In the United Kingdom, one of the monarch’s most important roles is that of Head of the British Armed Forces. For King Charles, this is largely a ceremonial role where decisions are made by the government and the leadership of the armed forces. In many other countries, the head of state also carries out this ceremonial role. There are several other monarchs who are commander-in-chief of their…
The Prince of Wales has been made the Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. The appointment was confirmed by Buckingham Palace in a statement on 23 April with several new honours for members of the Royal Family.
The Royal Order of the Bath is a military…
Queen Silvia of Sweden pulled out a historic tiara for a State Dinner in Stockholm. King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia are hosting the Finnish President for a State Visit, and Queen Silvia chose a notable piece.
She wore the Nine-Prong Tiara, also commonly referred to as…
The Order of the Garter is the oldest chivalric order in Great Britain.
King Edward III founded the Most Noble Order of the Garter. It was officially founded in 1348 but may date back to 1344. Reportedly he was inspired by King Arthur and his Round Table of Knights, but he also may have drawn on other European orders created at roughly the same time.
Edward and 25 Founder Knights created…
While most people tend to focus on the first ten to twenty people in line for the British throne, particularly when there is a new member of the family and the line shifts, the line of succession is far longer than that. And there are actually several monarchs of other…
11 April will be the 335th anniversary of a very unique British coronation- the only joint coronation in British history. Queen Mary II and King William III were crowned as co-monarchs at Westminster Abbey after being offered the crown.
King James II became King…
here are a number of events in English royal history that seem extraordinary and unbelievable, but the warming pan scandal has to be at the top of the list. The son of James II and Mary of Modena had a very interesting start to life and would be questioned for decades.
James II was not an overly popular monarch; he was Roman Catholic (and was married to a Roman Catholic), attempted to…
He was the monarch who had to fight for a throne but then relied on a mistress for advice with a queen who arrived at court to find another holding power. And in the middle of their marriage was a woman with ambition, brains and no sense of self control. Our special read…
Eleanor of Aquitaine died on 1 April 1204 but after 800 years, she still holds our interest. She was Queen twice and held titles in her own name, and she remains one of the most interesting royal women in the mediaeval period.
Eleanor was born on 8 April 1124 to William…
While there is a traditional uniform for kings at their coronation, there is not for queens. This has allowed each queen to wear a gown specifically created for their coronation day. Queen Alexandra’s coronation dress remains one of the most sumptuous in British history.
King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra’s coronation encountered some serious issues. Originally planned for the 26th…
