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THESE ROYAL SCANDALS WERE KEPT HIDDEN FROM THE PUBLIC, UNTIL NOW

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Photo Courtesy: Bengt Nyman/Wikipedia

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Driven by passion, power, greed and insanity, royal families have always been at
the center of scandals. We may think that malicious gossip and bad behavior are
a result of changing times, but those who have worn crowns have become embroiled
in embarrassing and occasionally dangerous situations for centuries.

Let’s take a look at some royals who have gotten caught up in some of the
wildest scandals in history. Some of their stories won’t surprise you at all,
but others are sure to shock and amaze you.

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PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE'S "MEGXIT"

After the 2018 wedding of Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle, the
world was certain the couple would live a fairytale life as the Duke and Duchess
of Sussex. Unfortunately, constant scrutiny by the British press made their
lives miserable.


Photo Courtesy: Mark Jones/Wikipedia


In January 2020, the duo announced their decision to step back from royal life,
split their time between the United Kingdom and North America and become
financially independent. Harry and Meghan's plan was allegedly a shock to the
royal family, who has now accepted their decision. Saddened by the news, Brits
have nicknamed the announcement "Megxit."




RUSSIA'S CZARINA UNDER THE SPELL OF A MAD MONK

Russian Czarina Alexandra Romanov created a stir by meeting and corresponding
with the charismatic monk Grigori Rasputin. Calling himself a healer, Rasputin
assured Alexandra he could save the family’s only son, Alexei, who suffered from
the life-threatening disease hemophilia, a condition the family hid from the
public.


Photo Courtesy: Alexandra: Library of Congress/Wikipedia, Rasputin:
Unknown/Wikipedia


Rasputin was a notorious drunk and womanizer, so it wasn’t long before rumors
started flying that he was having an affair with the Czarina and manipulating
the royal family. The scandal contributed to the overthrow and execution of the
Romanovs by the Bolsheviks and led to Rasputin's murder in 1916.




A DUCHESS’ FOOTLOOSE PHOTOS

When Britain’s Prince Andrew married Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson, it was believed
the wild young man had met his match in the fiery-haired Ferguson. The couple
married in 1986 and became the Duke and Duchess of York. A rift developed
between the couple after a few years, with Sarah mostly blaming Andrew’s long
absences from home due to military service.


Photo Courtesy: Dave J. Hogan/Getty Images


In 1991, Fergie was photographed with her arm around American financier Steve
Wyatt. The following year, photos appeared of the Duchess vacationing with
American businessman John Bryan, who was sucking on her toes poolside. The Duke
and Duchess of York divorced in 1996.




PRINCE HARRY'S CRASS COSTUME

Prince Harry enraged many royal watchers when he was photographed at a 2005
costume party wearing a Nazi uniform, complete with a swastika armband. Harry
was third in line to the throne at the time, and his kingdom, including his
formidable grandmother, did not find it funny.


Photo Courtesy: Gabriel Bouys/Getty Images


It’s not clear what his motivation was, as the educated young man definitely
knew that Britain fought against the Nazis during World War II and that millions
of people died in Nazi concentration camps. Harry later issued a statement that
read, "I am very sorry if I caused any offence or embarrassment to anyone. It
was a poor choice of costume, and I apologise."




ELIZABETH I AND ROBERT DUDLEY'S DALLIANCE

She may have been known as the "Virgin Queen," but Elizabeth I had tongues
wagging back in the day due to her relationship with Robert Dudley. Her lack of
interest in marriage probably stemmed from her father’s decision to imprison and
behead her mother, Anne Boleyn — along with numerous other wives.


Photo Courtesy: Elizabeth: Windsor Castle/Wikipedia, Dudley: Francis Charles
Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford/Wikipedia


The woman who once proclaimed, "I will have but one mistress here, and no
master," had been close to Dudley since childhood, and their relationship
continued into adulthood. The couple’s bond withstood numerous rumors, including
speculation that Elizabeth and Dudley had conspired to murder his wife and that
the queen had secretly given birth to Dudley’s son.




CAROLINE MATILDA'S DANGEROUS DOCTOR

An affair between Denmark’s Queen Caroline Matilda and her husband’s German
physician, Johann Struensee, created a scandal as well as political enemies.
Initially tasked with treating King Christian VII’s mental illness, Struensee
became romantically involved with the Queen, and Princess Louise Augusta is
believed to be the couple’s illegitimate daughter.


Photo Courtesy: Struensee: Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen/Wikipedia, Caroline
Matilda: The Lost Gallery-Flickr/Wikipedia


The good doctor was promoted and served as the country’s de facto regent. While
Struensee pushed for just reforms, including the abolition of torture and the
slave trade and making bribery a crime, his political enemies staged a
successful coup. He was beheaded in 1772, and Caroline Matilda was exiled.




CATHERINE THE GREAT'S HEIRS NOT-SO-APPARENT

Russia’s Catherine the Great was known to have despised her husband, Peter III.
She was said to have detested his appearance and his behavior, which included
drinking and playing with toy soldiers. Even worse, Catherine had been recruited
from Prussia to produce heirs to the throne, but after eight years of marriage,
the couple remained childless.


Photo Courtesy: Kunsthistorisches Museum/Wikipedia


Historians have speculated that Peter may have been unable to have children,
forcing Catherine to seek an alternative solution. Although their four children
were publicly recognized as Peter’s offspring, it has long been believed that
they were actually fathered by Catherine’s many lovers.




WU ZETIAN, THE CUNNING CONCUBINE

Before becoming China’s Empress, Wu Zetian was the concubine of Emperor Gaozong.
She climbed to power by allegedly killing her baby daughter with Gaozong and
then framing his wife, Empress Wang, for the murder.


Photo Courtesy: Unknown/Wikipedia


The accusation resulted in Wang being stripped of her title and imprisoned along
with a concubine Wu Zetian also wanted out of the way. Once she was empress, she
ordered that both women have their hands and feet chopped off and thrown in a
vat of wine. "Now, these two witches can get drunk to their bones," she
supposedly said.




FRANCE'S TOUR DE NESLE AFFAIR

In 1314, the French royal family was at the center of a scandal when King Philip
IV's two daughters-in-law, Margaret and Blanche of Burgundy, were accused of
adultery in the Tower of Nesle ("Tour de Nesle"). A third daughter-in-law, Joan
II, Countess of Burgundy, was accused of knowing about the indiscretions.


Photo Courtesy: Michael Sanders/Wikipedia


The allegations were leveled by Philip’s daughter, Princess Isabella. While some
historians believe the two women’s marriages were unhappy and that the
accusations were probably true, others claim it was a power play by Isabella to
help her son Edward ascend to the throne.




A DOSE OF REALITY FOR SWEDEN'S PRINCE

In 2015, Sweden’s then 36-year-old Prince Carl Philip made headlines when he wed
Sofia Hellqvist, a 30-year-old reality television star who appeared on the hit
show Paradise Hotel. The show focused on attractive contestants competing for
the longest stay at a luxury resort.


Photo Courtesy: Bengt Nyman/Wikipedia


Hellqvist had also worked as a model and yoga instructor. In 2004, she posed
topless with a boa constrictor wrapped around her body. "I don’t regret
anything. All these experiences have made me the person I am," Hellqvist
reportedly told a Swedish television outlet. "I wouldn’t have made those choices
today," she added.




NORWAY'S PRINCESS WITH A PROBLEMATIC PAST

Norway’s beautiful Crown Princess Mette-Marit is often depicted as having a
magical rags-to-riches story, but the fairytale story left more than a few
Norwegians stunned when she married Prince Haakon in 2001. Prior to their
marriage, Mette-Marit was a single mother who had a son with a convicted felon.
Her father also had a less than regal background, having married a much younger
former stripper.


Photo Courtesy: Snowflake2235/Wikimedia Commons


The princess has been embroiled in several controversial situations, including a
longstanding friendship with American businessman and convicted sex offender
Jeffrey Epstein. She also procured surrogacy services in India for friends, even
though surrogacy is banned in Norway.




A MONK MEDDLING WITH AN EMPRESS

In the 8th century, Japan’s Empress Shotoku was an ardent advocate for
Buddhism’s spread in Japan. Also known as Koken, the empress gained fame for
sponsoring the Hyakumanto Darani, an ambitious project that called for the
printing of 1 million copies of Buddhist chants.


Photo Courtesy: Sumiyoshi Hiroyasu/Wikimedia Commons


The empress also became famous for her scandalous relationship with Dokyu, a
Buddhist monk. After inviting a group of monks to her court, she allegedly began
an affair with Dokyu. As their relationship developed and he was appointed to
the position of high priest, Dokyu unsuccessfully attempted to persuade the
empress to make him emperor.




A PRINCE'S TRAGEDY AT SEA

Vittorio Emanuele is the only son of Umberto II, Italy’s last reigning monarch,
but he is best known for committing murder. In 1978, the prince was on his yacht
when he discovered someone had stolen his dinghy. He boarded another boat and
then shot and mortally wounded 19-year-old Dirk Hamer.


Photo Courtesy: Eric Vandeville/Getty Images


Emanuele was indicted on charges of inflicting lethal injury and possessing a
dangerous weapon, but he was acquitted in 1991. The prince has been involved in
several other scandals, including allegedly saying Italy’s anti-Semitic laws
passed in the 1930s were "not that terrible." In 2005, he issued an apology to
Italy’s Jewish community.




PORTUGAL'S HORRIFIC TAVORA AFFAIR

A political scandal shook Portugal in 1758 when an unsuccessful assassination
attempt was made on King Joseph I's life as he was returning from his mistress'
home in a carriage. Within days, two men were arrested and confessed under
torture that they had committed the crime at the direction of the Tavora family.


Photo Courtesy: AlvoMaia/Wikipedia


The Marchioness Leonor of Tavora, her husband — the third Count of Alvor — and
their family were imprisoned and accused of high treason and attempted regicide.
Almost all the family members were executed. The Tavoras' guilt is debated to
this day, with many people believing they were wrongfully executed.




BRITAIN'S PRINCE AND AN OLD FLAME

In 1981, the world watched the fairytale wedding of Prince Charles and Lady
Diana Spencer, never realizing Charles was still in love with his old flame,
Camilla Parker-Bowles, who wasn’t deemed "suitable." The two met in 1971 and
became involved, but they ended their relationship in 1973 when Charles joined
the Royal Navy and was stationed abroad. Camilla married Andrew Parker-Bowles
that same year.


Photo Courtesy: Prince Charles: Mark Jones/Wikipedia, Camilla Parker-Bowles:
Kevin Boyes/Wikipedia


Although both Charles and Camilla were married, they secretly re-kindled their
relationship, with Camilla divorcing her husband in 1995. Charles and Diana
followed suit in 1996. Charles and Camilla wed in 2005.




PRINCESS MICHAEL'S RACIST MISSTEP

Britain's Princess Michael has never been a wallflower, but the outspoken royal
caused a stir when she wore a controversial brooch to a luncheon. The guests
included the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, and her mother, who are both
African American.


Photo Courtesy: Allan Warren/Wikipedia


The pin was fashioned in the Early Modern art style known as "Blackamoor," which
depicted non-Europeans in subservient or exotic forms. For obvious reasons, the
style is now considered racist. The princess' staff released a statement that
read, "The brooch was a gift and had been worn many times before. Princess
Michael is very sorry and distressed that it has caused offense."




THE RUMOR THAT RAVAGED LADY FLORA HASTINGS

Lady Flora Hastings was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria's mother, the
Duchess of Kent. In 1839, Hastings developed a painfully swollen abdomen.
Several members of the court, including Victoria, disliked Hastings, and rumors
soon spread that Hastings was pregnant by the Duchess' comptroller, Sir John
Conroy.


Photo Courtesy: Queen Victoria: Royal Collection/Wikipedia, Lady Flora Hastings:
futuremuseum/Wikipedia


Hastings was urged to either marry, undergo several invasive tests or be banned
from court. She endured the exams, which proved she was not pregnant. The family
wanted a public apology, but Victoria ignored the request. Flora died a short
time later in 1839. It was later determined that she had suffered from liver
disease.




PRINCELY PROMISES THAT WEREN’T KEPT

In 2005, the principality of Monaco was rattled when a former flight attendant
named Nicole Coste revealed that Prince Albert had fathered her illegitimate
son, Alexandre. She told her story to Paris Match magazine and included photos
of the Prince, the baby and herself.


Photo Courtesy: Michel Dufour/Getty Images


Coste claimed Albert told her, "I'll take care of him. You'll want for nothing.
I don't promise I'll marry you, but keep him and don't worry. Little by little,
I'll bring him into the family." She claimed she simply wanted Albert to "assume
his responsibilities" as promised, which he did several years later.




MONACO'S RUNAWAY BRIDE

Prince Albert of Monaco's romance with Zimbabwean Olympic swimmer Charlene
Wittstock wasn't exactly a fairytale. The two were set to be married in July
2011, but weeks before the wedding, Charlene reportedly got cold feet after
discovering that Albert, who already had two known illegitimate children, had
fathered another love child during their relationship. Rumor has it Wittstock
unsuccessfully attempted to flee Monaco before the nuptials.


Photo Courtesy: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images


Charlene ultimately went through with the wedding, but some guests claimed she
was in tears during the ceremony. The prince and palace officials denied that
rumor but allegedly admitted that they honeymooned at separate hotels "for
practical reasons."




A PRINCESS' LIFE AS A TOTAL CIRCUS

Like her brother, Prince Albert, Princess Stephanie has always had quite a knack
for creating controversy. Breaking from royal tradition, she had two children
out of wedlock with her bodyguard, Daniel Ducruet. She finally married him in
1995 but then divorced him two years later.


Photo Courtesy: PLS Pool/Getty Images


The princess gave birth to her daughter Camille in 1998 and later revealed the
baby was fathered by another bodyguard, Raymond Gottlieb. In 2001, she created a
stir when she moved in with a married circus elephant trainer named Franco Knie,
but then she left him and married acrobat Adans Lopez Peres in 2003. The couple
split a year later.




KING CARL XVI GUSTAF OF SWEDEN'S DOUBLE LIFE

In 2010, the nation of Sweden was stunned to learn from an unauthorized
biography that their king, Carl XVI Gustaf, had been leading a pretty wild life.
According to the book, The Reluctant Monarch, the king was fond of sex clubs and
strippers and even had an affair in the 1990s with Swedish singer and actress
Camilla Henemark.


Photo Courtesy: Holger Motzkau 2010/Wikipedia


After the story broke, the king commented on the accusations saying, "I've
spoken to my family and the Queen, and we chose to turn the page and move
forward because, as I understand, these are things that happened a long time
ago."




PRINCE ANDREW'S DANGEROUS LIAISON

Britain's Prince Andrew has always been known as a ladies’ man, but the world
was shocked when it was revealed that he had been friends with American
businessman and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew was mentioned in
a lawsuit alleging he had been intimate with an underage teen procured by
Epstein.


Photo Courtesy: Prince Andrew: Northern Ireland Office/Wikipedia, Jeffrey
Epstein: State of Florida/Wikipedia


Although Buckingham Palace initially denied the accusations, Andrew went on
television and gave a disastrous interview justifying his behavior. The Queen
soon relieved him of his royal duties. "It was a devastating moment for both of
them. His reputation is in tatters," a source told the New York Post.




A KING GIVING UP A CROWN FOR LOVE

In 1936, Great Britain was rocked when news broke that King Edward VIII was
giving up his throne to marry a twice-divorced American socialite named Wallis
Simpson. In addition to being king, Edward was head of the Church of England,
which prohibited divorced people from remarrying if their ex-spouses were still
alive.


Photo Courtesy: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images


Realizing that their union would never be accepted by the church or the public,
Edward abdicated in December 1936 and was succeeded by his brother Albert, who
was known as George VI. The couple remained married for 35 years until Edward's
death in 1972.




GEORGE IV’S LOSING GAMBLE ON LOVE

King George IV was a prolific spender and gambler who enticed women to sleep
with him in return for money and lavish gifts but then reneged on those
promises. He had numerous mistresses during his marriage and after he was
widowed, but then he attempted to court a woman named Maria Fitzherbert who
insisted on marriage.


Photo Courtesy: Vatican Museums/Wikipedia


One a twice-widowed Catholic and the other a commoner, the couple had to
secretly wed. They had children, but George abandoned them when his marriage was
declared invalid, and he was forced to remarry to form a political alliance. His
court and political friends were aware of his shenanigans and did their best to
keep his wild behavior under wraps.




MASSACRE OF A MONARCHY

In June 2001, Nepal suffered a horrific blow when 12 members of the royal family
were gunned down in the royal palace, including King Birendra and Queen
Aishwarya. The king's oldest son, Prince Dipendra, was named king while he was
still hospitalized, but he died three days later from a self-inflicted gunshot
wound. The crown went to Birendra's brother, Gyanendra. Investigators later
discovered that Dipendra had committed the crime.


Photo Courtesy: Jewel Samad/Getty Images


Dipendra was believed to be upset because his parents objected to his interest
in marrying Devyani Rana, an Indian woman he had met while studying in England.
Others claim Dipendra suffered from mental illness. No conclusive evidence to
prove any theory has ever been found.




PRINCESS MAKO'S LONELY ENGAGEMENT

Japanese Princess Mako is beloved by the nation's citizens, who were delighted
in 2017 when the royal family announced she would marry a commoner, Kei Komuro,
in 2018. However, the wedding was pushed back when it was revealed that Komuro's
mother had asked for a $36,000 loan from her ex-fiance and hadn't repaid the
debt.


Photo Courtesy: Kounosu1/Wikipedia


The imperial family won't allow the wedding until the issue is resolved. Kei
Komuro claimed the ex-fiance had originally told his mother repayment wasn't
necessary, but the public believes that if Komuro wants to marry the princess,
he and his mother should repay the money.




A LONELY PRINCESS LOOKING FOR LOVE

Britain's Princess Diana was adored by the public in Great Britain and abroad.
It was a shock when the shy but charming Diana admitted to having an affair with
her horseback riding instructor, James Hewitt. "I adored him," Diana told BBC’s
Panorama in 1995.


Photo Courtesy: John Mathew Smith/Wikipedia


According to Diana, she and Hewitt met at a time when she suspected her husband,
Prince Charles, was seeing his former flame, Camilla Parker-Bowles. Hewitt was
later a source for the 1994 book Princess in Love, which detailed the affair. "I
was in love with him, but I was very let down," Diana confessed.




SORRY, SOPHIE

Brits were shocked when a topless photo of Prince Edward's bride-to-be, Sophie
Rhys-Jones, was splashed across the British paper The Sun less than a month
before the couple's wedding. Buckingham Palace made their displeasure
immediately known.


Photo Courtesy: Carfax2/Wikipedia


"This morning's story in The Sun is a gross invasion of privacy and cannot be
regarded as in the public interest. It has caused considerable distress." The
paper's following issue included a headline apology that read "Sorry, Sophie."
The paper agreed to write a personal apology letter to Rhys-Jones and donate
money from the sale of the paper to charities of her choice.




QUEEN VICTORIA'S FOREIGN FRIEND

In later life, an unlikely friendship developed between the widowed Queen
Victoria and her personal attendant, an Indian man by the name of Abdul Karim.
The Queen's friendship with Karim grew over the years, and she considered him to
be one of her most trusted confidants.


Photo Courtesy: Victoria: National Portrait Gallery/Wikipedia, Abdul Karim:
Rudolf Swaboda/Wikipedia


The two spent many hours talking about his life in India, and at the Queen's
request, he taught her the Hindustani language. Their relationship, albeit
platonic, caused such a stir that upon her death, all of Victoria's
correspondence with Karim was burned, and he was deported back to India.




LASCIVIOUS LETTERS FOR PRINCESS CHARLOTTE

Princess Charlotte may have looked lovely, but as she grew into adulthood, she
developed a reputation for gaining people’s confidence and then gossiping about
them later. In 1891, the tables were turned when a series of anonymous salacious
letters circulated through the Prussian court. Some of the letters contained
pornographic images drawn over royal photos.


Photo Courtesy: Philip de László/Wikipedia


Big-mouth Charlotte was the primary suspect. It was known that Charlotte's
diary, which was filled with everyone's secrets, went missing around the time
the letters were first sent. Charlotte enjoyed gossip, but in the end, it was
her reputation that was forever damaged.


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