the Church of England from papal authority. He has been described as "one of the most charismatic rulers to sit on the English throne".

Princess Mary, the second-youngest daughter of King George II of Great Britain, was married to Friedrich II, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel in 1740. The marriage, which produced three children, was unhappy and Mary became a victim of spousal abuse.

Sophia Dorothea, Queen-Consort of King Friedrich I of Prussia and daughter of King George II of Great Britain, died at  Monbijou Palace in Berlin in 1757. She was popular in Prussia and was hailed for her grace and refined manner.

Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg was born in 1796.  She was the second wife of King Christian VIII of Denmark.

Queen Victoria was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland at Westminster Abbey. The event was an unprecedented one, costing the nation £79,000. It was attended by over 400,000 people from around the country, thanks to the new railway system which eased the transportation of the Britons from the countryside to London. According to the The Gentleman's Magazine, it was the longest coronation procession since the time of King Charles II in 1660.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg , were assassinated in Sarajevo, by Serb nationalist, Gavrilo Prinzip. The incident ignited World War I, the biggest warfare up to that time.