British RoyalsHistory

The Black Prince's Ruby

As the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla inches nearer, the historic gems that will be used in the ceremony are under the spotlight. Among those historic pieces is the Black Prince’s Ruby which sits in the Imperial State Crown. Located on the front of the crown, the ruby is an irregular and large cabochon red spinel weighing 170 carats or, 34 grams. Like the Monarch on…
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FeaturesHistoryHistoryInterests

Hawaii's last princess laid to rest

Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kawānanakoa, known as the “last Hawaiian Princess,” who passed away in December 2022, has returned to Iolani Palace. Kawānanakoa was the daughter of Lydia Liliʻuokalani Kawānanako, a member of the deposed Hawaiian Royal Family. She was referred to as Princess Abigail Kawānanakoa of Hawaii and spent much of her adult life championing the protection of Native…
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History

The emperor wasn't fake after all! Research on gold coin yields historic results

An incredible discovery has given back an emperor to history, as Professor Paul Pearson of King’s College London discovered that a gold coin was not fake as previously thought.  So, what happened? In 1713, archaeologists in Transylvania found a small hoard of coins that dated back to the Roman era. One of them, the coin in question, portrayed a figure that many called Emperor…
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British RoyalsHistoryInterestsPalaces & BuildingsPrince PhilipQueen Elizabeth IIState & Ceremonial

Royal funerals in Westminster Abbey: history with a big hiatus

Queen Elizabeth II will be the first monarch to have her funeral held at Westminster Abbey since 1760.  All sovereigns after that date have received their last salute at St George’s Chapel, in Windsor, due to logistic challenges: the Royal Vaults in the Abbey are entirely full, and therefore royal burials are now in the Royal Vault under the Windsor chapel.  However, for a remarkable…
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