Kings and other nobles are well known for their illegitimate progeny. However, many royal ladies also strayed from the marriage bed.
Isabella II of Spain
Isabella was forced by the Moderate Party to marry her double first cousin, Francisco. Isabella was disgusted by her husband, commenting that he wore more lace than she did to their wedding. Francisco was rumored to be homosexual or impotent. Isabella had twelve children during their marriage, with five surviving to adulthood, including a son and future king, Alfonso XII of Spain. Alfonso was rumored to be the son of the captain of the guard, Enrique Puigmoltó y Mayans, although Alfonso dismissed these rumors as political propaganda. Alfonso derived his claim to the throne through his mother, but surely did not want any threat to his reign, and thus suppressed any rumors of his paternity from flourishing.
Caroline Matilda of Great Britain
Caroline Matilda was the younger sister of King George III. As a teenager, she was sent to Denmark to marry King Christian VII, who was her first cousin. Christian…
