All About Royal Families

On August 24th. 1758, Duchess Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was born. Her parents were Duke Louis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Princess Charlotte of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin -  Source picture: Wikipedia At the age of 16 she married, on October 21st. 1774, Hereditary  Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway.  When Sophia Frederica saw her husband for the first time she was disappointed but after a while they became fond of each other.  Their marriage was based on mutual understanding.  There were rumors that both took mistresses and lovers. In Denmark Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin really was popular.  History books described her as jolly, charmant and intelligent.  Source picture: Wikipedia On November 29th. 1794, Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin  died at the Sorgenfri Palace near Copenhagen (Denmark). 

King Philippe of Belgium attended a memorial of World War I in the Notre Dame church in Dinant. own picture - bird's-eye view of the Notre Dame Church in Dinant The church service was to remember the 674 citizens who were killed in  World War I, a new carillon was inaugurated too. On next link you can see a short movie.

On my blog I regularly write about the very interesting (Royal) history of my own country: Belgium. August 23rd 1836 marks the birth of Marie Henriette of Austria in Budapest (Hungary). Marie Henriette of Austria - Source picture: Wikipedia Her parents were Archduke Joseph of Austria, Palatine of Hungary and Duchess Maria Dorothea of Württemberg.  Her paternal grandfather was Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor and she was a niece from Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria (husband of Sisi). On August 22nd. 1853, at the age of 16!, she married Prince Leopold, heir of the Belgian throne. This wedding strengthened the status of the Belgian  monarchy, the name Habsburg was an important match.  They had 4 children, unfortunately the eldest boy died young.  The marriage really was unhappy and the couple lived more or less seperated. In 1865 she became Queen Consort of Belgium, but Marie Henriette of Austria  lived most of the time in Spa and her youngest da

On August 22nd. 1860 a girl was born in Trebschen (now a village in Western Poland), which was then a part of the Kingdom of Prussia. The girl received the names: Eleonore Caroline Gasparine Louise Reuss . Eleonore Reuss of Köstritz - Tsaritsa of Bulgaria- Source picture: Wikipedia Her parents were Prince Heinrich IV of Reuss of Köstritz and Princess Luise Caroline Reuss of Greiz. On February 28th. 1908 Princess Eleonore married Ferdinand of Bulgaria in Coburg. She recieved initially the title Princess of Bulgaria. Later she got the title: Tsaritsa. This wedding was a bit strange. Ferdinand of Bulgaria was a widower and he looked more for a governess for his children and a first lady for Bulgaria.  During World War I she worked as a nurse and she tried to give comfort to many injured and dying Bulgarian soldiers. In 1917 Tsaritsa Eleonore became seriously ill. She died on September 12th. 1917. The Tsaritsa was buried in the cemetery near  Boyana

August 21st. 1887 was a day full of festivities in the center of Antwerp (Belgium). A new fountain called the Brabofontein, before the city hall, was opened for public. Brabofontein - own picture This fountain imaged a legend.  In the early days a giant called Antigoon killed people who didn't pay their toll,  while they passes the Scheldt. The giant killed those people by cutting their hand.  Well Brabo killed Antigoon on the same way the giant did.  On the fountain Brabo seems to throw the hand to the city.  This would be an explanation for the name Antwerp meaning throwing hands ....  However, besides that cruel legend, Antwerp is a beautiful city and a shopping heaven. I like to come there regularly. Brabofountain and city hall - own picture