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 lasted
decades, survived a serious separation and ultimately led to the
creation of a dynasty which would snatch the throne…
She had been an integral part of the
House of Windsor for almost seventy years; she was the oldest ever
member of the Royal Family, and she had lived an adventure packed
life that broke the regal mould in many ways. The death of Princess
Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, on…
The wedding dress of the Duchess of
Sussex is now on display at Windsor Castle. The gown chosen by
Meghan for her marriage at St George’s Chapel at the castle is part
of an exhibition on the big day which also features uniform worn by
the Duke of Sussex. The bridesmaid and…
Details of the major restoration project
being carried out at the final resting place of Queen Victoria and
Prince Albert at Windsor have been revealed. It’s a rare chance to
see behind the scenes at the Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore where the
queen and her beloved consort were laid to rest. The Royal
Mausoleum at Frogmore was built on swampy land (photo Royal Family
Instagram) The work is needed…
Kate's State Banquet Jewels: the Queen Alexandra Wedding Necklace
24th October 2018
It’s been quite the year for royal
jewellery revivals. After the regal brides of 2018, the Duchess of
Sussex and Princess Eugenie, surprised us by choosing tiaras that
hadn’t been seen in decades for their weddings, the Duchess of
Cambridge has joined this rather…
The first day of the Dutch State Visit is
drawing to a close and, as usual, the pomp and circumstance have
caught our imaginations. But behind the glitter and the glamour are
lots of special royal details that make this trip even more
exciting. And we got to see lots of them…
In November 1918, as the Great War came
to an end, the man who had inherited one of the biggest empires in
the world gave away the little power that remained to him. Karl I,
ruler of the Austro Hungarian Empire, didn’t abdicate, but in
reality, it didn’t matter as much of his realm had already
fragmented. It had only existed for fifty years. It had boomed, and
it had wobbled, it had enjoyed…
A rare medieval monument, built by a
grieving king for his lost queen, won’t now be repaired until
spring next year. The Eleanor Cross at Hardingstone in
Northamptonshire will undergo restoration work from April 2019 but
campaigners have raised concerns that that will be…
The autumn leaves on the Mall have got
some competition for colour this weekend as the flag of the
Netherlands now decks the famous road leading to Buckingham Palace.
The Dutch flags are fluttering in the October breezes next to UK
ones ahead of the State Visit of King…
In a week when we got our first news of
royal history to come (yes, I’m talking baby Sussex here) there
were also plenty of tidbits from times gone to whet the appetite of
even the hungriest fan of the royal past. From once in a lifetime
exhibitions to the promise of majestic and princely tales as we’ve
never seen them before, here’s a round up of the highlights of the
past week…
