Historical Context | British History: English & British Near Monarchs

Name: Prince Robert II Duke of Normandy 'Curthose'

Birth: c. 1051

Father: King William I of England 'The Conqueror'

Mother: Princess Matilda Countess of Flanders

Would have been: King Robert I of England

Probable predecessor: William I

Reason not crowned: Divided inheritance (1087) then Usurped (1100)

Death: February 1134 (aged 83)

Cause: Old age

Spouse(s):

Sybilla Countess of Conversano (m. 1100 - 1103)

Children:

Richard
William
Unknown Daughter
Prince William Count of Flanders 'Clito'

Notes:

He was the eldest son of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders.
He was originally betrothed to Margaret of Maine, but she died before anything could take place.
Although known to be skilled in combat, he was often reported to be lazy and easily exploited.
In 1063, his father made him Count of Maine.
He frequently quarrelled with his father and brothers.
He began a rebellion against his father in 1077 after he failed to punish his brothers for pranking him, in which they poured the contents of a chamber pot over his head.
He almost killed his father on the battlefield, knocking him off his horse, and only halting the final blow once his recognised his father's voice from inside his armour.
Both he and his father were reconciled with his mother's help until her death in 1083.
After his mother's death, he travelled around Europe as a knight.
His father wanted to completely disinherit him, however, he was persuaded to allow him to inherit the Duchy of Normandy, which split from the Kingdom of England, which went to his younger brother, William Rufus instead.
He joined the First Crusade in 1096, allying with the Byzantine Empire against the Turks on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
It was during the First Crusade that he met his wife, Sybilla of Conversano, and fell in love with her at first sight.
He successfully aided in re-capturing the Holy Land in 1099.
Upon the death of his brother, William II of England, his younger brother Henry I usurped him, and claimed the crown for himself. Robert claimed the crown of England was rightfully his and invaded England, however, he did not receive the necessary support, and his invasion was easily squashed.
In 1101, he was forced to sign the Treaty of Alton, renouncing his claim to the English throne.
In 1106, Henry I invaded Normandy and Robert was defeated in the Battle of Tinchebray, and Normandy was seized by the English crown.
He spent the rest of his life imprisoned in Devizes Castle and Cardiff Castle until his death.

Name: Prince Richard of Normandy

Birth: c. 1054

Father: King William I of England 'The Conqueror'

Mother: Princess Matilda Countess of Flanders

Would have been: King Richard I of England

Probable predecessor: William I

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: c. 1070 (aged 16)

Cause: Collision with a tree branch

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was the second eldest son of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders.
Not much is known about his life.
His death was the result of a hunting accident in the New Forest where he collided with an overhanging tree branch.
Coincidentally, his younger brother, William II of England, would die in the same forest years later.

Name: Prince William Duke of Normandy

Birth: 05 August 1103

Father: King Henry I of England 'Beauclerc'

Mother: Princess Matilda of Scotland 'Good Queen Maud'

Would have been: King William III of England

Probable predecessor: Henry I

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 25 November 1120 (aged 17)

Cause: Drowned

Spouse(s):

Princess Matilda of Anjou 'Mahaut' (m. 1119 - 1120)

Children:

Notes:

The marriage of his parents and his own birth was viewed as the unification between the new Norman dynasty of England and the old Anglo-Saxon dynasties.
He was made Duke of Normandy by his father in 1115.
In 1119, he was married to Matilda of Anjou to build an English alliance with Anjou against the other regions surrounded Normandy on the main European continent.
He died during the White Ship tragedy of 1120, in which he and his companions were crossing the English Channel on a boat while drunk. Their ship collided with a rock, and while the life boat was successfully launched, William bravely went back to rescue his half-sister, Matilda, who remained trapped on the ship. Once everyone leapt for the life-boat, this too capsized due to the weight and panic of everybody on board, and they all drowned at sea.
His death led to the succession crisis of 1135, as William had been his father's only legitimate son, and his other legitimate sister Matilda, would fight for the throne of England against their cousin, Stephen of Blois.

Name: Eustace IV Count of Boulogne

Birth: c. 1130

Father: King Stephen of England

Mother: Matilda I Countess of Boulogne

Would have been: King Eustace I of England

Probable predecessor: Stephen

Reason not crowned: Disinherited

Death: 17 August 1153 (aged 23)

Cause: Unknown

Spouse(s):

Princess Constance of France (m. 1140 - 1153)

Children:

Notes:

He was the son of King Stephen and Matilda of Boulogne. His birth order compared to his brother Baldwin is unknown.
He was knighted in 1147.
During The Anarchy, he supported his father's claim to the English throne.
Upon the death of his mother in 1152, he became the Count of Boulogne.
King Stephen did attempt to have Eustace recognised heir to the English throne multiple times, however, this plan was finally thwarted with the signing of the Treaty of Winchester in 1153, which established Henry, son of Empress Matilda as next in line for the English throne, thus, disinheriting Eustace.
He was furious upon learning he would not become the next king of England.
His death remains a bit of a mystery, with some contemporary sources claiming he was struck down by the wrath of God while plundering a Church, while others claimed he died of a broken heart upon learning he would not become King of England.

Name: Prince William IX Count of Poitiers

Birth: 17 August 1153

Father: King Henry II of England 'Curtmantle'

Mother: Eleanor Duchess of Aquitaine

Would have been: King William III of England

Probable predecessor: Henry II

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: c. 1156 (aged 3)

Cause: Epileptic seizure

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was born on the same day his father, Henry II's rival for the English throne, Eustace IV of Boulogne died.
His title of Count of Poitiers with given to him by his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose family had held that title for generations.
He suffered from epilepsy and was killed by one of his seizures, aged just three-years-old.

Name: Prince Henry the Young King

Birth: 28 February 1155

Father: King Henry II of England 'Curtmantle'

Mother: Eleanor Duchess of Aquitaine

Would have been: King Henry III of England

Probable predecessor: Henry II

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 11 June 1183 (aged 28)

Cause: Dysentery

Spouse(s):

Princess Margaret of France (m. 1172 - 1183)

Children:

Prince William

Notes:

He was the second eldest son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and was the eldest son to survive childhood.
He was actually crowned King of England in 1170 during his father's lifetime, a custom of the French monarchy at the time. However, he was not technically the reigning monarch and thus is not recognised as an official reigning English monarch.
He was also knighted either in 1170 or 1173.
The title 'the Young King' was chosen by himself to distinguish himself from his father.
During his life, he was the only popular member of the royal family and was well liked by the English people, and became somewhat of a sports star in western Europe during his day and age.
He fell out with his father in 1173 because he felt like his father had not given him sufficient funds or land to rule.
He also fell out with and went to war against his brother, the future King Richard I of England.
His only child, William, died just a few days after his premature birth in 1177.
His death was the result of him contracting dysentery while he was on campaign in the war against his father and brother.
His illness appeared to have made him re-think his life and he would seek penance for his actions against his father by laying down naked in front of a crucifix.
On his deathbed, he hoped to reconcile with his father, but his father refused to see him in fear that it was all a trick. However, he did send his ring as a sign of forgiveness, which Henry died while clasping.
Upon learning of his son's death, Henry II of England is reported to have exclaimed that his son Henry had cost him so much, but that he wished he had lived so that he could cost him more.
There were attempts to grant him a sainthood, mainly by his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Name: Prince William

Birth: 19 June 1177

Father: Prince Henry the Young King

Mother: Princess Margaret of France

Would have been: King William III of England

Probable predecessor: Prince Henry the Young King

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 22 June 1177 (aged 0)

Cause: Premature birth

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was the only child of Henry the Young King and his wife, Margaret of France.
He was born premature and only lived for 3 days.

Name: Prince John

Birth: c. 1265 - 1266

Father: King Edward I of England 'Longshanks'

Mother: Princess Eleanor of Castile

Would have been: King John II of England

Probable predecessor: Edward I

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: c. 1271 (aged 5)

Cause: Unknown

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

Not much is known about John at all. Historians only know that he existed and died while still a young child.
He was the eldest son of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile.

Name: Prince Henry

Birth: 06 May 1268

Father: King Edward I of England 'Longshanks'

Mother: Princess Eleanor of Castile

Would have been: King Henry IV of England

Probable predecessor: Edward I

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 14 October 1274 (aged 6)

Cause: Unknown illness

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was the second eldest son of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile.
He was known to have been a sickly child.
In 1273, he was betrothed to the future Queen Joan I of Navarre.
His parents never came to visit him as he lay dying, underestimating how sick he was.
He was mainly raised and cared for by his grandmother and previous queen consort, Eleanor of Provence.

Name: Prince Alphonso Earl of Chester

Birth: 24 November 1273

Father: King Edward I of England 'Longshanks'

Mother: Princess Eleanor of Castile

Would have been: King Alphonso I of England

Probable predecessor: Edward I

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 19 August 1284 (aged 10)

Cause: Unknown illness

Spouse(s): N/A

Children: N/A

Notes:

He was the third eldest son of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile.
He was named in honour of the King of Castile, Alphonso X.
He was named Earl of Chester.
In 1284, he was betrothed to Margaret of Holland, and arrangements for the marriage were still taking place when he fell ill and died.

Name: Edward the Black Prince of Wales

Birth: 15 June 1330

Father: King Edward III of England

Mother: Philippa Countess of Hainualt

Would have been: King Edward IV of England

Probable predecessor: Edward III

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 08 June 1376 (aged 45)

Cause: Dysentery

Spouse(s):

Joan Countess of Kent 'Fair Maid of Kent' (m. 1361 - 1376)

Children:

Sir Roger Clarendon
Sir John Sounders
Prince Edward of Angoulême
King Richard II of England

Notes:

He was the eldest son of Edward III and Philippa of Hainualt.
In 1333, he was made Earl of Chester.
In 1337, he was made Duke of Cornwall, a new Dukedom to be given to the eldest sons of reigning monarchs.
He was frequently made the guardian of England during his father's absences.
He also accompanied his father on many battles throughout Europe.
He was invested with the Order of the Garter in 1348.
Upon his capture of the French king, John II, at the Battle of Poitiers, he was highly praised by the French for treating their captured king with kindness and respect.
His wife, Joan of Kent, was his first cousin and a papal dispensation was needed for the marriage.
In 1362, he was made Prince of Aquitaine and Gascony.
After the death of his eldest legitimate son, Edward, he mourned so heavily that his health declined and his doctors urged him to return to England after years campaigning in Europe.
In 1372, he renounced his claim on Aquitaine and Gascony, citing financial reasons.
During his last days, he was often mistakenly thought to already be dead due to frequent fainting fits caused by violent attacks of dysentery.
His last acts included saying goodbye to his father, ensuring his servants received gifts, paying off his debts, and asking for his surviving legitimate son, the future King Richard II, to be protected.
It is not known for sure where his nickname of 'the black prince' came from, but it is widely assumed that it was due to the colour of his amour and/or shield.

Name: Prince Edward of Angoulême

Birth: 27 January 1365

Father: Edward the Black Prince of Wales

Mother: Joan Countess of Kent 'Fair Maid of Kent'

Would have been: King Edward V of England

Probable predecessor: Edward the Black Prince of Wales

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 20 September 1370 (aged 5)

Cause: Bubonic plague

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was the eldest son of Edward the Black Prince of Wales and Joan of Kent.
His death is often viewed as one of the catalysts for the Wars of the Roses as he was part of the end of the direct Plantagenet family line.
His death was reportedly slow and painful.

Name: Edward of Westminster Prince of Wales

Birth: 13 October 1453

Father: King Henry VI of England 'The Mad King'

Mother: Princess Margaret of Anjou

Would have been: King Edward IV of England

Probable predecessor: Henry VI

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 04 May 1471 (aged 17)

Cause: Killed in battle

Spouse(s):

Anne Neville Countess of Warwick and Salisbury (m. 1470 - 1471)

Children:

Notes:

He was the only child of Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou.
He was born during the height of the Wars of the Roses.
Due to his father's schizophrenia, there were rumours at the time that he was illegitimate through his mother's rumoured affairs with Edmund Beaufort and James Butler. However, there is no evidence to support these rumours.
Both he and his mother were forced to escape to France when Edward IV seized the throne.
He married Anne Neville in 1470 to ally the Lancastrians with the Earl of Warwick, Richard Neville. However, this marriage was likely never consummated, and Anne went on to marry King Richard III after Edward's death.
He was killed during the Battle of Tewkesbury, possibly by George Duke of Clarence, Edward IV and Richard III's brother.

Name: Edward of Middleham Prince of Wales

Birth: c. 1473 - 1476

Father: King Richard III of England

Mother: Anne Neville Countess of Warwick and Salisbury

Would have been: King Edward VI of England

Probable predecessor: Richard III

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 09 April 1484 (aged 7 - 10)

Cause: Unknown illness

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was the only child of King Richard III and his wife Anne Neville.
He was reported to be a sickly child.
In 1478, he was made the Earl of Salisbury, and was the last person to hold this title.
He also became the Earl of Chester in 1483 upon his father's rise to the throne of England.
His sudden death of an unknown illness in 1483 is reported to have made his parents almost mad with grief.
His death was also viewed as divine retribution by Richard III's enemies since he was believed to be involved with the murder of King Edward V and his younger brother, Richard Duke of York.

Name: Arthur Prince of Wales

Birth: 19/20 September 1486

Father: King Henry VII of England

Mother: Princess Elizabeth of York

Would have been: King Arthur I of England

Probable predecessor: Henry VII

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 02 April 1502 (aged 15)

Cause: Unknown illness

Spouse(s):

Princess Catherine of Aragon (m. 1501 - 1502)

Children:

Notes:

He was the eldest son of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York.
He was named after the old English legend of King Arthur, and his birth solidified the unification of the House of Lancaster and the House of York. They hoped his future reign would become a golden age.
He was very close with his siblings, Princess Margaret, the future queen consort of Scotland, and Prince Henry, the future King Henry VIII, and shared a nursery with them.
In 1489, he was made a Knight of the Bath and the Earl of Chester.
In 1491, he was made a Knight of the Garter.
He was said to be a very skilled archer.
His marriage to Catherine of Aragon was created to cement an alliance with Spain against France. However, there are reports that Arthur loved and cared for Catherine deeply, despite not being able to properly communicate with each other due to the language barrier; they had both been taught different versions of Latin and could not speak each other's native language.
The issue of whether their marriage was ever consummated would aid in changing the course of English history forever. Historians cannot agree whether the marriage was in fact consummated, though Arthur was reported to have bragged after his wedding that he had spent the night 'in the depths of Spain.'
Both he and Catherine became ill in 1502, and while Catherine would recover, Arthur would die.
It is not known what ultimately killed Arthur, though the main suspects are sweating sickness, tuberculosis or influenza. It's also argued that he may have also had testicular cancer.
His mother tried to be strong and comfort Henry VII upon news of his death, however, when she left the room, she collapsed and completely broke down herself, with servants having to retrieve the king to aid her.
His widow, Catherine of Aragon, would go on to marry his younger brother, King Henry VIII, in which their previous marriage would cause The Great Matter, and participate in England's break with the Catholic Church.

Name: Prince Henry Duke of Cornwall

Birth: 01 January 1511

Father: King Henry VIII of England and Ireland

Mother: Princess Catherine of Aragon

Would have been: King Henry IX of England and Ireland

Probable predecessor: Henry VIII

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 22 February 1511 (aged 0)

Cause: Unknown

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was the eldest son of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.
He died when just 52 days old.

Name: Henry Prince of Wales

Birth: 19 February 1594

Father: King James I (VI) of England, Scotland and Ireland

Mother: Princess Anne of Denmark

Would have been: King Henry IX of England, Scotland and Ireland

Probable predecessor: James I (VI)

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 08 December 1612 (aged 18)

Cause: Typhoid

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was the eldest son of James I (VI of Scotland) and Anne of Denmark.
There were rumours that he may have been the illegitimate child of Anne of Denmark and the Duke of Lennox.
His parents argued frequently about his upbringing, with his father wanting him to be brought up away from any Catholic influences.
Queen Elizabeth I of England gifted him a miniature portrait of herself when he was a young boy.
He was very popular with the people of Britain, and this often caused his father to feel threatened, and they would occasionally argue with each other in public to a point where his father would strike him.
He kept a swear jar and would donate its contents.
Henrico County in the US state of Virginia was named in his honour.
Marriage negotiations began between him and Caterina of Medici in 1612.
Until there was an autopsy, there were rumours that he had been poisoned to death.
His father refused to attend his funeral because he hated funerals.

Name: Prince Charles Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay

Birth: 13 May 1629

Father: King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland

Mother: Princess Henrietta-Maria of France

Would have been: King Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland

Probable predecessor: Charles I

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 13 May 1629 (aged 0)

Cause: Unknown

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was the eldest child of Charles I and Henrietta-Maria of France.
He died just a few hours after he was born.

Name: Prince Charles Duke of Cambridge

Birth: 22 October 1660

Father: King James II (VII) of England, Scotland and Ireland

Mother: Anne Hyde Countess of Clarendon

Would have been: King Charles III of England, Scotland and Ireland

Probable predecessor: James II (VII)

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 05 May 1661 (aged 0)

Cause: Smallpox

Spouse(s): N/A

Children: N/A

Notes:

He was conceived 7 months before his parents married and was very nearly declared illegitimate.
He only lived for 6 months before contracting and dying of smallpox.

Name: Prince James Duke of Cambridge

Birth: 12 July 1663

Father: King James II (VII) of England, Scotland and Ireland

Mother: Anne Hyde Countess of Clarendon

Would have been: King James III (VIII) of England, Scotland and Ireland

Probable predecessor: James II (VII)

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 20 June 1667 (aged 3)

Cause: Smallpox or bubonic plague

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was the second child of King James II (VII) and his first wife, Anne Hyde.
In 1664, he was made Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Cambridge and Baron of Dauntsey.
In 1666, he was appointed Knight of the Garter.
His cause of death was either smallpox or bubonic plague, based on descriptions by famous diarist Samuel Pepys, who described James as 'full of spots.'

Name: Prince Charles Duke of Kendal

Birth: 04 July 1666

Father: King James II (VII) of England, Scotland and Ireland

Mother: Anne Hyde Countess of Clarendon

Would have been: King Charles III of England, Scotland and Ireland

Probable predecessor: James II (VII)

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 22 May 1667 (aged 0)

Cause: Unknown

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was the third son of James II (VII) and his first wife, Anne Hyde.
He only lived for 10 months before dying of unknown causes.

Name: Prince Edgar Duke of Cambridge

Birth: 14 September 1667

Father: King James II (VII) of England, Scotland and Ireland

Mother: Anne Hyde Countess of Clarendon

Would have been: King Edgar I of England, Scotland and Ireland

Probable predecessor: James II (VII)

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 08 June 1671 (aged 3)

Cause: Unknown

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was the fourth son of James II (VII) and his first wife, Anne Hyde.
His mother never fully recovered after his birth.
The US town of Edgartown in Massachusetts was named in his honour.
The cause of his death is unknown.

Name: Prince Charles Duke of Cambridge

Birth: 07 November 1677

Father: King James II (VII) of England, Scotland and Ireland

Mother: Mary Duchess of Modena

Would have been: King Charles III of England, Scotland and Ireland

Probable predecessor: James II (VII)

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 12 December 1677 (aged 0)

Cause: Smallpox

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was the fifth child of King James II (VII) and his second wife, Mary of Modena, and was their first son.
His birth caused fear in Britain that he would become a Catholic monarch.
He died of smallpox after only living just over one month.

Name: James Prince of Wales 'The Old Pretender'

Birth: 10 June 1688

Father: King James II (VII) of England, Scotland and Ireland

Mother: Mary Duchess of Modena

Would have been: King James III (VIII) of England, Scotland and Ireland

Probable predecessor: James II (VII)

Reason not crowned: Disinherited

Death: 01 January 1766 (aged 77)

Cause: Unknown illness

Spouse(s):

Princess Maria Clementina Sobieska of Poland (m. 1719 - 1735)

Children:

Charles Stuart 'Bonnie Prince Charlie'
Cardinal Henry Stuart

Notes:

He was the son of James II (VII) and his second wife, Mary of Modena.
His birth was highly controversial, as it meant that a now Catholic Stuart dynasty would continue in Britain.
Some Anglicans believed that the original baby died and that James was smuggled into the queen's chamber.
There were also rumours that King James II (VII) was not the father.
His birth would be one of the causes of the Glorious Revolution, in which Protestants rebelled and removed his father from the throne and placed his half-sister, Mary II, on the throne instead.
During the revolution, both he and his parents fled to France. His mother carried him from the palace while disguised as a laundress.
He and his parents were taken in by King Louis XIV of France where they were treated as the ruling monarchs of Britain.
Upon his father's death in 1701, he was recognised by France, Spain, the Pope, and Modena as the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. These same supporters refused to recognised his half sisters, Mary II and Anne, as the reigning monarchs.
His first attempted invasion was prevented in 1708 by bad weather.
When it became clear that Queen Anne was near death, he was told he would be allowed to ascend to the English throne if he converted to Protestantism. He refused and remained and devout Catholic.
After George I ascended to the throne, James attempted to start rebellions in Scotland and Cornwall. However, he was constantly defeated in battle and frequently fell ill. He also fled and abandoned his allies, which caused Scotland to turn against him.
His main supporter King Louis XIV, died in 1715, and the French government recognised the Hanoverian dynasty soon afterwards, leaving him with fewer allies.
He still had support in Rome, however, and the Pope offered him a home in Rome.
Later on in his exile, he suffered from depression.
Upon his death, in order to ease tensions with Britain, the Papal states finally recognised the Hanoverian dynasty as the legitimate rulers of Britain, much to the dismay of James' son, Henry. The Stuart dynasty had now officially ended.
His famous nicknames included 'the old pretender', and 'the king over the water.'

Name: Charles Stuart 'Bonnie Prince Charlie'

Birth: 31 December 1720

Father: James Prince of Wales 'The Old Pretender'

Mother: Princess Maria Clementina Sobieska of Poland

Would have been: King Charles III of Great Britain and Ireland

Probable predecessor: James Prince of Wales

Reason not crowned: Disinherited

Death: 30 January 1788 (aged 67)

Cause: Stroke

Spouse(s):

Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern (m. 1772 - 1780)

Children:

Charles Stuart
Charlotte Stuart Duchess of Albany

Notes:

He was born in exile in Rome as his grandparents and parents had fled Britain after the Glorious Revolution where his grandfather was deposed.
He likely suffered from rickets when he was young.
His parents would frequently argue to a point where his mother left and stayed with a convent for a few years.
Throughout his tours of Europe, he was shocked and angered that he was not welcomed as a prince, but rather as a duke, as most royal European courts wanted to avoid further antagonising Britain. Venice was the only kingdom to recognise his status as prince.
He often got himself into debt and was an alcoholic.
He journeyed to Scotland in 1745, hoping to spark rebellion, but he was unsuccessful. However, he did gain the support of a few clans.
Eventually in 1745, he achieved a victory at the Battle of Prestonpans.
He also eventually made progress through the north of England, but Hanoverian troops caught up to him, and any soldiers that survived the attack soon began to flee.
After this defeat, he was forced to hide in the highlands of Scotland and on the Isle of Skye.
He fled back to France in 1746, and although he was viewed as a hero in Europe, he could no long gain any military support to invade Britain again.
In 1748, he was expelled from France as a result of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.
Upon the death of his father, the Pope did not recognise him as the King of Great Britain.
He finally married much later in life in 1772 to Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern, upon the encouragement of France who hoped he would produce a legitimate male heir whom they could use against the British.
He suffered from asthma and high blood pressure.
His wife left him in 1780, claiming that he physically abused her.
He died on the same date as his great-grandfather, King Charles I's execution.
All of his children were illegitimate.
His nicknames included 'the Young Pretender', 'the Young Chevalier', and 'Bonnie Prince Charlie'.

Name: Cardinal Henry Stuart

Birth: 06 March1725

Father: James Prince of Wales 'The Old Pretender'

Mother: Princess Maria Clementina Sobieska of Poland

Would have been: King Henry IX of Great Britain and Ireland

Probably predecessor: Charles Stuart 'Bonnie Prince Charlie'

Reason not crowned: Disinherited

Death: 13 July 1807 (aged 82)

Cause: Old age

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was born in exile in Rome as his grandparents and parents had fled Britain after the Glorious Revolution where his grandfather was deposed.
He aided in his brother's attempted uprising in 1745 to re-take the English and Scottish crowns.
He was ordained as a priest in 1748, meaning that he could no longer marry or father legitimate children, much to the disappointment of his older brother, Charles.
He was the last member of the British royal family to take part in the touching of the King's Evil, in which royalty would touch the necks of those suffering from scrofula, as it was believed that they had the power to heal the condition.
The French Revolution caused him to fall into poverty.
He lived the rest of his life as a Cardinal-Bishop in Rome.
There is evidence he may have been homosexual.

Name: Prince William Duke of Gloucester

Birth: 24 July 1689

Father: Prince George of Denmark

Mother: Queen Anne of Great Britain and Ireland

Would have been: King William IV (III) of Great Britain and Ireland

Probable predecessor: Anne

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 30 July 1700 (aged 11)

Cause: Pneumonia

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

His birth provided great hope for Protestantism in Britain as he was the only male heir, since his aunt and uncle, Queen Mary II and King William III, had no children of their own.
He was the seventh child of Anne and George of Denmark, but the first to survive infancy.
As an infant, he suffered from meningitis and hydrocephalus.
Due to his hydrocephalus, doctors needed to frequently drain fluid from his head. He was also prone to stumbling and excessive clumsiness, and even became too afraid to walk up stairs on his own until his father beat him into finally doing it on his own.
In 1696, he was made a Knight of the Order of the Garter.
In a letter with a friend, it is revealed that his mother, Anne, thought he was an ugly child.
In the lead up to his death, he had become ill at his eleventh birthday party and suffered terribly, including at the hands of his doctors who administered treatments such as bleeding and blisters.
His mother stayed by his side to help nurse him, but soon became so distressed that she fainted.
He died with both his parents by his side.
Even if he had not fallen sick, it is likely he would not have lived a long life due to complications from his hydrocephalus.
His death de-stabilised the Protestant line of Stuart succession.

Name: Prince George

Birth: 17 April 1692

Father: Prince George of Denmark

Mother: Queen Anne of Great Britain and Ireland

Would have been: King George I of Great Britain and Ireland

Probable predecessor: Anne

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 17 April 1692 (aged 0)

Cause: Unknown

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was the ninth child of Anne and George of Denmark.
He lived for only a few hours after birth.

Name: Princess Mary

Birth: 02 June 1685

Father: Prince George of Denmark

Mother: Queen Anne of Great Britain and Ireland

Would have been: Queen Mary III of Great Britain and Ireland

Probable predecessor: Anne

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 08 February 1687 (aged 2)

Cause: Smallpox

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

She was the second child of Anne and George of Denmark and the first to live past the late stages of pregnancy, birth, and early infancy.
Both her, her sister, and her father caught smallpox in 1687, resulting in the deaths of both her and her sister, while their father recovered.

Name: Princess Anne

Birth: 12 May 1686

Father: Prince George of Denmark

Mother: Queen Anne of Great Britain and Ireland

Would have been: Queen Anne II of Great Britain and Ireland

Probable predecessor: Anne

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 02 February 1687 (aged 0)

Cause: Smallpox

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

She was the third child of Anne and George of Denmark.
Both her, her sister, and her father caught smallpox in 1687, resulting in the deaths of both her and her sister, while their father recovered.

Name: Princess Mary

Birth: 14 October 1690

Father: Prince George of Denmark

Mother: Queen Anne of Great Britain and Ireland

Would have been: Queen Mary III of Great Britain and Ireland

Probable predecessor: Anne

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 14 October 1690 (aged 0)

Cause: Premature birth

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

She was the eighth child of Anne and George of Denmark.
She was born two months premature and lived for only a few hours.

Name: Princess Sofia of the Palatinate and Electress of Hanover

Birth: 14 October 1630

Father: King Frederick V of Bohemia and Elector of the Palatinate 'The Winter King'

Mother: Elizabeth Stuart

Would have been: Queen Sofia I of Great Britain and Ireland

Probable predecessor: Anne

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 08 June 1714 (aged 83)

Cause: Old age

Spouse(s):

Ernest Elector of Hanover (m. 1658 - 1698)

Children:

King George I of Great Britain and Ireland and Elector of Hanover
Imperial General Frederick of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Field Marshal Maximilian Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Unnamed Son
Queen Sofia of Prussia
Colonel Charles of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Christian of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Ernest of Brunswick-Lüneburg Duke of York and Albany

Notes:

Through her mother, Elizabeth Stuart, she was the granddaughter of King James I (VI), and thus the only surviving Protestant heir to the British throne after all of Queen Anne's children had died.
She was originally courted by her cousin King Charles II, but she refused him.
In 1658, she married Ernest Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, becoming the Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
In 1692, her husband also became the Elector of Hanover, making her the Electress of Hanover.
She was beginning to be viewed as a likely heir to the British throne in 1700, and greatly won over the current King William III of Britain by conversing with him in Dutch.
The Act of Settlement in 1701, decreed that in the event that King William III, as well as the future Queen Anne, had no surviving offspring, Sofia and her descendants would be the next in line for the British throne.
Parliament and Sofia herself were eager for her to move to Britain in order for a smooth transition of power, however, this was often blocked by Queen Anne who was jealous of her and did not want her at court.
Although she had been healthy and active for most of her life, she suddenly dropped dead in 1714 after fleeing from a downpour, likely as a result of her old age.
Had she lived for just two more months, she would have become Queen Sofia of Britain and also the oldest monarch to ascend to the throne.

Name: Frederick Prince of Wales

Birth: 31 January 1707

Father: King George II of Great Britain and Ireland and Elector of Hanover

Mother: Princess Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach

Would have been: King Frederick I of Great Britain and Ireland and Elector of Hanover

Probable predecessor: George II

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 31 March 1751 (aged 44)

Cause: Pulmonary embolism

Spouse(s):

Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (m. 1736 - 1751)

Children:

Princess Augusta Duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
King George III of Great Britain and Ireland and Elector of Hanover
Prince Edward Duke of York and Albany
Princess Elizabeth
Prince Henry Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Prince Henry Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn
Princess Louisa
Prince Frederick
Queen Caroline of Denmark and Norway

Notes:

He was the eldest son of George II and his wife, Caroline of Ansbach.
When his parents were called to England, he stayed behind in Hanover and did not see them for 14 years straight, mainly being brought up by his great-uncle.
He was among the first members of the royal family to receive the new smallpox vaccination.
He was the chancellor of the University of Dublin from 1728 - 1751.
Once he had arrived in England, he began purposefully opposing his parents in all of their beliefs and actions and they would never get along.
In 1737, George II fell ill, and Frederick spread rumours that the King had died, which resulted in George II forcing himself to get up and attend meetings.
When his wife, Augusta of Saxe-Gotha fell pregnant with their first child, he purposefully gave his parents and their courtiers the wrong due date and sneaked her out of the palace when she did go into labour. He shoved his wife into a carriage and escaped with her down bumpy cobbled roads while she was in active labour, causing everyone to miss the birth. This was incredibly scandalous at the time, as royal births were supposed to be witnessed by other members of the royal family and court in order to guard against fraud. This worsened the relationship between Frederick and his parents.
In 1737, Frederick was banished from the royal court due to his actions regarding his wife's first pregnancy.
When his mother fell fatally ill, his father refused to let him see her and she passed away without him ever having spoken to her again.
He was a huge fan of the new sport of cricket and even had his own team.
It was his love for cricket that would eventually lead to his early demise. At some point during play, he had been struck in the chest by the ball, which eventually led to the pulmonary embolism that killed him.
He is the last Prince of Wales so far to not have succeeded to the British throne.
Fredericksburg in Virginia, USA was named after him.

Name: Princess Charlotte of Wales

Birth: 07 January 1796

Father: King George IV of the United Kingdom and Hanover

Mother: Princess Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel

Would have been: Queen Charlotte I of the United Kingdom and Hanover

Probable predecessor: George IV

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 06 November 1817 (aged 21)

Cause: Postpartum haemorrhage

Spouse(s):

King Leopold I of Belgium (m. 1816 - 1817)

Children:

Unnamed Prince

Notes:

She was the only child of King George IV and his wife, Caroline of Brunswick, a very unhappy arranged marriage that would deeply affect her whole life.
King George III hoped that her birth would reconcile her parents, but this did not happen. George IV was unhappy that Charlotte was a girl, though she was beloved by her grandfather, George III as she was his first legitimate grandchild and he always adored girl babies.
From the very beginning of her life, her father restricted her mother's access to her; they were only able to see each other in rare supervised visits. However, sympathetic servants would often leave them alone to have some mother-daughter time.
She was also incredibly popular from birth and was adored by the British public, and would always be cheered when she rode through cities. She represented hope for the future of the British monarchy as it had become unpopular due to her grandfather's battles with mental illness and her father's lavish lifestyle that created huge debts.
George IV would eventually fire all of Charlotte's staff who had become too close to her and her mother, leaving her very lonely and without friends.
She was a well-known tomboy and would often play-fight. While endearing at first, as she grew older, this behaviour was viewed as undignified by a few courtiers.
She was also notorious for sneaking out to see boys when she was a teenager, which her mother found humorous and heavily encouraged.
Due to her father's treatment of her, especially during an occasion where he was attempting to force her to marry, she ran away from home and was sheltered by politicians.
In 1814, her mother left Britain to travel the continent of Europe, giving her daughter a mere casual goodbye which would greatly upset Charlotte. She would never see her mother again.
By 1815, after many failed marriage attempts, she became attached to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (who would later become King Leopold I of Belgium), though the Napoleonic Wars on the continent prevented their relationship from blossoming sooner. When they finally met in person after the war, they were instantly smitten, and George IV gave the marriage his blessing.
During her wedding ceremony, Charlotte giggled when Leopold made his vows to support her financially, as she was much richer than him.
Both Charlotte and Leopold were so popular with the British public, that people would often burst into song in their presence, and the public were very heartbroken when it was revealed that Charlotte had suffered a miscarriage.
Leopold was viewed to have a very calming affect on Charlotte's personality who was often incredibly hyperactive. Whenever she would get too excited, he could be heard saying to her, 'gently, my love.' Their marriage was very much like something out of a fairy tale and they rarely parted from each other's side, endearing them even more to the British public.
When she fell pregnant again, the whole country was extremely excited and started placing bets on whether the baby would be a boy or a girl.
The end of her pregnancy would ultimately lead to her death. Labour started much too late (by today's medical standards, she would have had to have been induced), and the baby was large. Her labour lasted three days with the baby becoming visibly distressed during delivery which eventually resulted in the birth of a stillborn boy. Though upset, Charlotte seemed to be doing well after the birth and both she and her husband collapsed from exhaustion. A few hours later though, she awoke and began vomiting and bleeding heavily, struggling to breathe. When doctors attempted to try and wake her husband, Charlotte suddenly dropped down dead.
Her last words, which she screamed out were, 'Stocky! Stocky!' the nickname she had given her doctor.
Britain went into deep mourning upon the news of her death. Her father was too upset to attend her funeral, and when her mother was told the bad news, she fainted. Leopold was noted to never be the same afterwards. He had affairs with women who resembled Charlotte and people described him as having lost his heart. In 1840, he would name one of his daughters, the future Empress of Mexico, Charlotte, in her honour.
One of her doctors, Sir Richard Croft, blamed himself for losing two heirs to the throne and would shoot himself while in the middle of helping another woman give birth.
Her death also caused the race for George IV's brothers to have legitimate children as Charlotte's death meant that there were no legitimate heirs to the throne. This would result in the birth of the future Queen Victoria, who technically owes her existence to Charlotte's death.

Name: Princess Charlotte of Clarence

Birth: 27 March 1819

Father: King William IV of the United Kingdom and Hanover

Mother: Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen

Would have been: Queen Charlotte I of the United Kingdom and Hanover

Probable predecessor: William IV

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 27 March 1819 (aged 0)

Cause: Unknown

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

She was the first legitimate child of King William IV and Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen.
Her birth was brought about by the race for King George IV's brothers to marry and have legitimate children after the death of Princess Charlotte of Wales and her son.
She lived for just a few hours after birth.

Name: Princess Elizabeth of Clarence

Birth: 10 December 1820

Father: King William IV of the United Kingdom and Hanover

Mother: Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen

Would have been: Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Hanover

Probable predecessor: William IV

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 04 March 1821 (aged 0)

Cause: Intestinal blockage

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

She was the second child of King William IV and Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen to survive pregnancy and birth.
Her birth was brought about by the race for King George IV's brothers to marry and have legitimate children after the death of Princess Charlotte of Wales and her son.
She died aged just 2 months old after part of her intestine folded over the section of intestine ahead of it, causing a fatal blockage.

Name: Prince Albert Duke of Clarence and Avondale

Birth: 08 January 1864

Father: King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and British Dominions and Emperor of India

Mother: Princess Alexandra of Denmark

Would have been: King Albert I of the United Kingdom and British Dominions and Emperor of India

Probable predecessor: Edward VII

Reason not crowned: Deceased

Death: 14 January 1892 (aged 28)

Cause: Russian influenza

Spouse(s):

Children:

Notes:

He was the first child of King Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark.
He was born two months premature.
Following Queen Victoria's wishes, he was named 'Albert' in honour of his grandfather and royal consort Prince Albert.
He may have suffered from absence seizures and possessed learning difficulties.
In 1879, he began a three year long tour of the British Empire and even got himself a tattoo in Japan during his travels.
It's possible that he may have had some involvement in the Cleveland Street scandal, in which police uncovered a brothel that pimped out male prostitutes for secret homosexual relations (male homosexuality was illegal in Britain during this time).
He was originally engaged to Mary of Teck, the future wife of his brother, King George V, and their wedding was scheduled for February 1892, but Albert died before this could happen.
He was known to have suffered from gonorrhoea, something which may have rendered him infertile.
In 1892, he fell ill with the 'Russian Flu', an influenza pandemic from 1889 - 1892 and died with his family and fiancée by his side.
His parents never fully recovered from his death and kept his room as it was as a shrine dedicated to him.
There were rumours and theories, that still persist to this day, that he may have been the true identity of the notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper.

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