9 Royals are said to be part of the LGBTQ+ community

But historically, many more royals were actually considered gay or bisexual, although it’s difficult to pin precise modern designations on historical figures. While how they would personally identify is debated, historians believe these royals were part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Learn some of these past and present royals below…

1.Lord Ivar Mountbatten

Queen Elizabeth’s cousin, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, was the first British king to officially come out as gay. Lord Ivar was previously married to businesswoman Penny Mountbatten, but after more than a decade together, the two separated in 2010. It was another six years before he officially announced he was dating a man – although he said he was knew he was bisexual since he was a teenager.

“I’m a lot happier now, although I’m still not 100% comfortable with being gay,” he told the post on Sunday by the time. “’Coming out’ is such a funny phrase, but I think I did it in a more roundabout way and got to a place where I’m happy. I struggle with my sexuality and in some ways I still do; It has been a real journey to get to this point.”

In 2018, Lord Ivar later married his husband James Coyle Split that it was an “amazing day”.

2. Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil

Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of India came out as gay in 2006 at the age of 41. His decision to come out was met with fierce backlash, particularly because homosexuality was illegal at the time. He was even publicly rejected by his mother. While his mother hasn’t changed her mind, Prince Manvendra says the public has become much more accepting over the years.

“When I came out in 2006, there wasn’t a single person in my town for me,” he said Tatler, adding that things have changed over time. “People are proud that I’ve achieved something for a common cause, not just for myself.”

In 2013, Prince Manvendra married a man named DeAndre Richardson and recently set up a space on the palace grounds to help vulnerable LGBTQ+ Indians.

3. Prince Egon of Furstenberg

The German royal prince Egon von Furstenberg was married twice during his life – once to the designer Diane von Furstenberg and later to a woman named Lynn Marshall. Although he did not label his sexuality, it is believed that he was bisexual based on his openness about his encounters with both men and women. In a 1981 interview, he shared that he had “no regrets” about having been sexually involved with a man.

“I can’t stay with the same person for long. I’m bored sexually,” he said People by the time. “I am very satisfied. I have no regrets.”

4. Prince George, Duke of Kent

Prince George, Duke of Kent was the younger brother of Queen Elizabeth’s father, George VI. During his lifetime in the early 20th century, Prince George never came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, but it has been widely speculated that he was bisexual. According to numerous historians, George had relationships with both men and women. The Smithsonian Channel documentary “Private Lives of the Windsors” claimed that George “recognized no limits to his sexual exploration.”

“He sailed very, very close to the wind because you have to remember that homosexuality was illegal at the time. “You could go to jail for that,” said royal biographer Christopher Warwick said in the series.

5. Princess Isabella of Parma

Princess Isabella of Parma lived between 1741 and 1763 and it has been speculated throughout history that she may have been bisexual. Although she married Archduke Joseph of Austria as a teenager, it is believed that she had a romantic affair with his sister, Archduchess Maria Christina. Over the course of their friendship, Isabella and Maria Christina exchanged hundreds of letters, many of which were romantic in nature. Some of Isabella’s letters are still in the Hungarian National Archives.

“I love you admirably and my happiness is in loving you and being sure of you,” Isabella wrote in a letter in French. In another, she added, “It could very well happen that we kiss to the point of exhaustion.”

6. King Umberto II of Italy

At the beginning of the 20th century, King Umberto II was married to Queen Marie-José of Belgium and they shared three children. Throughout their marriage, Umberto is said to have had romantic affairs with other men. According to historians, he was outed in the press in 1943 in Who’s Who in Contemporary Gay and Lesbian History. Then, in 1946, he was officially proclaimed king, but just 34 days into his reign, the public voted to abolish the monarchy.

Later that year, Umberto separated from his wife and lived out the rest of his life in exile.

7. Philip I, Duke of Orléans

Philippe I, the youngest son of King Louis XIII. from France, said to have been gay or bisexual. It is believed that Philippe had at times dressed like a woman and had romantic relationships with men during his life in the 17th century. According to Homosexuality & Civilization, Philippe’s mother often dressed him in feminine clothing – which he continued to do throughout his life.

Court gossip also reportedly referred to his relationships with men as “Italian vice,” a slang term for male homosexuality. Philippe eventually married Princess Henrietta of England, who died under mysterious circumstances. He later married Princess Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate, but it is believed they slept in separate rooms.

8. Queen Anne

Queen Anne, who lived in the late 17th century, is said to have had romantic relationships with two women – which later became the inspiration for the film The Favourite. As a child, Anne became close to Sarah Churchill and eventually became her second lady in the bedroom. During the separation of the two, they are said to have written numerous letters, some of which were romantic in nature.

“It’s impossible for you to believe how much I love you unless you’ve seen my heart,” Anne wrote in a letter. Meanwhile, Sarah’s answers were burned.

As the women began to grow apart due to differing political views, Anne’s affections turned to Sarah’s cousin, Abigail Hill, who worked as chambermaid at Anne’s court. Over time, Abigail’s political influence over Anne was questioned and a rift developed between all three women. Sarah is even said to have started rumors that Anne was having a sexual relationship with Abigail. Although it is unclear whether there was any form of sexual relationship between the two women, many believe that the letters between Anne and Sarah indicate it.

9. Archduke Ludwig Viktor of Austria

Archduke Ludwig Viktor of Austria, the younger brother of Emperor Franz Joseph, is said to have been a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Throughout his life he refused to marry any woman, although his family arranged numerous marriages for him. Things came to a head when a scandalous incident broke out at a bathhouse in which he allegedly sexually assaulted another man.

“Apparently there was an argument, and the Archduke was struck down by one of the bathers, an athletic, middle-class young man. According to witnesses, the young man’s actions were justified.” The Chicago Tribune reported in 1906.

After the incident, Franz Joseph forbade Ludwig to remain in Vienna. He left the city and went to Salzburg, where he worked as a philanthropist for the rest of his life.