Prince Philip
Yes, the late husband of Queen Elizabeth II was born to Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice. To marry the then-Princess Elizabeth, he had to become a British subject and renounce his position as heir to the throne in both Greece and Denmark. For such a feat in the name of love, he was later awarded several titles such as Baron of Greenwich and Duke of Edinburgh. Philip and Elizabeth married in 1947 and lived together for 74 years, until the death of the prince in 2021.
Grand Duke Konstantin Romanov
One of the most famous ruling dynasties in the world also has a touching love story followed by an abdication. Constantine was the second son of Emperor Paul I, and initially no one thought that he had a chance to rule the country. The first in line was Pavel’s older brother, Alexander, who, after the death of his father, took his place. But in 1825, under rather mysterious circumstances, the emperor dies in Taganrog, and the country is suddenly left without a monarch.
Then the moment of Constantine came, but, as it turned out, he did not want to become emperor at all, since he was married to Countess Jeanette Grudzinskaya. Under the pretext that Constantine’s marriage was concluded with a woman of unequal status, the throne passed on to his younger brother Nicholas.
King Edward VIII
Perhaps the most resonant case with the refusal of the throne is connected with the relationship between King Edward VIII of Great Britain and Wallis Simpson. Having ruled the country for less than a year, Edward resigned and left London to marry his beloved, since other authorities did not approve of this union. Abdicating the throne, the uncle of Elizabeth II stated: “I found that I could not bear the heavy burden of responsibility and fulfill my duties as king in the way I would like, without the help and support of the woman I love.” He lived in marriage with Wallis until the end of his life.
Princess Mako
Romantic deeds have not remained the lot of past centuries, and today royal persons are capable of decisive action. One of the latest such cases is the departure of Princess Mako from the Imperial Family of Japan for the sake of marriage to a lover who is not of aristocratic origin. In October 2021, it was confirmed that Princess Mako had married Kei Komuro, thus losing her royal status. Now the couple has moved to America, where they plan to start a new life.
Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau
In 2004, the most talked about news in the Netherlands was the wedding of Prince Friso and Mabel Smith. The fact is that the marriage was concluded without the official blessing of the country’s parliament. Friso renounced the right to the throne, which would have passed to him from his older brother. Until his death in 2013, the prince and his family were still considered members of the royal family, it was just that Friso could no longer claim power.
Examples of these amazing stories prove that no power and power can replace a person with a happy life with a beloved partner. Perhaps they will inspire you to exploits for the sake of your soul mate! And if you want to read about other reasons that forced the monarchs to abdicate, do not miss our article.