July 1: Today in Royal History

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July 1, 1481 – Birth of King Christian II of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden at Nyborg Castle in Denmark
Nicknamed Christian the Tyrant, Christian II was King of Denmark and Norway from 1513 until 1523 and also King of Sweden from 1520 until 1521. From 1513 to 1523, he was the joint ruler of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein with his paternal uncle Frederik, the future King Frederik I of Denmark and Norway. In 1523, Christian II was forced to abdicate and was exiled. After trying to reclaim the throne in 1531, Christian was imprisoned, first in Sønderborg Castle and then at Kalundborg Castle, for the last twenty-seven years of his life.
Unofficial Royalty: King Christian II of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

July 1, 1534 – Birth of King Frederik II of Denmark and Norway at Haderslevhus Castle in Denmark
Frederik’s father Christian III, King of Denmark and Norway died on January 1, 1559, and 24-year-old Frederik succeeded him as Frederik II, King of Denmark and Norway. On August 20, 1559, Frederik II was crowned at the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark. During his reign, finances were improved, agriculture and trade were promoted, and the privileges the German Hanseatic League had with Denmark were limited or abolished. Friedrich revolutionized shipping by establishing the modern lighthouse system. He also promoted the sciences, especially astronomy, and was a patron of pioneering Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe.
Unofficial Royalty: King Frederik II of Denmark

July 1, 1862 – Wedding of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom and Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, England
Unfortunately for Alice and Ludwig, the deaths in 1861 of Alice’s maternal grandmother The Duchess of Kent and father Prince Albert affected their wedding plans. The 1858 wedding of Victoria, Princess Royal at the Chapel Royal of St. James’s Palace in London had been a grand showcase but Alice’s wedding was a muted and sad private ceremony meant for family only. A spring wedding was out of the question but Queen Victoria declared that the wedding must be held sooner rather than later as Prince Albert had wished. A private wedding with far fewer guests than the weddings of Alice’s siblings was scheduled for July 1, 1862, at Osborne House in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, England.
Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Alice of the United Kingdom and Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine

July 1, 1961 – Birth of Diana, Princess of Wales, first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, born The Honorable Diana Spencer at Park House in Sandringham, Norfolk, England
Full name: Diana Frances
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales, and the mother of Prince William and Prince Harry. She was born The Honourable Diana Frances Spencer, youngest daughter of John Spencer, Viscount Althorp (later the 8th Earl Spencer) and The Honourable Frances Roche, on July 1, 1961, at Park House on the Sandringham Estate. In 1975, when her father became the 8th Earl Spencer, Diana saw an ‘upgrade’ in her title as well. As the daughter of an Earl, she was now styled Lady Diana Spencer – a name which would soon become famous around the world when ‘Lady Di’ became involved with The Prince of Wales.
Unofficial Royalty: Diana, Princess of Wales

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