Weddings are usually joyous occasions filled with love, laughter, and celebration. But for some royal couples, their wedding day marked the beginning of a tragic tale. Here are 10 royal weddings that ended in disaster, death, or doom.
10. Princess Mary of Teck and Prince Albert Victor
Princess Mary of Teck and Prince Albert Victor, son of the Prince and Princess of Wales, were set to have a widely anticipated wedding. Their engagement was announced in December 1891, with the wedding planned for February 27, 1892.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Prince Albert fell ill with influenza in January and passed away on January 14th, causing the wedding to be canceled. It seemed this marriage was doomed from the start.
Princess Mary, however, didn’t remain heartbroken for long. A year later, she married Prince George, her late fiancé’s brother. Their second wedding was a success, proving that sometimes things can work out in the end. [1]
9. King Henri of Navarre and Marguerite Valois
The wedding of King Henry of Navarre and Marguerite Valois is one of the most tragic in royal history. On August 18, 1572, the wedding took place in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. Despite the beautiful venue, the day took a dark turn.
The wedding occurred during a major conflict between the Catholic and Protestant churches. King Henry was a Protestant, which led many prominent Protestant figures to travel to Paris for the wedding.
Catherine de Medici, the bride’s staunchly Catholic mother, saw this as an opportunity. Instead of celebrating her daughter’s marriage, she plotted to kill the unsuspecting Protestants who had come to Paris for the wedding.
Just six days after the wedding, as celebrations continued, Catherine ordered mercenaries to slaughter between 3,000 and 70,000 Protestants. The violence spread beyond Paris into other French provinces. Eventually, the violence was suppressed, and the crown blamed a political uprising. [2]
8. King George IV and Princess Caroline of Brunswick
Prince George (later King George IV) and Caroline of Brunswick were betrothed without ever meeting. As you might guess, this didn’t lead to a joyous wedding day.
George never wanted to marry Caroline. He was content with his mistress. However, his lavish lifestyle led to significant debt. His father suggested marrying someone rich to solve his financial problems, and George agreed.
Caroline wasn’t thrilled about the marriage but hoped to make it work. However, when she arrived in England for the wedding, everything changed. At the 1795 ceremony, her husband-to-be was so drunk he could barely stand. He passed out on their wedding night, and Caroline went on with her business, unbothered.
The disastrous wedding foreshadowed their loveless marriage and separate lives. [3]
7. King Harthacnut
Not all disastrous royal weddings involve the king and queen. King Harthacnut, who ruled Denmark and later England, attended a wedding that ended in tragedy. He attended the wedding of one of his courtiers, the daughter of Osgod Clapa, nearly two years after his coronation.
During the wedding, the king decided to give a toast to the happy couple. However, he collapsed mid-speech and died! The wedding was ruined, and everyone rushed to help the king.
The cause of his death remains unknown, but many speculate it was due to an alcoholic-induced stroke or a fit caused by epilepsy or diabetes. [4]
6. Edward II and Isabella of France
King Edward II’s marriage to Isabella of France in 1308 was a disaster. The king was 24, while his bride was half his age. However, the age difference was the least of their problems.
King Edward was more interested in his knight, Piers Gaveston, than his wife. At the wedding celebration, he kissed Piers in front of all the guests, horrifying his new bride.
The affair continued throughout his marriage. Eventually, Isabella had enough and overthrew her husband, installing their son, Edward III, as king. [5]
5. Prince Albert and Princess Charlene
Prince Albert and Charlene Wittstock’s wedding was marred by disaster. Prince Albert is Grace Kelly’s son, and Charlene is a South African swimmer.
Before their wedding, Charlene tried to flee Monaco after news broke that Prince Albert had fathered a third illegitimate child. She was intercepted at the airport after a failed attempt to get to France.
They married in 2011, but spent their honeymoon in separate hotels. Despite the issues, they are still together today. [6]
4. Catherine the Great and Peter III
Catherine the Great ruled Russia effectively, but her marriage was far from great. She married Peter III Fyodorovich, which led to her becoming the ruler of Russia. At the time of the wedding, Catherine was 16, and her groom was 17.
They were cousins but didn’t like each other from the start. Catherine described Peter as a cruel, drunken partier, and their wedding proved it. After the ceremony, Peter left his new bride to party with his friends.
Their marriage was tumultuous, and Catherine eventually seized power in Russia. [7]
3. P’u Yi and Gobulo Wanrong
P’u Yi, the last Chinese Emperor, was told at 16 that he had to choose a wife. His courtiers showed him photos of girls to pick from.
P’u Yi wasn’t interested in marriage and chose a photo randomly. His advisors told him the girl could be his concubine, but he had to marry Gobulo Wanrong.
They had a peaceful ceremony, but things went awry afterward. The newlyweds went to bed to consummate the marriage, but the emperor panicked and fled, sparking rumors about his sexuality.
Despite the wedding night, P’u Yi and Gobulo Wanrong became friends and had a relatively stable marriage. [8]
2. Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves
Henry VIII is known for disastrous marriages, and his wedding to Anne of Cleves was notably terrible. Anne of Cleves was his fourth wife whom he chose based on a portrait.
When Anne arrived in England, Henry VIII had a change of heart. He tried to call off the wedding but failed and married her anyway.
According to King Henry, he found his wife so unattractive that they couldn’t consummate the marriage. Six months later, Henry got an annulment and began courting his next wife. [9]
1. Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great also suffered in his love life. In 324 BC, Alexander the Great married Statira in a double wedding with her sister, Drypetis, and Alexander’s attendant, Hephaestion.
After the ceremony, Hephaestion and Alexander went to bed together instead of with their new wives. The brides and Alexander the Great’s other wife, Roxanne, were shocked.
The wives didn’t have to endure this for long, as both Hephaestion and Alexander the Great died about a year later. [10]
These royal weddings serve as stark reminders that even in the most privileged circles, love and marriage can be fraught with challenges and unexpected turns. From tragic deaths to scandalous affairs and political machinations, these stories offer a glimpse into the complex lives behind the crowns.
Which of these royal wedding disasters surprised you the most? Leave your comment below!
