All About Royal Families

15 August 1950 marks the birth of Anne, Princess Royal. What are 10 interesting facts about her? 1 birth and family Anne, Princess Royal, was born on August 15, 1950, as the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. As a young princess, she was said to be spirited, strong-willed, and deeply independent—traits she has carried throughout her royal life. 2 hobby From an early age, Anne showed a passion for horses. She became an accomplished equestrian and in 1976, made history by becoming the first British royal to compete in the Olympic Games. She rode the Queen’s horse, Goodwill, in the Montreal Olympics, representing the United Kingdom in eventing. 3 title The title of Princess Royal is not automatically given but is traditionally bestowed by the monarch to their eldest daughter. Anne received the title in June 1987, making her the seventh holder of this prestigious designation since its origin in 1642. 4  no-nonsense Though raised i...

Princess Charlotte of Belgium – The Solitary Lady of Bouchout Castle Princess Marie Charlotte Amélie Augustine Victoire Clémentine Léopoldine of Belgium (1840 – 1927) was the only daughter of King Leopold I and Queen Louise of Orléans. She grew up charming everyone around her with her intelligence and elegance. In 1857, she married Archduke Maximilian of Austria, younger brother of Emperor Franz Joseph. This made Charlotte the sister-in-law of both Franz Joseph and his world-famous wife, Empress Elisabeth – “Sisi.” Princess Charlotte of Belgium as a child - Exhibition Louise Marie of Orléans in Namur In 1864, the couple sailed to Mexico, where they were crowned Emperor and Empress. For a brief time, life sparkled with ceremony and grandeur. But it all ended tragically: in 1867 Maximilian was executed, and Charlotte, heartbroken, suffered a deep mental collapse. She lived for a while in Italy and at Tervueren, but after a fire destroyed her residence there, she moved in 1879 to Bouchout...