20 Kings and Queens Who Lived Double Lives

These 20 monarchs lived double lives, balancing their public duties as rulers with secret passions, hidden alliances, or private struggles.

Alyana Aguja
November 2, 2025
6 min read

20 Kings and Queens Who Lived Double Lives — Markus Spiske from Unsplash

The lives of kings and queens were rarely as straightforward as their public image suggested. Many monarchs carefully maintained a facade of power and dignity while secretly indulging in affairs, pursuing forbidden beliefs, or grappling with personal struggles. Their double lives not only shaped their reigns but also altered the course of history, leaving behind legacies of intrigue and contradiction.

1. 1. King Louis XIV of France

Louis XIV projected the image of the “Sun King,” ruling with divine authority from the opulent Palace of Versailles. However, behind the glittering court, he carried on a secret life of clandestine affairs and hidden children with several mistresses. His carefully maintained public image contrasted with a private existence driven by passion and indulgence.

2. 2. Queen Christina of Sweden

Queen Christina shocked Europe by abdicating her throne in 1654 and secretly converting to Catholicism. While she presented herself as a pious intellectual, she also lived a bohemian life in Rome, surrounded by artists and philosophers. Her dual identity made her both admired and scandalized in her time.

3. 3. King George IV of the United Kingdom

George IV lived as a glamorous monarch who adored luxury and pageantry. At the same time, he secretly married a Catholic widow, Maria Fitzherbert, in defiance of British law and royal expectations. His hidden marriage exposed the contradiction between his public duties and personal desires.

4. 4. Queen Isabella II of Spain

Isabella II maintained the official role of a queen, upholding Catholic values. Privately, her court was filled with rumors of multiple lovers and questions about the paternity of her children. This double life damaged her reputation and contributed to her eventual downfall.

5. 5. King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom

As king, Edward VIII was the symbol of national unity. In private, he was deeply involved with Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée, which forced him to choose between love and the crown. His secret life became public and ultimately cost him the throne.

6. 6. Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Sisi)

Empress Elisabeth embodied beauty and grace in public, adored as a fashion icon and consort of Emperor Franz Joseph. However, she lived a double life, constantly fleeing the rigid court to travel incognito, often disguised to escape recognition. Her hidden melancholy contrasted sharply with her glamorous image.

7. 7. King Charles II of England

Known as the “Merry Monarch,” Charles II cultivated a public image of charm and wit. Privately, he lived a life of excess with mistresses and illegitimate children, while maintaining secret negotiations with Catholic powers. His reign was a balancing act between public monarchy and private deals.

8. 8. Queen Marie Antoinette of France

Marie Antoinette was the public face of royal extravagance and luxury. Privately, she retreated into her Trianon estate, living a double life as a simple shepherdess, roleplaying rustic innocence. This hidden world, meant for escape, fueled public anger and suspicion during the French Revolution.

9. 9. King Frederick the Great of Prussia

Frederick the Great was celebrated as a warrior-king and enlightened monarch. In private, he pursued philosophy, music, and relationships that contradicted the militaristic image he projected. His hidden passions revealed the duality of a ruler caught between public duty and personal truth.

10. 10. Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom

Queen Victoria symbolized strict morality and public virtue. Behind closed doors, however, she had an intense private life, especially after the death of Prince Albert, when her relationship with John Brown scandalized the court. Her grief-driven double life shaped how she balanced love, loss, and monarchy.

11. 11. King Henry VIII of England

Henry VIII projected the image of a strong, divinely appointed ruler defending the English throne. In private, he was driven by his obsession with heirs and his complicated relationships with six wives. His double life of royal ceremony and personal turmoil transformed English history.

12. 12. Queen Anne of Great Britain

Queen Anne’s reign was marked by her role as a unifier of England and Scotland. However, in private, she struggled with poor health and deep emotional attachments to her female favorites, most notably Sarah Churchill. This private world influenced court politics and created tensions behind the throne.

13. 13. King Gustav III of Sweden

Publicly, Gustav III was a reforming monarch, known for his support of the arts and enlightened rule. Privately, he faced accusations about his personal life, including rumored relationships that fueled court gossip and conspiracies. His hidden self added intrigue to a reign that ended violently with his assassination.

14. 14. Queen Catherine the Great of Russia

Catherine the Great projected herself as a reformer and enlightened empress. Behind the grandeur, she led a complex private life with a series of lovers who influenced politics as much as personal matters. Her ability to separate her public image from private passion defined her reign.

15. 15. King Richard III of England

Richard III presented himself as a loyal protector of his nephew, Edward V. In secret, he maneuvered politically to take the crown, with rumors that he orchestrated the disappearance of the “Princes in the Tower.” His double life left him branded as one of history’s most controversial monarchs.

16. 16. Queen Mary I of England

Known as “Bloody Mary” for her persecution of Protestants, she cultivated an image of religious duty and royal strength. Privately, she was plagued by phantom pregnancies and personal despair. The contrast between her stern public rule and private suffering shaped her tragic reputation.

17. 17. King Philip IV of France

Philip IV, known as “Philip the Fair,” appeared as a strong monarch who expanded royal power. Behind this, he secretly orchestrated the destruction of the Knights Templar to seize their wealth and eliminate rivals. His shadow dealings revealed a monarch whose double life was rooted in power politics.

18. 18. Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine

Eleanor was one of the most powerful queens of the Middle Ages, both in France and England. Yet she lived a double life, balancing her public role as consort with her private ambitions, including supporting rebellions against her own husband, Henry II. Her personal and political maneuvering made her legendary.

19. 19. King James I of England (James VI of Scotland)

James I presented himself as a learned and godly king. Privately, his close relationships with male favorites, such as the Duke of Buckingham, led to whispers at court and speculation about his personal life. His dual identity as scholar-king and controversial figure remains debated by historians.

20. 20. Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt

Cleopatra was publicly the powerful ruler of Egypt, presenting herself as the embodiment of Isis. Privately, she carefully used personal relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony to secure her position. Her double life blurred the line between love and political strategy.