Features

The princess who might have challenged King Charles for the British throne

By
14th September 2023
As heads of state gathered in Belgium for a summit, there were meetings, speeches and photo calls. And in the middle of them all was a princess who, in another life, might be getting ready to take the throne of Great Britain. Two centuries ago, King Charles might well have been looking over his shoulder. Now, this claim is really a matter of history. In fact, the royal in question isn’t even…
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Sweden

The King of Sweden reflects on the loss that handed him a throne

By
13th September 2023
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has remembered his predecessor as monarch in a speech to parliament that marked the beginning of his Golden Jubilee. Just hours before official celebrations for the milestone were due to begin, the Swedish king spoke to his country’s politicians as he officially opened the new parliamentary year. And he spoke movingly of the time, half a century ago, when he…
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Sweden

The jubilee celebrations that were stopped by a tragic accident that changed a royal family forever

By
12th September 2023
In December 1947, the King of Sweden sat down for an official portrait. Around him were close family members including the ageing heir to his throne and a young child who already had a life of royal duty laid out before him. The picture had been a long time in the planning but it had turned out very differently from expectations. The portrait was meant to be part of celebrations for King Gustaf…
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Queen Elizabeth II

The poignant losses that marked Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee year

By
11th September 2023
The historic reign of Elizabeth II, which lasted seventy years, saw many significant times. Among the most poignant were those in 2002 when Queen Elizabeth II said goodbye to her sister and her mother within a matter of weeks and saw the very fabric of her Royal Family alter forever. As 2002 began, Queen Elizabeth II was looking ahead to her Golden Jubilee. On February 6th, she marked the 50th…
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