It is one of the most famous pictures in royal history, a moment when a Monarch and his people were completely united. As World War Two came to an end in Europe, King George VI and his family stood on the balcony of Buckingham Palace surrounded by the cheers of thousands. With them, the wartime Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, whose leadership had already made him a legend. On the 75th…
VE Day: King George VI's Speech in full
8th May 2020
On May 8th 2020, the Queen will speak to her country and her Commonwealth to mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Her own VE Day address will take place at 9pm, the exact time her father, King George VI, spoke as World War Two came to an end in Europe seventy…
In the days and weeks afterwards, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited many parts of England to see how people were beginning to tackle post war living. They were given a warm reception everywhere while some areas, like London’s East End, welcomed them as one of…
On May 7 1697, a fire broke out and destroyed much of the old royal palace in Stockholm. The castle Tre Kronor, or Three Crowns in English, is now only a footnote in history with the present royal palace of Stockholm built above the ruins of the old middle-aged castle that burned down over 320 years ago. But why exactly did the castle burn to ashes so mysteriously and suddenly?
Tre Kronor…
The third son of King George V and Queen Mary, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester was born on 31 March 1900.
He was the first son of a monarch to be educated at school and went onto study at Eton College.
His life was full of tragedy starting with not being able to…
Is this the best royal wedding tiara of all?
6th May 2020
It’s grand, unforgettable and we first saw it exactly sixty years ago. The tiara chosen by Princess Margaret for her wedding to Antony Armstrong-Jones in May 1960 has become iconic. In fact, it was such a successful pick, it begs the question – is…
Princess Louise, the sixth child and fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, holds an interesting spot in history. She supported higher education for women and feminist causes and was closely involved in the arts – not at all common for a Victorian princess. In opposition to her siblings, her mother wanted her to marry a British suitor rather than a foreign one. Louise married…
Queen Anne quite frankly had a tremendous reign becoming the first Monarch of a united single sovereign state, known as Great Britain in 1707 as well as showing her worth as a Queen Regnant in a male dominated society. Though tragedy was never far away from the last of the…
Today we’re looking at a royal history mystery that involves the disappearance of a boy king and his younger brother. What happened to the Princes in the Tower?
Edward V was the eldest son of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, born during a bleak period in the Wars of…
Royal History Mystery: The Flora Hastings Scandal
3rd May 2020
Today, we’re looking at a royal history mystery involving Queen Victoria and a controversy that swirled early in her reign. What was the Flora Hastings Scandal?
A Royal Destiny
Queen Victoria was poised for the throne from birth. By the time her uncle, William IV, became king in 1830, she was his only legitimate heir. She was the granddaughter of King George III and Queen Charlotte who…