The 20 quiz questions
Question 1 : How many wives did King Henry VIII of England have?
Possible answers:
- 4
- 6
- 8
- 10
Explanation: Henry VIII had six wives: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr. Two were beheaded!
Question 2 : In what year did Princess Diana die in an accident in Paris?
Possible answers:
- 1995
- 1997
- 1999
- 2001
Explanation: Diana, the first wife of Prince Charles, died on 31 August 1997 in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris after a paparazzi chase. Her funeral, broadcast worldwide, was watched by an estimated 2.5 billion viewers.
Question 3 : Who is the current King of the United Kingdom since 2022?
Possible answers:
- William V
- George VII
- Edward IX
- Charles III
Explanation: Charles III became king on September 8, 2022, after the death of his mother Elizabeth II. His coronation took place on May 6, 2023, at Westminster Abbey.
Question 4 : Which King of France was executed during the French Revolution, on 21 January 1793?
Possible answers:
- Louis XVI
- Louis XV
- Louis XVIII
- Louis XIV
Explanation: Louis XVI was guillotined on January 21, 1793 at Place de la Révolution (now Place de la Concorde), convicted of high treason. His wife Marie-Antoinette suffered the same fate 9 months later.
Question 5 : How many years did Elizabeth II reign over the United Kingdom?
Possible answers:
- 50 years
- 60 years
- 65 years
- 70 years
Explanation: Elizabeth II reigned for 70 years and 214 days (1952-2022), the longest reign in British history. She saw 15 Prime Ministers serve during her reign!
Question 6 : Which British prince married Meghan Markle in 2018?
Possible answers:
- Harry
- William
- Andrew
- Edward
Explanation: Prince Harry married Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018, at Windsor Castle. The couple later stepped back from royal duties in 2020 ("Megxit").
Question 7 : What nickname was given to King Louis XIV of France?
Possible answers:
- The Moon King
- The Star King
- The Lion King
- The Sun King
Explanation: Louis XIV, the "Sun King", reigned for 72 years (1643-1715), the longest reign in French history. He had the Palace of Versailles built.
Question 8 : Which royal family currently reigns over Spain?
Possible answers:
- Windsor
- Bourbon
- Habsburg
- Orange-Nassau
Explanation: The House of Bourbon has ruled Spain since Philip V in 1700. Current King Felipe VI ascended to the throne in 2014 after Juan Carlos I's abdication.
Question 9 : Which ancient Egyptian queen had famous affairs with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony?
Possible answers:
- Hatshepsut
- Isis
- Cleopatra
- Nefertiti
Explanation: Cleopatra VII, the last pharaoh of Egypt, had a son with Caesar (Caesarion) and three children with Mark Antony. She committed suicide in 30 BC.
Question 10 : Which Russian tsar and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks in 1918?
Possible answers:
- Alexander III
- Nicholas II
- Peter the Great
- Ivan the Terrible
Explanation: Nicholas II and his family (the Romanovs) were executed in Yekaterinburg on July 17, 1918. The rumor of Anastasia's survival persisted for decades.
Question 11 : Which British king abdicated in 1936 to marry a divorced American woman?
Possible answers:
- Charles I
- George V
- George VI
- Edward VIII
Explanation: Edward VIII abdicated after less than a year of reign to marry Wallis Simpson. His brother George VI succeeded him, father of Elizabeth II.
Question 12 : Which Princess of Monaco was a famous Hollywood actress?
Possible answers:
- Marilyn Monroe
- Elizabeth Taylor
- Grace Kelly
- Audrey Hepburn
Explanation: Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III in 1956, becoming Princess of Monaco. She had won an Oscar for "The Country Girl" in 1955.
Question 13 : Which Japanese emperor reigned during World War II?
Possible answers:
- Naruhito
- Meiji
- Hirohito
- Akihito
Explanation: Hirohito (posthumous name: Shōwa) reigned from 1926 to 1989. After the war, he remained emperor but renounced his divine status.
Question 14 : Which European country has had Willem-Alexander as king since 2013?
Possible answers:
- Belgium
- Sweden
- Netherlands
- Denmark
Explanation: Willem-Alexander became King of the Netherlands after his mother Beatrix's abdication. He is the first Dutch king in over 120 years (after three queens).
Question 15 : Which English queen reigned during the Elizabethan era in the 16th century?
Possible answers:
- Elizabeth I
- Mary Tudor
- Anne Boleyn
- Victoria
Explanation: Elizabeth I reigned from 1558 to 1603. Her reign saw the rise of Shakespeare, the defeat of the Spanish Armada, and colonial expansion.
Question 16 : Which Austrian empress, known as "Sissi", was assassinated in 1898?
Possible answers:
- Élisabeth
- Eugénie
- Marie-Thérèse
- Marie-Antoinette
Explanation: Elisabeth of Wittelsbach ("Sissi") was stabbed by an anarchist in Geneva. Her tragic story inspired numerous films starring Romy Schneider.
Question 17 : Which Saudi king gave his name to Saudi Arabia in 1932?
Possible answers:
- Khaled
- Abdelaziz ibn Saoud
- Fahd
- Fayçal
Explanation: Abdulaziz ibn Saud unified the Arab tribes and founded Saudi Arabia in 1932. The House of Saud still rules the kingdom.
Question 18 : What title does Prince William's wife hold?
Possible answers:
- Princess Royal
- Princess of Wales
- Duchess of York
- Duchess of Sussex
Explanation: Catherine Middleton became Princess of Wales when Charles III ascended to the throne. Before 2022, she was the Duchess of Cambridge.
Question 19 : Which queen gave her name to the Victorian era in the 19th century?
Possible answers:
- Victoria
- Charlotte
- Mary
- Anne
Explanation: Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 to 1901, a total of 63 years. Her reign saw the peak of the British Empire and the Industrial Revolution.
Question 20 : Which Scandinavian country has had Carl XVI Gustaf as king since 1973?
Possible answers:
- Finland
- Denmark
- Norway
- Sweden
Explanation: Carl XVI Gustaf has been King of Sweden for 50 years. Sweden has a constitutional monarchy where the king has only a ceremonial role.
