As the only son of the Russian Empress Catherine the Great, Tsar Paul I succeeded his mother on her death in 1796. He would rule the Russian Empire for the next five years. Probably, he would had ruled the Russian Empire much longer than that. But Paul was murdered. And his death was planned by his own son – a fact first discovered by accident 50 years later.
Tsar Paul was a pure despot.
The Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace first and foremost is the name of the Chapel Royal, that establishment of the Royal Household intended to meet the spiritual needs of the Sovereign; the secondary term refers to the building itself – a royal peculiar – in which…
On This Day in 1940: King Haakon and Crown Prince Olav were almost killed in a bomb attack
28th April 2020
It has been 80 years since the German invasion of Norway. Hitler was looking for the Norwegian Royal Family, and for a while, he also tried to get the 3-year-old Prince Harald to rule the nation as a child king. The royal family managed to escape and lived in exile in the…
It has been 80 years since the German invasion of Norway. Hitler was looking for the Norwegian royal family, and for a while, he also tried to get the 3-year-old Prince Harald to rule the nation as a child king. The royal family managed to escape and lived in exile in the UK and the US for the next five years. The Royal Palace in Oslo was abandoned quickly; there was no time to take all the…
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…
Gustavus Adolphus or better known as King Gustav II of Sweden was born in 1594. At the age of only 16, Gustav was a war-torn young Crown Prince who was eager to take over the Swedish throne. When Denmark-Norway stirred up a new war in 1610, it was only a question of when the…
The Royal Palace in Oslo is today a striking monument in the city centre of Oslo. When the castle was built, it was located outside the very centre of Oslo. The property that is today the residence of Norway’s monarch was for only 300 years ago nothing more than part of a forest.
Let us take
a look at the historical development of this property – from forest to castle.
The most…
Anne Neville: Richard III's 'Lost' Queen and Westminster Abbey
22nd April 2020
Amidst the chronicle of lost tombs at Westminster Abbey is that of Queen Anne Neville, wife of King Richard III. Queen Anne’s invisibility in these terms underlines the purported neglect on behalf of Richard III; this lack of a memorial was rectified however when a bronze…
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…
Last week, Queen Margrethe of Denmark had to celebrate her birthday in a different way than planned because of the coronavirus pandemic. Many royals from Europe had come together and made a very special video greeting for the Danish Queen. Many people noticed that several royals called the queen “Daisy” in the video. But why did they do so?
Nicknames
are quite common in royal…
