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Much like ordinary people, royals too can experience their own bouts of sadness. But for some, these mental health battles were far more severe and troubling than mere passing moments of gloom. Here are ten royals who faced particularly dark and troubling mental disorders.
10. King George III
King George III, often referred to as 'Mad King George,' is the monarch remembered for overseeing the loss of the American colonies. He reigned over Great Britain from 1738 to 1820, through the tumultuous period of the American Revolution and the relinquishment of British territories abroad.
However, it seems that his mental instability may have played a part in his shortcomings as a ruler. King George was frequently incoherent, often repeating himself in lengthy, confused ramblings. He was also known to speak so long that saliva would drip from his mouth, and he sometimes suffered from convulsions.
While some have suggested that King George III's condition may have been caused by a disorder known as porphyria, not all historians agree. Many today argue that the king's condition was truly due to psychiatric illness, with his strange behaviors pointing to genuine mental instability.
9. Ludwig II
Ludwig II, also known as Mad King Ludwig, is another royal often linked to madness. He ruled over Germany from 1864 to 1886, a reign that was relatively brief. He is remembered for commissioning the construction of some of Germany's most iconic castles, such as Neuschwanstein.
Unfortunately, his obsession with castle-building had more to do with delusions than any grand architectural vision. The king's passion for these majestic structures seemed to spiral out of control, as he couldn't stop building them. His ambitious plans clashed with his financial reality, and despite warnings from banks, Ludwig continued his extravagant projects.
On top of his obsession with castles, Ludwig became increasingly withdrawn, displaying delusions of grandeur, violent tendencies, and hallucinations. These troubling behaviors led his doctors to diagnose him with paranoia, a broad term for mental instability. However, modern historians now speculate that the young king may have been suffering from schizotypal personality disorder and Pick's disease.
8. Prince Otto
If we're discussing Mad King Ludwig, it's only fair to mention his younger brother, Prince Otto. Prince Otto ultimately took the throne of Bavaria in 1886, but by that time, he had already fallen into madness.
Historical accounts reveal that Prince Otto began showing signs of depression as early as 17 years old. Due to his struggles, the royal family decided to keep him secluded, hiding him away at Nymphenburg Palace. Even after he became king, Otto's reign was short-lived, lasting only six years before he was again secluded for the rest of his life.
So, what was the nature of Prince Otto's illness? It seems his condition closely mirrored that of his brother’s. Prince Otto appears to have developed schizophrenia by the age of 20, causing him to experience aggression, depression, and delusions.
7. Nerissa Bowes-Lyon
Though rarely discussed, Nerissa Bowes-Lyon is a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, making her a member of the royal family. Despite this, she remained largely unknown until the release of Netflix's series The Crown.
The reason for this obscurity lies in the fact that Nerissa Bowes-Lyon and her sister, Katherine, both appeared to suffer from mental illness. The two women had significant learning disabilities and behaved much younger than their actual ages. Neither of the Queen's cousins ever learned to speak.
The royal family largely ignored the two women, hiding them away in a mental institution for the duration of their lives. As there was no medical terminology to describe their learning disabilities at the time, we may never know the exact nature of their condition. However, it appears that the two women had some genetic disorder running through the family, one that seemed to skip over the Queen herself.
6. King Charles VI of France
King Charles VI, who reigned over France from 1380 to 1422, offers one of the most dramatic tales of royal madness. From an early age, Charles displayed signs of delusion and violence, even killing several of his knights during a paranoid episode in 1392.
As time went on, the king's mental state deteriorated further, and he began to believe that his body was made of glass. So convinced of this delusion, he became terrified of the idea that a single touch might cause his fragile, glass-like body to shatter. As a result, he forbade anyone in his court from approaching him.
This bizarre delusion, known as Glass Delusion, still exists today, though it is far less common than it was during the Middle Ages. Let's hope none of us ever develop this peculiar and unsettling psychiatric disorder.
5. Eric XIV
The Swedish monarchy may not often make headlines, but when it comes to royal madness, King Eric XIV of Sweden certainly deserves mention. Known for his aggressive foreign policies and his brutal tactics during the Scandinavian Seven Years' War, Eric XIV's reign was also marked by episodes of mental instability.
Though Eric XIV seemed to live without any apparent mental health issues in his earlier years, his condition steadily worsened over time. By 1563, it became painfully evident that the king was suffering from severe mental illness, with violent outbursts and growing paranoia.
At one point, the king's delusions became so intense that he had several courtiers executed under the suspicion of high treason. He even condemned anyone to death who dared to whisper, laugh, or smile in his presence, believing these actions were treasonous signs of gossiping behind his back.
By 1658, the Swedish population had reached their breaking point. They overthrew the king and exiled him, where he lived for nearly another decade before being poisoned. Today, it is believed that schizophrenia was the cause of his violent outbursts and erratic behavior.
4. Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg
Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg was a German princess who became a queen after marrying into the Swedish royal family. Unfortunately, her reign as queen was overshadowed by her struggles with severe mental illness rather than any significant role in governance.
Queen Maria and her husband set about the crucial task of securing an heir to the throne. After numerous heartbreaking miscarriages and stillbirths, they were finally blessed with a beautiful child. However, their joy was short-lived when the baby turned out to be a girl, unable to inherit the throne.
Overcome with grief, the queen sank into a profound depression and even attempted to take her baby's life on multiple occasions. Eventually, her mental state worsened to the point where the court arranged for the baby to be cared for by the king's sister.
Unfortunately, the queen's depression showed no signs of improvement. When the king passed away while their daughter was still very young, the queen’s madness deepened. It's said she kept her husband's body with her for months after his death, only to touch it for comfort.
Maria spent the remainder of her life enveloped in sorrow, trapped by a severe mental illness she could never overcome.
3. King Charles II of Spain
Another royal suffering from madness was King Charles II of Spain, the last of the Habsburg dynasty. Unfortunately for him, it appears that the inbreeding among his ancestors contributed to his descent into madness.
The king was born with deformities and faced severe learning disabilities and developmental delays throughout his early years. In fact, he didn't learn to speak or walk until much later in his childhood.
Due to the severity of his condition, physicians of the time believed that the king had been cursed. Today, we understand that his madness wasn't caused by witchcraft but was likely a result of genetic disorders. However, historians remain uncertain about the exact nature of his condition.
2. Philip V
Prince Philip V, who ruled Spain from 1700 to 1746, is often remembered not for his leadership, but for his bouts of insanity, which overshadowed his reign.
From a young age, Prince Philip V grappled with feelings of inadequacy, likely linked to depression. His condition worsened over time, leading him to experience manic-depressive episodes that fluctuated between periods of exhaustion and excessive energy.
As he aged, Philip's behavior grew even more bizarre. He refused to bathe or dress properly, spent entire days in his room, battled extreme insomnia, and entertained guests while still wearing his pajamas. His situation became so dire that the king began to hold court sessions at midnight!
While there was no clear medical explanation for his behavior during his reign, modern historians believe Philip suffered from bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and Cotard’s syndrome.
1. Princess Alexandra Amelie
Princess Alexandra Amelie, a Bavarian princess, began to lose her grip on reality at the age of 23. Early signs of her mental decline included an obsessive need for cleanliness and a refusal to wear anything other than white clothing.
Though Princess Alexandra had always been emotionally fragile, her real troubles began when King Ludwig I, her father, began prioritizing his mistress over his family. The immense stress caused by this favoritism led the princess into a delusional state, where she believed she had swallowed a glass piano as a child.
As if believing she had a glass piano inside her wasn’t enough, the situation grew worse. The princess became fixated on the idea that the piano inside her could break and cause the shards to fatally harm her, fueling her paranoia.
This delusion is reminiscent of King Charles VI’s infamous Glass Delusion. However, some specialists believe that in Princess Alexandra’s case, it was more likely related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
