History

The Windsor Titles - Earl of Wessex and Earl of Forfar

When Prince Edward, the youngest child of The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, married Sophie Rhys-Jones in June 1999, it was expected that he would be bestowed with a dukedom, as is customary for the son of a monarch on the occasion of marriage. It was instead announced that the Prince would become the Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn, and his new bride would be known as HRH the Countess of…
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History

The Windsor Titles - Duke of Cambridge

When HM The Queen bestowed the title of Duke of Cambridge on her grandson, Prince William, on his wedding day in April 2011, it marked the recreation of a title that first originated in the time of King Charles II. A dukedom is the highest title in the British peerage system…
History

Moments that defined the British Monarchy – The abdication and scandal of Edward VIII

On 20 January 1936, Britain’s King George V died. George V was a popular monarch with strong public morals, his son, the Prince of Wales acceded to the throne upon his father’s death. He became King Edward VIII, a name chosen as opposed to King David as there had been no British King David before. At first, Edward VIII’s public popularity was promising. But this wasn’t to last, behind the…
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History

The Windsor Titles - Duke of Sussex

Dukedoms have been bestowed on royal males for hundreds of years, and each title carries with it a history of some description. The most recent dukedom to be bestowed by HM Queen Elizabeth was that of the Duke of Sussex – a title given to Prince Harry on the occasion…
FeaturesHistory

'Ever your loving Nicky': A forgotten letter?

I first encountered this hitherto neglected and virtually ‘forgotten’ letter, categorised as by Tsar Nicholas II, within the volume The Complete Wartime Correspondence of Tsar Nicholas II and the Empress Alexandra April 1914-March 1917, skilfully edited by Prof Joseph T. Fuhrmann. What immediately caught my interest was the fact that it was contained within the main body of the work, ‘The…
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British RoyalsFeaturesHistory

Queen Victoria was not a bad mother, says writer of hit royal TV series

The creator of hit historical royal drama, Victoria, Daisy Goodwin, has spoken out about the unfair double standards female monarchs are judged by in comparison with their male counterparts. Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert had nine children. While their relationship is celebrated as a highly passionate and successful partnership, Victoria’s bond with her children is seen very…
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