Prince William of the Britain and his girlfriend Kate Middleton are getting married on Friday. The history of the marriages and divorces of the Royal family members of the UK are quite fascinating and interesting.
The following is the chronology of important events that shaped the destiny of Britain in the last 100 years.
May 6, 1910: King George V ascends the throne.
1917: House of Windsor comes into being replacing the British Royal Family’s official name, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha by a proclamation of King George V.
Jan. 20, 1936: George V dies and is succeeded by his son Edward VIII.
Dec. 11, 1936: Edward VIII marries twice-divorced American woman Wallis Simpson abdicating the power to ascend the throne. As she was not eligible to become the queen, Edward VIII was asked to give his choice, either marriage with her or throne. He preferred marriage with her and his brother George VI becomes the King and his wife Elizabeth queen.
Nov. 20, 1947: George VI’s daughter Princess Elizabeth marries Philip Mountbatten, who becomes Duke of Edinburgh.
Feb. 6, 1952: Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip leave for a tour of Africa and Asia. Her ailing father King George VI dies.
June 2, 1953: Queen Elizabeth becomes the queen at the Westminster Abbey.
1960: The queen gives birth to her third child, Andrew. Eldest son Charles was born in 1948 and daughter Anne in 1950. The last child Edward was born in 1964.
1973: The queen’s only daughter, Princess Anne marries Captain Mark Phillips but divorces him in 1992.
1977: The queen marks her Silver Jubilee with a tour of Commonwealth countries amid lavish celebrations in Britain.
July 29, 1981: Prince Charles marries Lady Diana Spencer in a glittering ceremony but he divorces her in 1996.
June 21, 1982: Prince William is born to Charles and Diana. Prince Harry takes birth in 1984.
July 23, 1986: Andrew marries publishing executive Sarah Ferguson.
1992: Queen Elizabeth completes 40 years on the throne. Andrew and Sarah separate. Anne divorces Mark Phillips. Photos of a topless Sarah kissing her friend get published in newspapers causing a hue and cry. In November, Windsor Castle is badly damaged by fire. The queen agrees to pay income tax. In December, Charles and Diana announce their separation.
Aug. 28, 1996: Charles and Diana are divorced.
Aug. 31, 1997: Diana and her millionaire companion Dodi Al Fayed are killed when their car crashes while being chased through Paris by photographers on motorcycles.
Feb. 6, 2002: The queen marks the 50th anniversary of her accession.
Feb. 9, 2002: The queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, dies at the age of 71.
March 30, 2002: Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother dies at Windsor Castle aged 101.
June 1- 4, 2002: Four days of nationwide celebrations mark the queen’s Golden Jubilee.
April 8, 2005: Charles announces his marriage with his long-time lover Camilla Parker Bowles in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
May 3, 2007: The queen arrives in the U.S. to mark the 400th anniversary of Virginia Company explorers landing on Jamestown Island to establish the Virginia English colony on the banks of the James River.
Nov. 19, 2007: The queen and the Duke of Edinburgh mark their 60th wedding anniversary with a service at London’s Westminster Abbey.
Oct. 14, 2010: The queen cancels a planned Christmas party at Buckingham Palace.
March 4, 2011: Britain and Ireland announce the queen’s visit to Ireland in 2011, the first official visit by a British monarch after the Irish state gained independence from Britain in 1921.
April 29, 2011: Prince William, the queen’s grandson and Kate Middleton are to marry in Westminster Abbey.
