Tag Archives: Belgian royalty

August 23rd

03 Sunday Nov 2013

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Events:
2007 – The remains of a boy and girl were found near Yekaterinburg, Russia. DNA testing later confirmed that the remains were of Alexei Romanov, Tsarevitch of Russia, and one of his sisters, probably Maria or Anastasia. The remains of Alexei’s parents, Nicholas II and Alexandra, as well as his other 3 sisters had already been found.

Birthdays:
1754 – The future King Louis XVI of France is born at the Palace of Versailles. He became Dauphin after the death of his father, and King after the death of his grandfather, Louis XV, when he was just 19. He ruled through a time of great upheaval in France, which culminated with his arrest and overthrow in 1792, as part of the French Revolution. While Dauphin, he married Austrian Archduchess Maria Antonia, know now as Marie Antoinette. Of their four children, only their oldest daughter would survive into adulthood, and both Louis and Marie were executed in 1793.

1836 – Archduchess Marie Henriette of Austria is born in Hungary, as a granddaughter of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II. In 1853, she married Prince Leopold of Belgium, the future Leopold II. The marriage was a political move, as Belgium was trying to bolster the legitimacy and popularity of its monarchy, by aligning itself with a well-established family, like the Habsburgs. However the marriage was unhappy, and despite their four children, they lived apart for many years. In 1865, they became King and Queen of Belgium. Her daughters would perform court duties in her absence, and Marie died away from Brussels in 1902, at age 66.

Deaths:
1387 – King Olaf II of Denmark and IV of Norway died at age 16. Through him, Denmark and Norway had become united as one kingdom and would remain that way until 1814. He had been King of Denmark since age 5, after the death of his grandfather, and King of Norway since 1380, after the death of his father. Olaf’s mother, Margaret, had served as his regent, and would take over rule of both nations after his death.

Have a good one!

August 12th

24 Saturday Aug 2013

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Events:
1831 – King William I of the Netherlands abandons the campaign started ten days prior, to bring the newly created state of Belgium back under Dutch rule. The new Belgian king Leopold I had already taken the oath as king just a few weeks prior.

Birthdays:
1503- Christian III of Denmark is born as the son of Frederick I and Anna of Brandenburg. He became King of Denmark in 1534, and King of Norway in 1537, and was a zealous reformer, having heard Martin Luther speak at the Diet of Worms. His establishment of the Protestant religions as the state religion cause some strife and rebellions that he quelled. Christian was a member of the Schmalkaldic League, opposing the Holy Roman Empire. He died in 1559, with his son succeeding him as Frederick II.

1762 – The future King George IV of Great Britian is born in London. He was the eldest son of King George III and Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. As a young man, George quickly showed his differences from his father, and enjoyed drinking, gambling, and womanizing. In 1785, he illegally married a Catholic widow, Maria Fitzherbert, causing a political scandal. He was later forced to publicly deny the marriage, and in 1795, his father forced him to marry Caroline of Brunswick, agreeing to pay his debts. The marriage was terribly unhappy and produced one daughter, Charlotte. With his father’s later descent into mental illness, George was made Prince Regent and ruled on his father’s behalf for 9 years, finally becoming king in 1820. Charlotte, his daughter, died in 1817, during childbirth, and George himself passed in 1830, with his brother William succeeding him.

1872 – Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein is born in London. She was the daughter of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein and Princess Helena of the United Kingdom, and was a grandchild of Queen Victoria. In 1891, she was married to Prince Aribert of Anhalt, however, the marriage was annuled after nine years and was childless. She would spend the rest of her life in Britain, undertaking royal duties and patronages.

1904 – Alexei Nikolaevich, the last Tsarevich of Russia is born as the youngest child and only son of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra. At a young age, it was discovered that he was a haemophiliac and his mother believed that Grigori Rasputin could cure him, but the relationship with the family caused great national scandal. He was said to be a sweet, affectionate child, but also a bit spoiled by his family. In 1917, his father abdicated and the family was forced into exile, and a year later they were all executed. Alexei’s remains were found and identified in 2007.

Deaths:
2013 – Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau, younger son of Queen Beatrix, died in a hospital after being in a coma for over a year. He had been removed from the succession when he married in 2004 without Parliamentary consent. He had been skiing in Austria when an avalanche struck, burying him. He was 44 years old, and left behind two children.

Have a great day!

August 4th

13 Tuesday Aug 2013

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Events:
1265 – The Battle of Evesham takes place in England as part of the Second Baron’s War. The army of King Henry III, led by his son, the future Edward I, would defeat the rebels. Simon de Montfort, the leader of the rebels would be killed in battle.

Birthdays:
1900 – Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon is born to the future Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. In 1921, Prince Albert, Duke of York proposed marriage to her. She declined, stating she didn’t want to be in the public eye as a royal. He would ask again, and again, Elizabeth refused. Finally in 1923, he asked a third time, and she agreed. She would be the first royal bride to lay her bouquet at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in honor of her brother who died in World War I. Ten years later Elizabeth and Bertie became King and Queen of the United Kingdom, who already had two young daughters, the future Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret. She remained in the public life and was a popular member of the royal family up through her daughter’s reign. She passed away in 2002, shortly after the death of her daughter Margaret.

1906 – Marie Jose of Belgium is born to King Albert I and Elisabeth of Bavaria. In 1930, she married Prince Umberto of Italy, becoming the Princess of Piedmont. They would have four children, despite the marriage being unhappy. She would be active in Italian politics, even throughout World War II. In 1946, she became Queen consort when her father in law abdicated, but 35 days later, the monarchy was abolished in Italy. They lived in Portugal for a time, but she and Umberto decided to separate, and Marie would move to Switzerland with her children. She lived there, in Mexico briefly, and returned to Italy after her husbands death. She herself died in Geneva at age 94.

Deaths:
1060 – Henry I of France died at age 52. He had been king on his own since 1031, when his father, Robert II died. He has the mixed legacy of being a strong king, but other Capetian historians believing he was the personification of the weakness of the Capets. He was succeeded by his son, Phillip I, who was seven years old. Henry’s third wife and Phillip’s mother, Anna of Kiev, would serve as regent.

1306 – The 16 year old Wenceslaus II of Bohemia died suddenly. He was the son of Wenceslaus II and Judith of Habsburg. He had been king of Bohemia since 1301, and King of Hungary, Croatia, and Poland since 1305. He had also married in 1305, but had no legitimate heirs.

1578 – Sebastian I of Portugal died in battle against the Moors. He was just 24 years old. He had been king since age 3, when his grandfather John III died. Sebastian’s father had died before his birth, and his mother left while he was still a baby, to serve as regent for her family’s Habsburg lands. His grandmother was his domineering regent, and Sebastian grew up very devout. His death left a succession crisis in Portugal.

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July 31st

11 Sunday Aug 2013

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Events:
1423 – The Battle of Cravant takes place in France as part of the Hundred Years War. It would be a victory for the English/Burgundian alliance against the French. It would be one of the few times the allies would fight together.

1492 – The Alhambra Decree takes affect in Spain, expelling Jews from all Spanish lands and territories. It would not be revoked until 1968.

1588 – The Spanish Armada is spotted off the English coast. Troops would be assembled on the ground, but the fleet would never make it to English shores.

Birthdays:
1527 – The future Maximilian II was born in Vienna. He became Holy Roman Emperor in 1564 after the death of his father, Ferdinand I. He married his cousin Maria of Spain, with whom he had sixteen children. Only nine would survive into adulthood. He was said to be very tolerant of the Protestants, despite previous tensions and opposition from his Spanish cousins. Two of his sons would later become Emperors and Rudolf II and Matthias I. His daughters Anna and Elizabeth would be Queen consort of Spain and Queen consort of France.

1737 – Princess Augusta of Great Britain is born in London to the Prince of Wales, Frederick, son of King George II, and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha. In 1764, she married Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick, with whom she would have seven children, despite the unhappiness of the arranged marriage. One of their daughters, Caroline, would later marry the future King George IV of the United Kingdom. In 1807, after the death of her husband, she moved back to London, while her brother, George III was king.

Deaths:
1750 – John V of Portugal died in Lisbon at age 60. He had been King since 1706, at the death of his father, Peter II. In 1707, he married Austrian Archduchess Maria Anna, and they would have 3 surviving children, who include Joseph I and Peter III. He was known as a great patron of the arts, and amassed one of the greatest art collections in all of Europe. He overhauled the economic system of Portugal, which at first worked, but were unpopular with the nobility, but later they were shown to be ineffective.

1993 – King Baudouin of Belgium died at age 62 of heart failure, while in Spain. He had been King since 1951, when he was age 20. Under his reign, the Belgian Congo became independent, and he attended the ceremony. In 1990, he was actually declared unable to rule for a day, due to his refusal to give Royal Assent to a bill he disagreed with for religious reasons. On the day he did not rule the bill was signed into effect by the other members of the government, and he was declared capable of ruling again the following day. He was childless, and was succeeded by his brother, Albert II.

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July 30th

09 Friday Aug 2013

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Events:
1635 – The Siege of Schenkenschans began as part of the Eighty Years War. The fortress was being held by Spanish Imperial forces, but the Dutch rebels, being led by the Stadtholder, Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, were successful, nine months later, in capturing the important fort.

1656 – The Battle of Warsaw takes place as part of the Second Northern War. The belligerents were the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden, with back up from Germany. It would be a victory for the Swedish, but it would not affect the overall outcome of the war.

Birthdays:
1872 – Princess Clementine of Belgium is born to King Leopold II and Queen Marie Henriette. In 1910, she would marry Prince Napoleon Victor Bonaparte, heir to the Bonaparte claim to the French throne. Unlike her sisters, she married older, and chose her spouse for love. They would have a daughter and a son within the first five years of their marriage. Clementine was widowed in 1926, and would never remarry. She lived to her 82nd year, dying in France.

1936 – In not so dead royalty, Spanish Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz is born in France. Her father was Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona and Maria-Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. The Spanish royal family was exiled at the time, but years later, her brother was restored and is the current King, Juan Carlos I.

Deaths:
1683 – Maria Theresa of Spain died at Versailles. She was the Queen consort of France as the wife of Louis XIV. She stayed out of politics and handled Louis’ numerous affairs, giving him six children. However, only one child would survive into adulthood, a son also named Louis. Her grandson through the younger Louis would go on to be King Phillip V of Spain.

1900 – Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburg, and Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, died in Coburg, Germany. He was the second son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. He spent his youth in the Royal Navy, and in 1866, was created Duke of Edinburgh. Alfred also became the first member of the royal family to visit Australia. In 1874, he married Russian Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, daughter of Alexander II. They would have five children survive adulthood, who include Queen Marie of Romania. Finally in 1893, he became Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha after his brother, the future Edward VII renounced his claim.

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July 21st

29 Monday Jul 2013

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Events:
1242 – The Battle of Taillebourg takes place in France between the forces of Louis IX of France, and his vassals, Henry III of England, and Hugh X of Lusignan. The battle was a decisive victory for Louis’ forces, and would end the revolts of that time.

1403 – The Battle of Shrewsbury took place in England. Henry IV led his forces and it was the first known battle where English archers fought each other. Henry had usurped the crown himself just 4 years prior, so his situation was precarious. He was victorious when the leader of the rebels, Henry Percy, was killed in battle.

1831 – Today is National Day in Belgium, which marks the inauguration of the first Belgian King, Leopold I. He was born in Germany as part of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Saalfeld, and was the husband of Princess Charlotte of Wales, the only child of George IV of the United Kingdom. Leopold was also the maternal uncle of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, and was instrumental in matchmaking the young Queen with his nephew, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Birthdays:
1858 – Maria Christina of Austria is born to an Austrian Archduke and Archduchess, and was a descendant of the once mighty house of Habsburg. In 1879, she married Alfonso XII of Spain, who left her a pregnant widow in 1885. Maria ruled as regent during the time between her husband’s death, and the birth of her son, Alfonso XIII. She was said to be a prudent and well-balanced ruler, and she gave up power in 1902, at her son’s majority.

No major deaths.

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July 16th

23 Tuesday Jul 2013

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Events:
1377 – A ten year old Richard II was crowned King of England, after the death of his Grandfather, Edward III. His father, known as Edward, The Black Prince, died when he was just 3 years old.

1951 – King Leopold III of the Belgians was forced to abdicate in favor of his son, Baudouin. The abdication was due to his conduct during World War II, and spent the rest of his life in semi-retirement, acting as an advisor to his son from time to time. He died in 1983.

Birthdays:
1611 – Cecilia Renata of Austria is born to Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II and Maria Anna of Bavaria. In 1637, she became Queen consort of Poland when she married Władysław IV Vasa, King of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth. She would be popular in the country and at court. She was influential at first with her husband, promoting the causes of her Habsburg family, but after time, her advice was ignored. She had three children, two died young, and one stillborn in 1644, which claimed Cecilia’s life shortly after.

Deaths:
1342 – Charles I of Hungary died in Visegrad at age 54. He was of the House of Anjou, but had a dynastic claim to the Hungarian throne, which he claimed in 1312. He is credited with being one of the more successful Hungarian medieval rulers, for his overhauls of the way royal favors and grants were given, he would also reform the government and economic systems.

1557 – Anne of Cleves died in England. Anne is famous for being the fourth wife of Henry VIII of England. Their marriage was annulled after just six months, and Anne was given a settlement of lands, homes, and an annuity. She had been in London when her former stepdaughters rode into the city in 1553, when Mary became Queen. She had lived a quiet life since the end of her marriage and was 41 years old. She is the only wife of Henry VIII to be buried in Westminster Abbey.

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July 2nd

08 Monday Jul 2013

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Events:
1871 – Rome was declared the capital of a newly unified Italy, with Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia as its King. He is referred to as “Padre Della Patria” or “Father of the Homeland”.

1959 – The future King Albert II and Queen Paola of the Belgians are married in Brussels. They are the current King and Queen of Belgium.

Birthdays:
1363 – Maria of Sicily is born as the daughter to Frederick III and Constance of Aragon. She ruled from 1377 on, with her husband Martin, as her co-ruler. She was kidnapped for a time in 1379, while she was fighting for her inheritance. She ruled until 1401, when she died at age 37. Her husband would continue to rule after her death.

1849 – Maria Theresa of Austria-Este is born in Austria. She was the daughter of Archduke Ferdinand and Arduchess Elisabeth. In 1868, she married Ludwig III of Bavaria, who became the last king of Bavaria in 1913, making her its last Queen consort until 1918. She only lived a year after her husbands abdication, and died in 1919. Through her uncle, Francis V, Duke of Modena, she was the Jacobite claimant to the British throne, but she never acknowledged or pressed her claim.

1903 – The future King Olav V of Norway is born in England to Prince Carl of Denmark, (later King Haakon VII) and Princess Maud of the United Kingdom, daughter of Edward VII. He was christened as Alexander Edward Christian Frederik, but upon his father’s accession in 1905, his name was changed to Olav. He married Princess Martha in 1929, and had three children, which include the current King Harald V. As Crown Prince, he was also a Gold Medal Olympian in Sailing. He became king in 1957, and was so popular, he frequently went out without bodyguards and security, stating that he had 4 million bodyguards. He remained in good favor with the people until his death in 1991.

Deaths:
1932 – King Manuel II of Portugal died in British exile. He was the last king of Portugal and was overthrown in 1910. He had only been king since 1908, when his father, Carlos I, died. His reign was very turbulent, but even after his forced exile, he was supportive of the republican government, and even met with leaders during the Great War, while living in Britain. Monarchists tried to reclaim the throne, and he was supportive at first, but none would be successful.

Have a great day!

June 11th

11 Tuesday Jun 2013

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Events:
1509 – The new king of England, Henry VIII, marries his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Catherine was the wife of his deceased brother, Arthur, who died some years before. The marriage would last until 1533, when Henry had it annulled, so he could marry Anne Boleyn.

1917 – Alexander I of Greece assumes the throne after the forced abdication of his father, Constantine I, by the Triple Entente powers of Britain, France, and Russia.

Birthdays:
1456 – A girl named Anne was born into the powerful Neville family of England. She was born into a world of turmoil, namely, the Wars of the Roses, which her father, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, was a key player. In 1470, she was married to Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales, who was the son of Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou. The marriage only lasted a year, when Edward was killed in battle. In 1472, she married Richard of Gloucester, and became Queen consort in 1483, when Richard was named king after the death of his brother, Edward IV died, and his nephews, the Princes in the Tower were declared illegitimate. Their only child died in 1484, and Anne herself died in 1485, at age 28.

1726 – Maria Theresa Rafaela of Spain is born in Madrid to King Phillip V and Elizabeth Farnese. In 1744 she was married by proxy to the Dauphin of France, Louis, son of Louis XV. In early 1745, she arrived in France, and the official marriage took place at Versailles. Her wedding was a diplomatic alliance which was supposed to cool tensions between France and Spain. Sadly when she was only 20 years old, she died just three days after giving birth to a girl, who would not see her second birthday.

1928 – In not so dead royalty, Queen Fabiola of Belgium is born today in Spain to an aristocratic family. In 1960, she married Baudouin, King of the Belgians. They had no surviving children, and her husband died in 1993, to be succeeded by his brother, Albert II. She is still active in social issues and said to be fluent in six languages.

1934 – Also in not so dead royals, Prince consort of Denmark, Henrik, is born in France. In 1967, he married the future Margrethe II of Denmark, and is the father of the heir presumptive, Crown Prince Frederik.

1968 – More not so dead royals; Alois, Hereditary Prince of Lichtenstein was born today in Zurich. He is the eldest son of Prince Hans-Adam II and is the current heir presumptive and regent for his father.

Deaths:
1183 – Henry the Young King, eldest son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine, died in France while rebelling against his father. He was 28 years old and died of dysentery. He had been crowned as joint king with his father in 1170, as was the French tradition at the time. He wanted more power and political involvement in the Angevin Empire, but his father would have none of it. This was Henry’s second rebellion against the elder Henry.

1488 – King James III of Scotland dies at the Battle of Sauchieburn. He had been king since 1460 and was highly unpopular due to his indecisiveness and his alliance with England. In 1482, the king had to defend himself against a group of English-backed nobles and was ousted from power for a short time. He was only 36 at his death, and was succeeded by his son, James IV.

1557 – John III of Portugal dies in Lisbon at age 55 of apoplexy. His parents were Manuel I of Portugal and Maria of Aragon, making him a grandson of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. He continued to extend Portugal’s reach around the world, and under him, Portugal was the first country to make contact with China and Japan. He became king in 1521 and at his death in 1557 the Portuguese Empire spanned over 1 billion acres.

1727 – George I of the United Kingdom died of a stroke while on a trip to his native Hanover, in Germany. He had been King since 1698. He succeeded to the British throne as he was a descendant of Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of James VI and I. He was Protestant as well, as Catholics were now barred from the throne. He was not popular in Britain, as he was seen as an outsider. It was believed for sometime the he never bothered to learn English, but it was found later that he did read and write in English at least. And despite being an absolute monarch in Hanover, he worked well with Parliament and his ministers.

1879 – William, Prince of Orange, died in France at age 38 of a combination of exhaustion and typhus. He was the eldest son of William III of the Netherlands and Queen Sophie. He was living in Paris in a self-imposed exile after a falling out with his parents over his choice in a bride. His younger brother would also predecease their father, leaving his half-sister, Wilhelmina as the heir to the throne.

1903 – Alexander I of Serbia was assassinated alongside his wife, Draga in their palace in Belgrade. He was just 26 years old and had been king since 1889. In 1898, he threw out the constitution his father implemented in 1888, in favor of a more conservative one. His popularity had waned greatly since he had married Draga, a commoner and a widow. Also in his dealings with the Senate, and his arbitrary suspensions of the constitution in order to change laws as he saw fit, led to his assassination.

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June 7th

07 Friday Jun 2013

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Events:
1654 – a 15 year old Louis XIV of France was crowned at Reims. He had been King for about 10 years already, succeeding his father in 1643. He went on to rule until 1715 and was succeeded by his great-grandson, Louis XV. He would be King for 72 years, which is the longest of any European monarch.

1940 – The Norwegian government, along with King Haakon VII and Crown Prince Olav flee the country during Nazi occupation. They would return on this day in 1945.

Birthdays:
1840 – Charlotte of Belgium is born to Belgian King Leopold I and Queen Louise. She was the sister to the future Leopold II and first cousin to Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert. In 1857, she married Austrian Archduke Maximilian who, with French intervention, was made Emperor of Mexico. In 1867, Maximilian was overthrown and executed. Charlotte returned to the continent shortly after their coronation, and was suffering bouts of mental illness. She passed away in 1927 in her native Belgium, at age 85.

1969 – In not so dead royalty, Prince Joachim of Denmark was born today to Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik. He is the younger brother to Crown Prince Frederick and is currently sixth in line for the throne.

Deaths:
1329 – A 54 year old Robert I of Scotland, or Robert the Bruce died of illness. He had been crowned in 1306, but Scotland was embroiled in war with Edward I of England, who intended to claim lordship over the Scottish lands. Robert successfully defeated the English during the War of Scottish Independence, culminating with his victory at the Battle of Bannockburn. He would be succeeded by his son, David, who had only been born in 1324. Robert had a daughter, Marjorie, who the later rulers, the Stewart (or Stuart) family is descended from. Robert the Bruce is still a National hero and point of pride for all of Scotland.

1840 – Frederick William III of Prussia died today in Berlin. He had been king since 1797 and was 69 years old. He ruled during the Napoleonic Wars, and had been slow to realize the threat of the French. He didn’t join the coalition against Napoleon until 1806, after he had been humiliatingly defeated. Two of his sons would be king after him, Frederick William IV, and Wilhelm I, who united all of Germany under Prussian rule.

2002 – Lillian, Princess of Rethy died in Belgium at age 85. In 1941, she married King Leopold III while the Belgian royal family was being held captive by the Nazis. The marriage caused quite a scandal across the country, but she proved to be a devoted wife and stepmother. However, after the war, things were not well with the royal family and the Belgian people were unhappy with Leopold’s actions with the Nazis, so he was forced to abdicate in 1951. The couple lived out their days in Belgium, and their three children who were barred from the succession.

Have a great day!