It’s Valentine’s Day! Whether you have a hot beau or a date with Netflix, we’ve rounded up a list of lovers that’ll warm even the coldest heart. Without further adieu, we present famous couples throughout royal history.
Aeneas and Dido
Dido was the mythical queen of Carthage who fell in love with the Trojan hero Aeneas as soon as his sandaled foot landed on her white sands. Aeneas was fleeing the burning city of Troy after it fell to the Greeks, and he sought refuge with the beautiful ruler. Her hospitality quickly turned romantic (largely due to the not-so-benign magic of the gods), and the two enjoyed long walks on the beach and such. But the gods soon remind Aeneas of his destiny to found Rome, so he tries to steal off in the dead of night. Dido confronts her faithless lover before he can sail away to begin his new life, and rails against him for tarnishing her honor. As Aeneas sails away into the sunrise, Dido drives his sword through her shattered heart, and then throws herself upon a funeral pyre.
Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley
Talk about the friend zone. Elizabeth I was famously known as the “Virgin Queen,” but she had a lover from her childhood, Robert Dudley, who spent 40 years begging for her hand in marriage. She considered the proposal, even going so far as to name him Regent when she was ill with the smallpox. But after Robert’s wife mysteriously died, Elizabeth had to refuse his promise of love, for the damage to his reputation was too great. She even tried to marry him off to Mary Queen of Scots (the one who got her head chopped off), but Robert refused to leave her – even for a crown. When her “Sweet Robin” perished shortly after the sinking of the Spanish Armada, Elizabeth shut herself in her room for three days. The kingdom lay in quiet fear, but when Elizabeth emerged, she ruled the country with the same fiery will.
Victoria and Albert
This royal couple’s passion was evident in their brood – they had nine children who spread across Europe to infuse all the dynasties with their English blood. For these two, it was love (or lust) at first sight. A mere five days after Albert arrived at the palace, Victoria proposed to him – quite the feat for a woman in 1840! She wore a white dress for their wedding, and is credited with launching the modern tradition. She even wore her wedding veil 50 years later for a photoshoot to commemorate her long reign. Alas, Albert would only share 20 years of wedded bliss. He died of typhoid fever, and Queen Victoria was never the same afterwards. She withdrew from public life and wore only black in perpetual mourning of her lost love.
Diana and Charles
Another tragic, not-so-love story. A woman renowned for her kindness and compassion, Princess Diana undoubtedly deserved better than Prince Charles. He stepped out on their marriage before it even began, continuing his love affair with his then mistress and now wife, Camilla Parker Bowles. The couple rarely got along, and Charles demeaned Diana for her looks, weight, speech, and demeanor. She became severely depressed and even tried to commit suicide, though she found an ounce of happiness by dating an old friend. The tabloids went crazy as the phone calls of the couple’s respective affairs were leaked to the press, and by 1996 it was clear they had to divorce. “The People’s Princess” died tragically in a car crash, but the legacy of her valor lives on.
Kate Middleton and Prince William
This royal wedding reinvigorated our love affair with British royalty. Just as our parents tuned in to watch Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ nuptials, so too did we sit huddled around the television (or iPad) to see the British monarchy’s glittering opulence on full display. The two met in college – a friend of Middleton’s claims the Duchess had a poster of the Prince on her dorm wall, but that was quickly shut down by the royal press (though that doesn’t mean it’s false…). They are now known for their cherubim babies and for Middleton’s stylish dress. But move over boomers, because there’s a new fancy couple in town…
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
In an ironic twist of fate, Americans are taking over the British empire – one royal consort at a time. California native Ms. Markle met the younger Prince through her Hollywood connections. The two clicked and began dating, though that required a number of stipulations, like a bodyguard. Once they got married (in that gorgeous gown – I don’t care what the haters say!), royal protocol tightened its noose. In what has been deemed “Megxit,” the two announced on Instagram their decision to “step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family”, in order to focus more on their growing family. It remains uncertain if or when they will return to the palace, but if they live in Canada long enough, baby Archie might just introduce a Canadian into the royal lineage.
