FeaturesHistoryInsight

Official Royal Posts: The Queen's Piper

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26th October 2014
<![CDATA[The Queen’s Piper principal duty is to play every weekday at 9 am for approximately 15 minutes under Her Majesty’s window when she is in residence at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Balmoral Castle or the Palace Holyroodhouse. The piper though does not travel to Sandringham and play due to the shortage of accommodations there. At Windsor, Balmoral and Holyroodhouse, he also…
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FeaturesHistory

Rivals to the Crown: Royal Siblings - Part II

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23rd October 2014
<![CDATA[In the previous instalment, we looked at some Kings and Queens who succeeded their elder sibling and ruled a country despite the odds. Now, in light of the recent revelation that Prince George’s younger brother or sister will arrive in April, here are…
History

The Royal W: Who is Black Rod?

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22nd October 2014
<![CDATA[The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod is a Royal Household member. He is appointed by the Crown by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Order of the Garter. Black Rod, as he is known, is the Chief Gentleman Usher to the Sovereign and an officer of the Order…
FeaturesHistory

The Duchess of Marlborough and the Aylesford Affair

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20th October 2014
<![CDATA[The 11th Duke of Marlborough, who recently died on October 16th, left a widow, Lily. Now the Dowager Duchess, over thirty years the Duke’s junior, she married him in 2008 and became his fourth wife and second duchess. It was she who was instrumental in reconciling the Duke with his son, Jamie, now the 12th Duke – for historically it seems that relationships have rarely run…
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History

Official Royal Posts: The Royal Watermen

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20th October 2014
<![CDATA[Prior to the advent of trains, planes and automobiles, The Sovereigns mode of transportation was on the River Thames. Whether a State occasion or travel between the Tower of London, Windsor, Hampton Court, Westminster or Greenwich, the Thames was the means for…
History

Official Royal Posts: Lord Steward

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19th October 2014
<![CDATA[Since medieval times, the Lord Steward has been one of the three “Great Officers of the Household.” Until 1782, the office was one of great political significance and held Cabinet rank. After 1924, the office would change over as the government changed. The…
History

Richard III's reinterment route is announced

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14th October 2014
<![CDATA[The route which Richard III’s remains will follow before being reinterred in Leicester Cathedral has now been revealed to the public. On Sunday 22nd March 2015, the last Plantagenet King will make his final journey before being laid to rest in the cathedral on Thursday 26th March. During the late morning on 22nd March, the hearse of the King will leave the University of…
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History

Queen Victoria's bloomers sell for £6200

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14th October 2014
<![CDATA[Queen Victoria's 52 inch bloomers have sold at auction for the price of £6,200. The knee-length bloomers were one of a number of items to be sold at auction this week. The overseas buyer of Britain’s longest reigning monarch’s bloomers wishes…
History

Regicide: how Queen Victoria survived seven assassination attempts (part two)

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7th October 2014
<![CDATA[We continue with the accounts of Victoria's attempted assassinations, covering her last three assailant's stories, as well as a few others that got rather close to her. Victoria faced the most assassination attempts in centuries 5. In June 1850, Robert Pate became the fifth person to make an attempt on Victoria’s life. Once more, her children witnessed the attack…
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