Sweden

Queen Silvia goes online for a royal tradition

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27th April 2020
A special royal tradition that sees the Swedish Royal Family give their support to children in need has had a very different look this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The annual event, which sees Queen Silvia welcome fundraisers to the Royal Palace in Stockholm, has gone online.Queen Silvia usually invites school pupils selling mayflower pins to her home as the annual campaign gets…
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History

The royal duchess who went from mistress to matriarch

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26th April 2020
It was a famous royal love story that shocked as much as it thrilled. John of Gaunt was the ultra-ambitious prince whose desire to be a king almost cost him his life, Katherine Swynford was the mysterious commoner who supplanted a queen in his affections. Their relationship…
FeaturesHistory

Edward II and the kiss that crushed his queen

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25th April 2020
In February 1308, England welcomed its new queen to her realm for the first time. Isabella, consort to King Edward II, arrived with her husband at Dover after an elaborate wedding in her home country. Isabella expected adulation and respect. Instead, she watched as Edward showered kisses on a court favourite. It would set the template for a marriage that ultimately led to betrayal, a fight for the…
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Features

Prince William plays the fool on a Big Night In

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24th April 2020
The Duke of Cambridge has joined in a national fundraising effort with a surprise appearance in a comedy sketch. Prince William starred opposite Stephen Fry in a spoof that saw the second in line to the throne confess he’d lost his trousers – all in a good…
British Royals

The Order of the Garter Service cancelled

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22nd April 2020
The Order of the Garter ceremony won’t go ahead this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Buckingham Palace has just announced that the annual service, held at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, has been cancelled.The decision to put off this ancient tradition has been confirmed as has the cancellation of all investitures until the end of June at least. Royal officials said it was…
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FeaturesHistory

A Calendar of Queens: April

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20th April 2020
April brings spring, brighter weather, a flurry of flowers and an array of anniversaries. The fourth month of the year has been the backdrop for some milestone events involving England’s queens, both regnant and consort. Here’s our Calendar of Queens for…
British RoyalsEuropean RoyalsFeatures

#MonarchsAt20 - how our queens and kings used to look

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17th April 2020
It’s all the rage at this stage of lockdown. People are posting photos of themselves at the age of twenty across social media and reflecting on how things used to be. Many of the throwbacks appear to involve bad perms and rather lurid clothes while some show that we all seemed to look older in the 70s no matter what age we actually were. In the spirit of fun, and with a royal version of the…
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