History Blog

 RSS Feed

Category: Almost Queens

  1. Almost Queens: Caroline of Hesse-Darmstadt

    Posted on

    When George William Frederick, Prince of Wales, became King George III of Great Britain in 1760, he instantly became the most eligible bachelor in Europe.

    However the field of candidates was somewhat narrower than it had been for his medieval predecessors. There could no longer be a glorious match with a wealthy French princess or a well-connected Spanish infanta, because the bride had to be a Protestant. As a result George was confined to looking to Scandinavian candidates, and the young women of the German principalities.

  2. Almost Queens: Joan of Valois

    Posted on

    Most of our Almost Queens have been robbed of their prospective crown by death, either theirs or their husbands. In the case of Blanche of Burgundy, cousin of Margaret of Burgundy, it was divorce because of her adultery that stopped her getting the crown.

    Getting an annulment for a marriage could be quite tricky, especially if a Pope decided not to play along. Pity poor Joan of Valois then, who was not only completely blameless but couldn't even hope to be defended by the Holy Father.

  3. Almost Queens: Margaret of Burgundy

    Posted on

    Many princesses have missed out on the throne due to an early death, whether it was their death or that of their spouse. But in the case of Margaret of Burgundy she lost her chance at a crown due to a scandal that rocked the French court. More than that, her cousin Blanche came unexpectedly close to the crown too, and was brought down by the exact same scandal.