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Princess Alexandra Anne of Westminster was born OTD in 1887

The only child of the Duke and Duchess of Westminster, Princess Alexandra Anne Martha Georgina Dagmar Gloriana Marie Astrid was born at Rockcliffe Palace, Warwick, in the exact bed where King George I had been born almost half a century earlier. The child was visited by Queen Alexandra who wrote, "Marie's dear baby looks older than a newborn. She is so large and alert with a mop of white hair." The little princess was known by friends and family as "Nan", based on a childhood misspelling of her name.

Nan of Westminster grew up under the eye of her grandmother, Martha, Dowager Duchess of Westminster, dividing time between Rockcliffe Palace and Ivory Cottage, a hunting lodge turned royal residence. Trips to visit Anne's maternal relations in Germany were frequent. Anne later described her childhood as "merry but with much to be desired". Plagued by financial grievances, the Duke and Duchess were unhappy in their marriage and had no other children. Despite the Duke's infidelities, the pair were forbidden to divorce by George I "for the sake of the young daughter". The marital strain impressed itself on Anne, who became insecure, worrying she was unloved by her parents. In 1894 Dowager Duchess Martha consoled her granddaughter, "Darling one, you mustn't go about thinking you are unwanted. How could such an idea enter your pretty little head? Shake it out this instant!"

Throughout adolescence Anne was acutely aware of her flaws. Her figure was often gauche, her haircut awkward and fizzy, her face round and heavy-jawed. "I suppose I am too Hanoverian to pass as beautiful," Nan remarked, referencing her mother's side of the family, the thickset descendants of King George III of the United Kingdom. By the time she was seriously considered as a bride for Prince George of Danforth, second in line to the throne, Anne was staring down the gunbarrel of spinsterhood. Her previous engagement to Prince George's younger brother, Louis Alexander, ended in tragedy when the wayward prince toppled from his bedroom window in a typhoid-fueled delirium. On their wedding day, George wrote, "It is so tedious to learn to love each other. I am so angry with myself! For when I am with you, I lose all speech to express my love for you, my darling. Now, I write what I cannot say . . ."

"They were two awkward, timid souls. Soft spoken, consistently cringing, nearly terrified of each other. Yet they were shoehorned into a perfect love match by chance—and tragedy."

With George, Anne had five children, nine grandchildren, and twenty-three great-grandchildren. Anne is today remembered charitably by historians, largely as a stabilizing force that shepherded the family through two world wars and numerous family tragedies. She lived to see five kings rule, connecting George I to Louis V. She gave birth to the majority of her children during the First World War. Although overly formal and aloof as a mother, she loved her children passionately. When her eldest son was assassinated in 1942, Anne defended her daughter-in-law from the gunman with her flower bouquet. She married the Duke of Woodbine in 1913 and died in 1973. For her sixty years of service, combined with her serene public image, she was eulogized as Diamond Anne.

Alexandra was The Queen, capital T, capital Q. But Anne? Anne was The Matriarch.

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Shelby Elizabeth Sykes was born OTD in 1985

On a rainy April afternoon, a little girl was born to a sales executive and his wife, who taught grade ten biology. The baby was named Shelby after her great-grandfather, a mechanic from King City, Missoria. Elizabeth was in honour of an aunt who'd died in a car accident four years prior. Shelby had a brother, Eric, who was five years older. As the youngest, Shelby was known as "Baby Bee", a nickname she would grow to resent.

The little girl grew up in a three-bedroom farmhouse nestled in the Sunderlandian pariries. Her hometown was described as "so flat you could see the horizon bend on a clear day." Fort Stone had a population of just under 3,000, the majority of them descendants of the Polish and Dutch immigrants that had made their way west in the early 20th century. The Sykeses were one of few WASP families in town and proud of it; the family shunned Fort Stone's Catholic chapel and drove every Sunday to an Episcopal church 20 kilometres south.

As Shelby grew, she outgrew Fort Stone. Schooling had consisted of a handful of co-ed prep schools—schools way nicer than the ones her mother taught at—and a neighbour girl who came over to tutor the Sykes children every Friday evening. In 2003, Shelby moved to Sunderland's largest city, Warwick, to pursue a career in communications. Her subsequent job in public relations careers took her around the world, from Austria to New Zealand, but by 2014, she had returned to Warwick. "She'd wanted to escape Fort Stone—not the whole country."

In 2016, Shelby was comfortable in her career at a mid-level public relations firm. Her red hair, still slightly fried from being bleached throughout her twenties, was long, and she made just enough money to afford a wardrobe inspired by Alexa Chung, who she described as "everything goals". She owned a condo with a balcony that overlooked Sunderland's King Street financial district. She Skyped her parents every weekend, and her brother was just thirty minutes away if she ever grew lonely, although she rarely did—Shelby also had a boyfriend. She had met Prince Henry, the youngest son of Louis V, in June 2013. Shelby's firm had been managing the promotion of one of Henry's non-profit events, and the pair got to talking during cocktail hour.

Henry was different from his two older brothers. He wore glasses. He had infamously flunked out of military school in September 2001. His degree was in musical theory, and he had no plans to return to the service, a fact that put him at loggerheads with his father. He worked, as best as any royal could, for the crown but was often overshadowed by his siblings. Even as a relatively handsome, thirty-something-year-old bachelor, Henry kept a low profile. Off-duty, he wore jeans and collared shirts underneath chunky wool sweaters made in Scotland. His mother called him Baby, a nickname he adored. When Henry finally brought Shelby home, the Prince of Danforth remarked, "even beside a redhead he disappers."

Rumours of marriage hounded the couple throughout the late 2010s. When news of an engagement broke in early 2019, Shelby generated significant interest. Louis V's biographer described her as the first "truly middle class" woman to marry into the family. In the runup to the wedding, the Daily Charlaten published several articles about "Shelby the all-Sunderlandian girl". The wedding was the first large royal gathering since the funerals of James, the Prince of Danforth, and Queen Katherine. The couple were created Duke and Duchess of Sherbourne after the ceremony.

On her 40th birthday, Tatler Sunderland ran a cover story entitled The Rise and Rise of the Duchess of Sherbourne, the Royals' Secret Weapon. As duchess, Shelby is patron of over 70 charities and undertakes over 400 engagements a year. Her charity work focuses on women's rights, especially in regard to fertility and post-partum care. She is widely believed to be the King and Queen's favourite daughter-in-law.

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Prince George David of Danforth was born OTD in 1884

When the Prince and Princess of Danforth welcomed their first child on March 24, 1884, they had been married for just under a year. The child, a boy, was small, having been born a few months premature, but was doted on by his parents. The baby was christened George David Alexander Nicholas, named after his father, grandfather and deceased great-grandfather. Throughout his childhood, the young prince was known as Nicky. Even after the birth of his younger brother 13 months later, Prince Nicky remained the favoured child within the family. King George I praised his grandson as "so bright, so clever! Nothing at all like his father."

Nicky and his closest brother Louis, called Lutz, were raised essentially as twins. The two young princes shared toys, clothes, and a room at Wren House. When Nicky was sent away to New Westminster for military training, the first royal prince to do so, it was decided that Lutz would tag along. The boys' tutor believed that Lutz, who showed "no spark", would benefit from his older brother's influence. After lengthy debate between the King, the Prince of Danforth, and the Prime Minister, the plan was approved. Scarborough Military College was a hard place far from home, sandwiched between the Cascades and Sunderland's Pacific coastline. Still, the Prince of Danforth believed that military experience was necessary for his sons to become "strong, upright young men". At Scarborough, the brothers were addressed as soldiers rather than princes, they ate in the mess hall and slept in the barracks with their fellow cadets. While Lutz thrived in the military, Nicky struggled with bullying and loneliness. "my intelligence did me no favours at The 'Borough. As far as the others boys were concerned I was too sensitive, too shy, too . . . me to be worth anything." Nicky was relived to leave Scarborough behind to attend the University of Westminster—even if it meant leaving Lutz behind as well. Studying at Westminster gave Nicky a bit of reprieve from his parents and grandfather. Despite this, the prince remained laser-focused on his education, as if his grandfather was still there "perpetually looking over his shoulder". The prince showed little interest in university social events or women, despite both being readily available in abundance. His free time was spent cramming and rehearsing the drill maneuvers he'd learned at Scarborough. Nicky's only friend was his dog, a Russell terrier called Shaggy. "The boy is a complete straight arrow," Nicky's tutor-turned-companion lamented. "It's ludicrous."

Back at home, George I set to work finding a bride for his grandson. In 1909, George I suggested one of his favourite granddaughters, Princess Katharina of Prussia, the second daughter of Nicky's late aunt Princess Grace. "How sweet it would be to see Dear Aunt Grace's daughter become Queen," the King wrote to his grandson. "Katharina has all of her mother's beauty & amiable nature. She is half Sunderlandian & has a great love of this country, something you will never find in the princesses of Europe." While Nicky agreed to the match, Katharina rejected him, stating she loved him only "as a Cousin". Another first cousin, this time Princess Hélène Bonaparte, was suggested the following year. This match was again unsuccessful, due to Hélène's Catholicism and her refusal to convert to Lutheranism. In 1911, Nicky expressed a passing interest in another Catholic princess, this time Princess Maria Adelaide of Bourbon-Parma, but he was too shy to openly pursue her.

In the end, Nicky's long-awaited bride came in the form of Princess Alexandra Anne of Westminster. Anne was the daughter of George I's first cousin and was once a childhood playmate of the Danforth children. Anne was originally meant to marry Nicky's beloved brother Lutz, who had since fallen into a scandal-ridden and frivolous lifestyle. When Lutz died of typhus just months before the wedding, Anne and Nicky grieved together.

So profound is my own grief, but I still feel deeply for poor Nan. To be so close & to have her happy future snatched, it is too awful for words!

In 1912, Nicky "bewildered everyone" by proposing to Anne. More shocking was George I's approval of the match. It was rumoured that the King caved to appease Anne's father, who caused controversy by publically demanding his daughter "have her Tsesarevich", referring to Queen Alexandra's sister-in-law, Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia, who had been engaged to Tsesarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich at the time of his death. Maria subsequently married Nicholas's brother, the future Tsar Alexander III. The comments saddened Queen Alexandra, who still mourned the loss of her favourite brother.

Despite the rumours it seems George I supported the match on his own. Having known her since childhood, the King found Anne "pretty, agreeable and charming" . However, George warned his grandson, Anne could "be fierce and strong-willed". The pair married in April 1913. Their early marital bliss was interrupted by World War One and Nicky's subsequent return to the military, but the pair still managed to have three children during the war, and two more afterwards.

The marriage proved to be a happy one. Nicky and Nan became King George II and Queen Anne in 1930, after the death of Nicky's father. George II's reign saw the rise of fascism, culminating in the outbreak of World War II. Throughout this period George II relied on Anne, who had become "his rock". Although an ocean away from the bloodshed, the royal family did not escape the war unscathed. George II's eldest son was assassinated, and several relatives sided with the Nazis. By the War's end, George II had weakened and he died the following decade.

George II and Anne's descendants make up the royal family as we know it today. Many things that are now considered traditions—military service at Scarborough, post-secondary education, a focus on family life—were started during George II's lifetime. His perseverance and determination throughout his difficult reign place him high in the rankings of Sunderlandian monarchs.

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The Royal Year (2/∞)

↬ HRH Princess Imogen of Sherbourne's birthday

Imogen Alice Irene Katherine was born on January 20, 2022, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of Sherbourne. At birth, she was seventh in line to the throne. Despite this, Imogen's birth prompted unprecedented media attention. The fact that she was the first princess born into the family in over thirty years was widely reported. Following the departure of The Duke of Woodbine, Imogen's uncle, from royal life, her parents' workload grew significantly, leading to increased publicity for the family. Imogen sometimes accompanied her parents on public engagements and was often described as a morale boost amid family drama and heartbreak. Imogen currently lives at her family's fifty-archer country seat, Greenwood Park. Like a few of her older cousins, she attends Castle Frank School, where she's observed to be a shy girl with few friends. According to sources, Imogen will only talk "if her mother is around". Another source added, “she’s capable of being lively, we’ve all seen it, but she doesn’t do well away from her family.”

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The Royal Year (1/∞)

↬ His Majesty The King's New Year's Gala

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The Royal Year (3/∞)

↬ The Anniversary of HRH James, Prince of Danforth's Birth

James Louis Michael George was born during a catastrophic blizzard on January 26, 1977. He was the long-awaited son and heir to King Louis V. After nine years of marriage between Louis and his wife, the birth of a son was a sign of stability—despite half the province being buried in snow. For this reason, James was the last royal child to be born at home rather than in a hospital. The snowstorm, which cut power throughout the city of Warwick, provided significant challenges to the birthing process. This was the first of several reformations to the monarchy that would take place throughout James's lifetime. Unlike his predecessors, James was educated at school rather than at home under the supervision of male relatives. He was likewise the first to attend a post-secondary institution. His upbringing at Woodbine Palace coincided with Sunderland's accelerating liberalization and decolonization. During his 1995 Investiture as Prince of Danforth, he became the first heir apparent to swear to respect and honour the distinct cultures of Sunderland's indigenous populations. He was also the first member of his family to acknowledge same-sex couples following Sunderland's 2003 legalization of gay marriage. As a young adult he became known for his fashion sense, intellect, and spontaneous public persona. James's relationship with his father has been heavily debated by royal experts and biographers. Some allege that Louis treated his eldest son as a whipping boy and scapegoat, and that towards the end of James's life, the two were at loggerheads due to conflicting social and political views. Others argued that while the two often disagreed, the relationship between King and heir was ultimately loving and far more efficient than Louis's relationship with his own father. Despite some documented periods of melancholy, James was generally charming and beloved by the people. His 1998 marriage to Lady Tatiana Farnsworth increased his public image to that of a global brand. His sudden death in 2017 led to much public mourning and international media attention and he remains a popular figure in Sunderland's culture. "The loss of James," wrote Paul Redstone in O Captain! My Captain!: Sunderland's Lost Kings (2024) "has been the largest blow to the monarchy since predecessor George was killed at Whitehall."

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The Royal Year (4/∞)

↬ HM The King's Birthday

King Louis V was born Prince Louis Arthur George of Danforth on February 7, 1946. His birth, following an Allied victory during the Second World War, marked the start of Sunderland's contemporary era. Despite his persistent shyness, Louis is considered to be one of Sunderland's more successful monarchs and is on track to be the longest reigning should he surpass the 63-year rule of his great-great grandfather King George. Per the King's Wikipedia page: Louis’s reign has coincided with major political events such as the continuation and resolution of the Saint George Sovereignty Crisis, the further decolonization of Sunderland’s former imperial territories, several amendments to Sunderland’s constitution, and the recognition of Sunderland’s Dominion Realms as distinct societies. Louis’s reign has also seen an increase in social liberalism with the legalization of same-sex marriage, the decriminalization of abortion, and the rise of multiculturalism. As monarch, he undertakes dozens of state visits and official tours each year. Since his inauguration in 1971, Louis celebrated his Silver, Ruby, and Golden jubilees in 1995, 2010, and 2020 respectively. Despite streaks of unpopularity and press criticisms against his personal character during the early decades of his reign—in particular, after the publication of his extra-marital affairs and the subsequent estrangement from his wife—Louis’s personal popularity recovered by the turn of the century. Support for Louis and the monarchy as a whole has remained consistently high since the death of his eldest son James, Prince of Danforth in September 2017. As a cultural figure, Louis is noted for his stoicism and aloof disposition; his personal opinions and political beliefs are largely subject to conjecture.