He is one of the 20th century’s most
famous fashion designers who became involved in a fairytale royal
wedding through loyal links to a proud patron. Cristobal
Balenciaga, who was born on January 21st 1895, created the regal
gown worn by Queen Fabiola of the Belgians on the day she said yes
to a king and a crown. And the fairytale ending began with her
granny. Balenciaga’s links…
We’ve got used to seeing royals live and
direct from their front rooms during the pandemic but they usually
keep the dress code smart casual as they go about their virtual
engagements. However, Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip and Prince Daniel
have raised the digital…
And then we came to the end. The
controversial presidency of Donald J. Trump finishes at noon on
January 20th 2021 but will be talked about for years to come. In
his four years in charge of the United States of America, President
Trump has had several brushes with royalty…
It was a quiet country house, described
by several who knew it as ‘’little’’ and a ‘’pied a terre’, given
as a wedding present to a royal couple who were expected to linger
on the fringes of regal life. Yet on July 2nd 1903, it became the
birthplace of one of the most popular and celebrated monarchs of
the 20th century. For it was at Appleton House, on the Sandringham
Estate, that…
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has
received the vaccination against coronavirus. Underlining his
belief in the importance of the jab, the monarch was photographed
as he was given the injection . King Carl Gustaf received the
vaccination on January 15th at Stenhammar where…
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…
One of the best known inhabitants of the
Tower of London, a raven called Merlina, has disappeared and is
feared to have died. The bird, who has been part of the Tower’s
roost since 2007, hasn’t been seen for weeks and her keepers now
believe she is…
Spain’s government has confirmed that
King Juan Carlos will retain his title for life. The country’s
Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, explained the decision after being
asked whether ministers planned to revoke his royal status. Carles
Mulet, a member of the…
When the leading princess of a royal
court marries, it’s usually a grand affair with tiaras, sparkle and
endless celebrations. But when Astrid, then the de facto first lady
of Norway, said her ‘I dos’ in 1961, it was a low key affair that
changed the rules of royal romance. Her marriage to Johan Martin
Ferner was controversial but the fact that it took place at all
signalled a…
