The tradition of myrtle being used in a
bridal bouquet is long established and largely European, although
its associations with marriage has its origins in both ancient
Greek mythology, as well as in Roman ritual, the myrtle being
“dear” to Venus, as it had once been considered “sacred” to the
goddess Aphrodite. Jewish liturgy also incorporated it occasionally
in the form of branches…
We’ve just weeks, possibly days, to go
until Royal Baby Cambridge Number Three makes their debut. The
hospital is ready, the overnight bag is no doubt by the door at
Kensington Palace and as if we needed another indication that the
new fifth in line to the throne is…
The Jerusalem Chamber at Westminster
Abbey is part of what is the oldest surviving medieval house in
London. Its history is significant, but the room itself little
seen, because it is not open to the general public. It is part of
what is known as Cheneygates, the ancient…
Royal Baby Cambridge Number 3 is due
imminently and the bookies have already made their minds up as to
the new fifth in line to the throne. They’re confident Prince
George and Princess Charlotte are getting a baby sister and she’s
going to be called Mary. It’s been hot favourite for the royal
baby for several weeks so as we wait to find out if they’ve called
this one…
The flowers chosen by Diana, Princess of
Wales for her wedding day are among the most memorable of royal
bouquets. The tumbling, trailing mix of cream, green and yellow
blooms that the bride carried into St. Paul’s Cathedral on July
29th 1981 for her marriage to the Prince…
The year 2018 marked the 200th
anniversary of the death of the German-born British Queen
Charlotte, consort of George III (1744-1818). Her life will be
celebrated at Kew Palace, where she died on 18 November 1818, with
a new exhibition that explores her marriage to the King…
In addition to the six Tudor royal
burials at Westminster Abbey, there are several more whose location
is either unknown or well-hidden to the immediate eye. These royal
children, whilst (almost) invisible in terms of a lack of memorial
or a monument that is at best, unseen, we tend quite naturally to
only look for those tombs which we know can be found. All of the
(legitimate) children of Henry…
She was the first of The Queen and the
Duke of Edinburgh’s children to marry and her big day set the
template for the royal celebrations that would follow in its wake.
Princess Anne’s wedding to Mark Phillips, on 14 November 1973, was
a huge state occasion with a massive…
Queen Victoria is inextricably linked
with Windsor Castle, but these associations, whilst deep-rooted,
are in fact not always visible. A statue of her is within the first
section of the State Apartments at Windsor Castle and her throne
and footstool – presented to her in…
Amongst the splendid suite of jewels
commissioned for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert, features in the
permanent exhibition Victoria Revealed at Kensington Palace, when
it re-opened in full on 30 March 2018, two magnificent tiaras which
were formerly owned by Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife,
one of which will go on long-term loan to Kensington Palace for the
exhibition, from the estate…
