FeaturesHistory

Marie Sophie, Last Queen of the Two Sicilies

Marie Sophie is arguably less famous than her sister, the Empress of Austria, known as Sisi. Yet, her actions to save her country from ruin should earn her place equal to or surpassing her famous sister. She was trapped in a deeply unhappy marriage and sought refuge with…
HistoryInternational royals

Narriman, Last Queen of Egypt

She was the daughter of a high ranking Egyptian official and the last Queen of Egypt as the second wife of King Farouk. The beauty married the King after he’d divorced his first wife after a failure to produce a male heir. Her Early Life Narriman Sadek was born…
European RoyalsFeaturesHistory

Maria Amelia, Last Queen of Portugal

She was the queen who tried to save her dynasty with nothing more than a bouquet of flowers. Maria Amelia saw her husband and eldest son mortally wounded at close range in an assassination that would hasten the demise of their dynasty. She had done all she could to save the monarchy she married into but it would all come to nothing as she watched another son lose his throne just years after the…
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FeaturesHistory

Marie Jose, Last Queen of Italy

She was the ‘May Queen’ whose reign lasted little more than a month but left its mark in royal history. Marie-Jose was always a bit of a maverick who had her own views and no fear of sharing them. Those opinions would become a saving grace for the dynasty she…
British RoyalsEuropean RoyalsFeaturesHistoryInsightOpinionRoyal Weddings

The special links between Beatrice's wedding and Queen Victoria

As a princess prepares to say ‘I do’, the latest Royal Central podcast looks at the sweet and symbolic connections between Beatrice and the church where she will say ‘I do’. There’s an anniversary, a queen and a christening involved as well as special memories. Moniek Bloks, Brittani Barger and Lydia Starbuck also discuss the ongoing fallout in Luxembourg after a…
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FeaturesHistoryHistory

A Calendar of Queens: February

Royal history is so rich that the year is peppered with anniversaries and milestones. From births to deaths, coronations to weddings, each month brings the memory of another landmark moment. Britain’s queens, past and present, have written themselves into the history…
FeaturesHistoryHistory

A Calendar of Kings: February

Our royal history is filled with major moments and those attached to the monarchs and consorts whose names are all too familiar take on a significance all of their own. Each month, at Royal Central, we’re taking a look at the monarchical milestones that pepper the past and…