European Royals

The royal bride who wore a wedding dress designed by her future husband

By
27th September 2023
She was the beautiful princess who had been the subject of endless royal wedding speculation, he was the handsome prince with a crown waiting in his future. When Marie-Jose of Belgium married Umberto, heir to the throne of Italy, in January 1930 their marriage had all the echoes of history about it, a union of dynasties that would secure a throne. Tens of thousands flocked to Rome to see the…
Read more
European RoyalsFeaturesThe Netherlands

King Willem-Alexander opens the doors to his palace

By
23rd July 2022
King Willem-Alexander’s working palace Noordeinde Palace in The Hague will open its door for four Saturdays in a row. Noordeinde Palace began its life as a medieval farmhouse in 1533.This was converted into a spacious residence, which was bought for Louise de Coligny, the widow of William I, Prince of Orange, in 1595. It was her son who enlarged the house even more, and it was…
Read more
Palaces & Buildings

Dutch royal palace due to be converted into hotel

By
10th June 2017
A Dutch palace is to be partly converted into a hotel following a bid of 1.7 million euros. The purchase follows a competition in which the government sought to find a new function for Soestdijk Palace. Over a hundred ideas for the future of the palace were submitted and narrowed down to three. The Eden Soestdijk which was inspired by the Eden Project in England would have developed a biodome of…
Read more
Insight

Marching down The Mall: Changing the Guard

By
1st July 2015
Henry VII not only founded the Tudor Dynasty in 1485, he also founded the concept of the Royal Body Guard, and for the last 520 years elite soldiers have guarded the King or Queen. He probably never envisaged the spectacle that now draws the tourists to London. The ceremony…