Features

A royal love story: Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

Their love is perhaps one of the strongest in royal history, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. His early death impacted the rest of her reign as a depressed widow who took every opportunity to pay tribute to her late husband. Albert was Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (present-day Bavaria and Thuringia, Germany) and Victoria’s first cousin. Despite being born three months apart, they had…
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History

Queen Victoria's Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is one of the most recognised buildings in the world and a symbol of the British Royal Family. If it wasn’t for Queen Victoria’s accession, the palace may have never become the principal royal residence as it did in 1837. Queen Victoria was…
Coronation

The only horses allowed to draw the Gold State Coach

The Gold State Coach is unique: it’s over 200 years old, solid wood, and so large it can only go at a walking pace.  Leading that walking pace are eight Windsor Grey Horses, the only horses allowed to pull the Gold State Coach. Windsor Greys are not a specific breed but are grey horses that the Royal Family chooses to live and train at the Royal Mews. Most of the Windsor Greys are Irish…
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British RoyalsHistory

Queen Victoria's Coronation Dress

Queen Victoria’s reign is notable for its length, for its innovations and revolutions, and for her steadfastness in navigating the Crown through to modern times. Her fashion was legendary both contemporarily—she helped popularise white wedding dresses—and today as a…
British RoyalsHistory

The queen who used the coronation chair for a special milestone

The Coronation Chair, known as St Edward’s Chair, or King Edward’s Chair is perhaps one of the most symbolic parts of a monarch’s coronation. While the 700-year-old chair is typically only used for the coronation service, there is one sovereign who used it for another special occasion – Queen Victoria. Victoria was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 28 June 1838 at the age…
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Features

Why didn't Queen Victoria have a Silver Jubilee?

Victoria was the monarch who invented jubilees as we know them. The celebrations of 1887 and 1897 are among the most famous events of royal history and helped shape her legacy. But our modern minds assume there must also have been a silver version, for that is the pattern we…
European RoyalsFeatures

A royal rarity - an emerald engagement ring

Princess Martha Louise of Norway has announced her engagement to her partner, Durek Verrett. Their decision to marry wasn’t that much of a surprise with both having spoken of their hopes to wed previously. But the ring that they showed off during that most modern of royal engagement appearances, an Instagram live, was a bit of a surprise. For the couple have chosen an emerald as the central…
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