6 In 1989, a Thai man stole some jewelry from Saudi Prince Faisal bin Fahd’s palace, setting off a major international diplomacy issue. Later, seven Saudi diplomats sent to recover the jewels were murdered in Bangkok, convincing the Saudi royals that Thai officials were involved in the theft of their jewels. To this day, the relationship between the countries remains strained because of this incident. 

The 1989 Blue Diamond Affair is a series of unsolved crimes that took place after a Thai man named Kriangkrai Techamong stole some valuable jewelry belonging to the Saudi Prince, Faisal bin Fahd. Eventually, the Thai police tracked him down and returned the jewels to the Saudi royals. 

However, some of the jewels returned turned out to be fake, and a blue diamond was still missing from it. Later, some Thai officials’ wives were seen sporting similar jewelry, and the Saudis became convinced that a larger plot was at play. They then sent seven diplomats to recover the jewels, all of whom ended up murdered in Bangkok. 

The Thai police eventually brought in a jeweler named Santi Sithanakanwas for questioning but to no avail. His family, too, had been murdered a month prior, adding more mystery to the case. Even today, the Saudi royals remain convinced that the Thai government had a hand in this, leaving the two countries in a frosty diplomatic relationship. (1, 2)

7 On 1 June 2001, Crown Prince Dipendra of Nepal opened fire on his family, killing the King, the Queen, and two of his siblings. He then shot himself in the head which put him into a coma for some days before his death. Even today, the reasons behind the massacre remain unknown, with some theories calling it a love affair gone wrong while others believe it was a plot designed by Indian intelligence agencies.

On 1 June 2001, the Crown Prince of Nepal, Dipendra, opened fire at his family, killing his parents and two siblings. He then shot himself in the head but did not die immediately. With the death of his father, the King, Prince Dipendra succeeded him to the throne while being in a coma at the hospital. However, he passed away a few days later and Prince Gyanendra, his uncle, took over the throne. 

The popular theory is that under the influence of drugs and alcohol, Prince Dipendra flew into a rage over his parents’ objection to his choice of a bride. He wanted to marry a woman named Devyani Rana, but his parents wanted him to marry someone from a more affluent background.

Other theories also threw suspicion on Prince Gyanendra himself and the Indian intelligence agencies. Interestingly, the investigation didn’t last more than two weeks before Prince Dipendra was declared responsible. (1, 2)

8 King Peter III of Russia is believed to have been secretly assassinated by his wife, Catherine the Great, who then went on to rule the kingdom for nearly three decades. In 1762, after his forceful abdication from the throne, he was exiled to Rospha where he was later allegedly murdered. However, official autopsy records claim that he died from severe hemorrhoid pain. 

Most sources available today describe King Peter III of Russia as a mad man. However, some alternative theorists believe that this claim was all a ruse by his wife, Catherine the Great. 

In 1762, Peter III was forced to sign a document in which he abdicated his throne. He had long drawn the displeasure of the Russian nobility with his progressive policies and laws. Sensing the opportunity this presented, Catherine the Great had carefully planned to overthrow her husband. 

After he was forced to abdicate his throne, the King was taken to Rospha to be exiled. Eight days later, news came that he had died there. In his autopsy, it was stated that he died from “hemorrhoidal colic,” which many historians consider to be an absurd diagnosis. It is more likely that Peter III was killed by Alexei Orlov, the brother of Catherine’s lover and co-conspirator, Grigory Orlov. (1, 2) 

9 The disappearance of the young King Edward V of England, along with his nine-year-old brother Richard, is one of the most widely discussed cases in history. In 1483, when Edward V became king at just 12 years old, he and his brother were placed in protective custody by their uncle, Richard III. Sadly, they would never be seen alive again and are thought to have been murdered by their uncle. 

In 1483, King Edward V of England and his brother Richard went missing. They were 12 and nine years old respectively and had been placed under the protective custody of their uncle, Richard III. It is widely believed that Richard III had his nephews imprisoned in the Tower of London where he eventually murdered them.

Upon Edward IV’s death, his brother Richard III became Lord Protector of the Realm. Although he was never meant to be king, he eventually ascended the throne on 6 July. 

Perhaps under Richard III’s influence, the English Parliament also declared Edward V and his brother illegitimate children since their father was first meant to marry another woman, Lady Eleanor Butler. This then paved the way for Richard to be king. In 1674, the remains of two young boys were found in the Tower of London, likely belonging to Edward V and his brother.

(1, 2)

10 In 1100, King William II of England went hunting with his men, only to be shot dead with an arrow. Once they realized he was dead, the accompanying noblemen fled the scene and abandoned his body in the woods. Later, speculations arose that the King’s death was orchestrated by his brother, Henry I, and a nobleman called Walter Tirel was accused of being the shooter. 

Willian II “Rufus” of England was the third son of William the Conqueror. In 1100, King William II went hunting with his band of men where he, unfortunately, met his end. His death and the surrounding circumstances have been recorded by the chronicler William of Malmesbury. 

According to Malmesbury, William II was an unpopular king, known for his cruelty. As a result, he finds the death of the King quite likely murder and one that had been a long coming. 

The King is also said to have received prophecies that predicted his untimely death, pushing him into anxiety. The King then turned to alcohol and hunting to keep his anxieties at bay.

On one such hunting trip, however, he ended up dying from an arrow shot through his chest and puncturing his lungs. The culprit is thought to be a man named Walter Tirel, and suspicions soon arose that the King’s brother, Henry I, had hatched this plan to usurp the throne. (1, 2)