It has been described as the most
important British dress design of the 20th century and the gown
that Queen Elizabeth II wore at her Coronation, on June 2nd 1953,
has its own place in history. The work of Sir Norman Hartnell,
created in partnership by the Monarch, it has become one of the
most emblematic outfits of the House of Windsor. This was arguably
the most important commission of Sir…
It was taken on the off chance but became
one of the most famous photos in history. As Queen Elizabeth II
waited for the fifteenth Prime Minister of her reign to arrive at
Balmoral for the traditional kissing of hands, she posed for quick
picture. It wasn’t shared until…
Amongst the prettiness of rolling
countryside and the gentle sound of sheep grazing sits a castle
with its own little chapel. The walls are golden yellow while
around it grow sweet scented flowers and glossy, regal trees. But
behind this calm serenity lies the tomb of a…
On a hot summer day in 1543, a young
widow married an ageing and much wed king in a ceremony that took
many by surprise. By the time Katherine Parr said ‘I do’ to Henry
VIII in the Queen’s Closet at Hampton Court Palace on July
12th 1543, his five previous unions and attitude towards
marital harmony were such that continental contenders to be consort
of England were all but running in the…
There’s a brand new royal baby and
although her parents have only announced her short first name, she
has a rather regal sounding title to go with it. The newest royal
in Europe is the third child of Prince Amadeo of Belgium and his
wife, Elisabetta. The Belgian Royal…
The unhappy royal love story which led to the imprisonment of the Princes in the Tower
4th September 2023
Richard III was declared King of England
on June 26th 1483 – thanks to a royal romance which had all but
been forgotten. She was the long dead widow who was used by a king
to overthrow his own nephew and yet her name is all but forgotten
today. Eleanor Butler was the…
He created some of the most famous royal
looks of the 20th century and he’s still producing talked about
style picks. Sir Norman Hartnell was already a sought after wedding
dress designer when he was first commissioned to produce a bridal
outfit by the House of Windsor. Over eight decades on, and long
after his own death, he was responsible for another famous royal
marriage look. We look back at…
King Charles III with a fashion first as he attends Braemar Games
2nd September 2023
The King has attended the Braemar
Gathering as his stay at Balmoral continues. And His Majesty had a
fashion first for the traditional games as he chose a kilt in the
brand new Charles III tartan for the event. The tartan, which
features blue, red and grey/ green, is…
The sparkling sapphires that link a modern queen to a fallen empire
2nd September 2023
It’s the tiara everyone is expecting to
see this September. The month’s birthstone is sapphire and that
just happens to be the star gem of a diadem favoured by a queen who
is about to host a right royal celebration for a truly historic
event. Silvia of Sweden is at the…
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 about. The baby, a little girl,
was immediately taken off to a nursery decked in scarlet and gold
where a string of attendants awaited…
