European RoyalsQueen Elizabeth II

Our historic Queen: how Europe's other royal reigns measure up

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8th September 2015
We are now just 24 hours away from history. On September 9th 2015, The Queen becomes the longest reigning monarch in British history. There is huge interest in this magical moment when Elizabeth II overtakes Victoria with people around the world waiting for the day when the girl who was never meant to rule sets the record for the longest reign we’ve known. But even before the milestone is…
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Features

The Monarchy In Australia

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7th September 2015
The British Monarchy has profoundly shaped Australian political life, despite supporters of a republic saying otherwise, and members of the Royal Family have been warmly welcomed by most Australians since 1867. Former Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies’ description sums up millions of Australians’ feelings when the monarchy’s popularity was at its peak despite his words being described as…
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History

Edward & Joan: A Plantagenet Love Story

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6th September 2015
“The most beautiful woman in all the realm of England, and the most loving,” fourteenth-century French chronicler, Jean Froissart once said of Joan of Kent. Joan, known by the sobriquet of “the Fair Maid of Kent,” was thirty-two and recently widowed upon the…
HistoryInsight

Royal Portraiture: The Pelican and The Phoenix

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6th September 2015
Elizabeth I inherited many traits from her father King Henry VIII, such as her hair colour, her boundless intelligence, and her often used the skill with propaganda. Elizabeth was technically only England’s second queen, so she had to prove to her people that she had “the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too.” One of the tools that she used to spread this message around…
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Queen Elizabeth II

A special service of music and prayers to mark the moment The Queen makes history

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5th September 2015
On the day that The Queen becomes the longest reigning monarch in British history there will be a special service of music and prayers at one of Britain’s most important churches to mark the historic moment. A ceremony of Choral Evensong will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral on September 9th as Elizabeth II overtakes Victoria in the record books. The Queen’s historic milestone will…
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