History

Monarchy Rules: a look at Queen Anne

Born on 6th February 1665, Anne is a Queen whose reign is often overshadowed by her female forbear Elizabeth I and one of her many successors, Queen Victoria. Both Elizabeth and Victoria reigned for longer than Anne and, during both their tenures, saw dramatic changes occur at home and in the British Empire. Both of these Queens continue to be recognised as two of the greatest monarchs that we…
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History

Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Medieval Matriarch

Though the sex to which I belong is considered weak, you will nevertheless find me a rock that bends to no wind.” – Queen Elizabeth I. As the wife of King Henry II of England, Eleanor of Aquitaine subsequently became Queen of England in 1152. The couple would go…
FeaturesHistory

Mysterious Mary, the queen's daughter

Within the walls of one of England’s most picturesque castles, a queen gave birth to her only child and set in motion a chain of events that would become one of Tudor England’s most intriguing mysteries.  The birth had been much anticipated and much talked…
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Royal Connections: City of Portsmouth

Portsmouth comes from the Old English Portesm?ða, which translates to: “mouth of the harbour called Portus.” It was a city founded in the year 1180 by John of Gisors, a Norman lord. Before that, it was known to have been a Saxon fort called Portus Adurni in the Roman era and later, in Anglo-Saxon England, it became Portchester Castle. During the Norman Conquest of 1066, it is believed…
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FeaturesHistory

The October Queens

Maria of Modena was born in October 1658 and is the last queen consort, so far, to have celebrated a birthday in that month When being a queen meant that you had married a king, rather than being a ruler yourself, life stories were told very differently. The queens of…
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Monarchy Rules: A look at George II

Most kings are born into regal families and grow up with the knowledge that someday they will rule over a country. However, when he was born in 1683, the future King George II was nothing more than the heir to the heir to a small German Duchy – a far cry from the…
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The October Kings

October is truly the king of all the autumn months as the leaves turn to gold and regal red and the fading sun adds a gentle sparkle to all it touches. And it’s marked the beginning of five royal roads that ended with a crown – although all five monarchs had very different royal careers. Here are the men who became the October kings. King Richard III was born in October 1453…
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FeaturesHistory

Monarchy Rules: a look at King George III

Through the passage of time, every important historical figure is identified by the mundane or significant events of their lives. Unfortunately, some of these facts may unfairly portray them in an unkind light and obscure other interesting and overlooked details that shaped…
History

Victoria, Duchess of Kent: Queen Victoria's biggest influence?

Victoria may not have been the wife of a King, but anyone who thinks that this diminished her influence would be thinking wrong. Some may argue that the influence that the Duchess of Kent possessed over her daughter was for the young Victoria’s own good, while many will claim otherwise. The Duchess of Kent and Princess Victoria. When the future Queen Victoria was born in 1819, there was…
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