Monarchies of Europe

(I freely acknowledge that the information on this Web page is based on the "FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR ALT.TALK.ROYALTY -- ROYAL & NOBLE FAMILIES OF THE WORLD -- Section 10 Last Updated 10 Apr 2019" .)

The list shows first, the present day claimant followed by the formerly-reigning monarch and the year in which they ceased to reign.

In some instances, there are two claimants.

Albania

• Leka II, Titular King of the Albanians (1982- )
• 1946: when the monarchy was abolished

Anhalt

• Eduard II , Titular Duke of Anhalt (1941- )
• 1918: when Prince Aribert of Anhalt, Regent of the Duchy of Anhalt, abdicated on 12 November 1918 in the name of his nephew Joachim Ernst, Duke of Anhalt (1901-1947)

Austria

• Karl von Habsburg-Lorraine (Karl II, Titular Emperor of Austria) (1961- ) ( see Note 1)
• 1919: when Emperor Karl I (1887-1922) was deposed from his sovereign rights on 3 April 1919

Baden

• Bernard, Margrave of Baden (Bernard, Titular Grand Duke of Baden) (1970- )
• 1918: when Friedrich II, Grand Duke of Baden (1857-1928) abdicated the throne on 22 November 1918

Bavaria

• Franz, Duke of Bavaria (Franz, Titular King of Bavaria) (1933- )
• 1918: when King Ludwig III of Bavaria (1845-1921) lost the throne through the revolution on 7/8 November 1918

Brazil

• rival claimants:
  • Pedro Carlos, Prince of Orleans e Bragança (1945- )
  • Luíz Gastao, Prince of Orleans e Bragança (Luíz I, Titular Emperor of Brazil) (1938- )
• 1889: when Dom Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil (1825-1891) , was deposed following a military uprising on 15 November 1889

Brunswick

• Ernst August, Prince of Hanover (Ernst August, Titular Duke of Brunswick) (1954- )
• 1918: when Ernst August, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg (1887-1953) abdicated his throne on 8 November 1918 (see also Hanover)

Bulgaria

• Simeon II, King of the Bulgarians (1937- )
• 1946: when King Simeon II left the country, without having abdicated, following a communist-rigged plebiscite

France

Monarchy

• rival claimants:
  • Jean, Comte de Paris (Jean III, Titular King of France) (b. 1965)
  • Luís Alfonso de Borbón y Martínez-Bordiú, duc d'Anjou (Louis XX, Titular King of France) (1974- )
• 1830: when King Charles X (1757-1836) abdicated following a revolution
• 1848: when King Louis Philippe I (1773-1850) abdicated following a revolution

Empire

• Charles, Prince Napoléon (Charles, Titular Emperor of the French) (1950- )
• 1870: when Emperor Napoléon III was deposed

Greece

• Constantine II, King of the Hellenes (1940- )
• 1974: when a plebiscite decided against the return of King Constantine II (had been deposed in 1973)

Hanover

• Ernst August, Prince of Hanover (Ernst August V, Titular King of Hanover) (1954- )
• 1866: when King George V of Hanover (1819-1878) lost his throne when Hanover was annexed to the Kingdom Prussia (see also Brunswick)

Hesse

(a) Hesse-Cassel

• Heinrich Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse (Heinrich Donatus, Titular Elector of Hesse) (1966- )
• 1866: when Friedrich Wilhelm (1802-1875), Elector of Hesse lost his Throne when the Electorate of Hesse was annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia

(b) Hesse-Philippsthal
(not regnant after 1815)

• 1925: became extinct with the death of Landgrave Ernst Eugen of Hesse-Philippsthal (1846-1925)

(c) Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld
(not regnant after 1815)

• Wilhelm, Prince and Landgrave of Hesse (1933- ), succeeded his grandfather Prince Chlodwig of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld (1876-1954)

(d) Hesse and by Rhine

• Heinrich Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse (1966-) (Heinrich Donatus's father Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse (1926-2013) had been adopted in 1960/1961 by Ludwig V, Titular Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine)
• 1918: when Ernst Ludwig (1868-1937), Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine lost his throne on the proclamation of the Republic of Hesse

(e) Hesse-Homburg

• the line of Landgraves of Hesse-Homburg became extinct in 1866 with the death of Landgrave Ferdinand of Hesse-Homburg (1783-1866)

Hohenzollern

(a) Hohenzollern-Hechingen

• Friedrich Wilhelm of Hohenzollern-Hechingen (1801-1869), Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen ceded his sovereign rights to the King of Prussia on 7 December 1849.

(b) Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen

• Karl Friedrich of Hohenzollern, Titular Prince of Hohenzollern (1952-)
• 1849: when Prince Karl Anton of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1811-1885) , later Prince of Hohenzollern, ceded his sovereign rights to the King of Prussia on 7 December 1849

Italy

• Victor Emanuel, Prince of Naples (Vittorio Emanuele IV, Titular King of Italy) (1937-)
• 1946: when King Umberto II (1904-1983) left the country (following a referendum which showed a majority in favour of a republic)

Lippe

(a) Lippe-Detmold

• the Princes of Lippe Detmold became extinct in the male line in 1905 with the death of Prince Karl Alexander of Lippe-Detmold (1831-1905)

(b) Lippe-Biesterfeld

• Armin, Titular Prince of Lippe (1924-2015)
• Friedrich Wilhelm of Lippe, Titular Prince of Lippe (1947-)
• 1918: when Leopold IV (1871-1949), Prince of Lippe abdicated

The position regarding Lippe is quite complex but the majority of the Lippe family consider Armin to be the head of the Lippe House. Armin was the youngest son of the last reiging prince of Lippe, Leopold IV.

On several occassions I have requested François Velde the editor of "FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR ALT.TALK.ROYALTY -- ROYAL & NOBLE FAMILIES OF THE WORLD" to arrange update of this document to reflect the two claiments.

Mecklenburg

(a) Mecklenburg-Schwerin

• Friedrich Franz, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Friedrich Franz V, Titular Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin) (1910-2001). The male line is now extinct.
• 1918: when Friedrich Franz IV (1882-1945) , Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin renounced the throne

(b) Mecklenburg-Strelitz

• Georg Borwin, Duke of Mecklenburg (Georg Borwin, Titular Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz) (1956-)
• 1918: when the throne became vacant on the death of Adolf Friedrich VI, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1882-1918) .

(c) Mecklenburg

• Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia (Georg Friedrich, Titular German Emperor, King of Prussia, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg) (b. 1976)
  by virtue of a 1442 succession pact, the claim to Mecklenburg reverted to the margraves of Brandenburg on extinction of the dynasty in 2001

Mexico

(House of Habsburg-Lorraine)

• 1867: when Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico (1832-1867) was shot and the country became a republic

Modena

• 1860: when Francesco V, Duke of Modena (1819-1875) lost his throne when Modena was annexed to the Kingdom of Sardinia

Montenegro

• Nicholas, Prince Petrovic-Njegos of Montenegro (Nicholas II, Titular King of Montenegro) (1944-)
• 1918: when Montenegro was annexed to the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later, Yugoslavia)

Nassau

• 1866: when Adolf, Duke of Nassau (1817-1905) lost his throne when Nassau was annexed to the Kingdom of Prussia (he later succeeded as Grand Duke of Luxembourg in 1890)

Oldenburg

• Christian Nikolaus, Duke of Oldenburg (Christian Nikolausr, Titular Grand Duke of Oldenburg) (1955-)
• 1918: when Friedrich August, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (1852-1931) renounced the throne

Parma

• Carlos, Titular Duke of Parma (1970-)
• 1859: when Duke Roberto I of Bourbon-Parma (1848-1907) was overthrown following the annexation of the Duchy of Parma to the Kingdom of Sardinia

Portugal

• Duarte, Duke of Braganza (Duarte III, Titular King of Portugal and the Algarves) (1945-)
• 1910: when King Manoel II (1889-1932) lost the Throne through the revolution

Prussia

• Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia (Georg Friedrich, Titular German Emperor, King of Prussia) (1976- )
• 1918: when German Emperor Wilhelm II (1859-1941) abdicated (see also Mecklenburg)

Reuss

I. Reuss Elder Line (Reuss-Greiz)

• 1918: when Heinrich XXIV, Prince Reuss zu Greiz (1878-1927) renounced the throne (the Elder Line of the House of Reuss became extinct on Heinrich XXIV's death)

II. Reuss Younger Line
(a) Reuss-Schleiz

• Heinrich VIII, Titular Prince Reuss zu Schleiz (b. 1944)
• 1918: when Heinrich XXVII, Prince Reuss zu Schleiz (1858-1928) renounced the throne

(b) Reuss-Schleiz-Köstritz

• Heinrich IV, Titular Fürst Reuss (1919-) (on his father's death 1946 but not fully recognized as such until 1962 with effect from 1953)

Reproduced below is a posting from "The German-Austrian Royals Message Board" (GARMB) by Sam Dotson on 4/1/2006. I'm grateful to Sam and also Anuschka the GARMB administrator for their permission to include the posting on my Web Site.

(Note: "The German-Austrian Royals Message Board" (GARMB) is no longer in being.)

The last reigning Fürst Reuß j.L. was Heinrich XXVII, who died 1928. He was succeeded by his son Heinrich XLV, who went missing at the end of World War II (autumn 1945). Heinrich XLV was not "officially" declared dead by a court at Büdingen until 1962; the ruling had effect as of 1953. As a consequence, no one could rightfully "succeed" Heinrich XLV until he had been declared dead. The next senior male in line after Heinrich XLV was Heinrich XXXIX (of the Ernstbrunn, Austria, line), who died in 1946 and was succeeded by his son Heinrich IV, who is still alive and is considered the Head of the House of Reuß with the title Fürst. But Heinrich IV did not "succeed" Heinrich XLV until 1962 (with effect from 1953) because until then, Heinrich XLV was still alive - "officially".

Complicating this straightforward succession is the fact that Heinrich XLV adopted Pr. Heinrich I (1910-1982) as his heir for inheritance purposes (not for purposes of Head of House). Pr. Heinrich I's eldest surviving son is Pr. Heinrich VIII (born 1944). The latter is heir of the goods of Heinrich XLV, but not Head of the House of Reuß, and does not beat the title "Fürst".

Roumania

• Margarita , Ccustodian of the Romanian Crown of Roumania (1949- )
• 1947: when King Michael was forced to abdicate

Russia

• rival claimants:
  • Prince Andrei Romanov (1923- )
  • Grand Duchess Maria Wladimirovna of Russia (Maria, Titular Empress and Autocrat of All the Russias) (1953- )
• 1917: when Emperor Nicholas II abdicated

Saxon duchies

(a) Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

• Michael-Benedict, Prince of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (Titular Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach) (1946- )
• 1918: when Wilhelm Ernst (1876-1923), Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach lost the throne

(b) Saxe-Meiningen

• Friedrich-Konrad, Titular Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (1952- )
• 1918: when Bernhard III, (1851-1928) Duke of Saxe-Meiningen abdicated

(c) Saxe-Altenburg

• the Ducal House of Saxe-Altenburg became extinct in 1991 with the death of Prince George Moritz of Saxe-Altenburg (1900-1991)
• 1918: when Ernst II, (1871-1955) Duke of Saxe-Altenburg renounced the throne

(d) Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

• Andreas, Titular Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1943- )
• 1918: when Karl Eduard, (1884 -1954) Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha abdicated

Saxony

• Maria Emanuel, Margrave of Meissen (Maria Emanuel, Titular King of Saxony) (1926- )
• 1918: when King Friedrich August III (1865-1932) renounced the Throne

Schaumburg-Lippe

• Alexander Christian, Titular Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe (1958- )
• 1918: when Adolf II, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe (1883-1936) renounced the throne

Schleswig-Holstein

(not regnant since the 17th c. but listed because of its branches in Russia, Oldenburg and Denmark)

(a) Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg

• 1931: when the Augustenburg line of the family became extinct with the death of Duke Albert of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg (1869-1931)

(b) Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

• Christoph, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (Christoph, Titular Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg) (1949- )

Schwarzburg

(a) Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen

• 1909: when the male line of Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen became extinct with the death of Prince Karl Günther of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen (1830-1909)

(b) Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt

• 1918: when Gunther, Prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1853-1925) abdicated
• 1971: the Princely House of Schwarzburg became extinct in the male line with the death of Prince Friedrich Gunther of Schwarzburg (1901-1971)
  Note: Schwarzburg had semi-Salic succession, so a potential claimant would be Friedrich Magnus, Graf zu Solms- Wildenfels, (1927- ) via his mother Princess Marie-Antoinette of Schwarzburg (1898-1984)

The succession of the House of Schwarzburg is quite complicated and here is a detailed explanation of the House Laws of Schwarzburg.

Tuscany

• Sigismund, Titular Grand Duke of Tuscany (1966- ) ( see Note 2)
• 1860: when Ferdinando IV, Grand Duke of Tuscany, (1835-1908) lost his throne when Tuscany was united to the Kingdom of Sardinia

Two Sicilies

• rival claimants:
  • Carlo, Duke of Castro (Carlo , Titular King of The Two Sicilies) (1963- )
  • Carlos, Duke of Calabria (Carlo VIII, Titular King of the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily) (1938- )
• 1860: when King Francesco II of Bourbon-Two-Sicilies (1836-1894) lost his throne when The Two Sicilies were annexed to the new Kingdom of Italy

Waldeck and Pyrmont

• Wittekind, Titular Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1936- )
• 1918: when Friedrich, Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1865-1946) abdicated

Württemberg

• Carl, Duke of Württemberg (Carl II, Titular King of Württemberg) (1936- )
• 1918: when King Wilhelm II of Württemberg (1848-1921) abdicated

Yugoslavia

• Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia (Alexander II, Titular King of Yugoslavia) (1945- )
• 1945: when King Peter II of Yugoslavia (1923-1970) was deposed following the abolition of the monarchy.

1. On 31 May 1961, by written declaration, Archduke Otto (Archduke Karl's father) renounced his rights to the Austrian throne as well as his membership in the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and declared himself to be a citizen of Austria. This 'political fiction' was done for the benefit of the Austrian republic and to allow Otto to journey to Austria whenever he so wished. This "renunciation" was viewed as such and understood for what it was by the members of the Imperial family. (Les Manuscrits du C.E.D.R.E.: L'Empire d'Autriche, volume III, 1991, page 69.)
2. On 12 April 1994, Leopold III, Titular Grand Duke of Tuscany, abdicated as Titular Grand Duke in favor of his elder son, Archduke Sigismund; his civil remarriage after a divorce conflicted with heading the Roman Catholic order of St. Stephen.