British Royals

A poem for Camilla on the eve of her milestone birthday

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12th July 2022
The Duchess of Cornwall has had a poem specially written for her to mark her 75th birthday.Camilla is the subject of The Living Proof by Roger McGough. The verses were revealed by the poet just days before the Duchess’ milestone celebration.The poem has been read for the first time at a special lunch at the National Liberal Club in central London hosted by The Oldie magazine. The…
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Features

The discreet arrival of 'The Lost Prince'

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12th July 2022
As the long, dry summer of 1905 unfurled across Britain, a prince was born, but his arrival was far from the media event that the arrival of a new royal heralds today. On July 12th 1905, the Princess of Wales gave birth to her sixth child and fifth son. But his arrival was…
Features

The many weddings of King Henry VIII

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11th July 2022
Henry VIII is famous for many things but perhaps the most talked about is his penchant for weddings. The king with six wives clearly enjoyed being married even if those he tied the knot with ended up less than impressed. However, Henry didn’t like to make a fuss about his weddings. He preferred a discreet and often private ceremony and several of his brides weren’t confirmed publicly…
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Why didn't Queen Victoria have a Silver Jubilee?

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9th July 2022
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 are used to. Elizabeth II, the ultimate Jubilee Monarch, began her unprecedented run of anniversary celebrations in 1977 as…
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The wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the tragedy that changed their lives forever

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8th July 2022
It was a quiet country affair, far removed from the pomp and ceremony we’ve come to expect from royal weddings. The setting was an English parish church, the regal guest list only filled a couple of pews, and the bride walked in several minutes late carrying her own train to protect it from the rain. The marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, on 8 July 1972, was a royal wedding with a…
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