There have only been a handful of queen
regnants in Britain’s history. Queen Elizabeth II was the most
recent, having reigned a historic 70 years, but 400 years before
her reign began, the first queen regnant was crowned: Queen Mary I.
The eldest daughter of Henry VIII and his first wife, Catherine of
Aragon, Mary Tudor, lived a tumultuous life. Born as a legitimate
heir, then named…
The reign of King Henry IV began with
usurpation and heralded a period of power struggles that would end
in the War of the Roses. As he rode to his Coronation, in 1399, his
predecessor languished in jail and would die in mysterious
circumstances within months. Henry IV’s…
The history of the chairs to be used by King Charles and Queen Camilla at the Coronation
2nd May 2023
In another poignant nod to his mother and
grandfather, The King has chosen to reuse the chairs made for each
of them for their own Coronations when he is crowned at Westminster
Abbey. During the ceremony, on May 6th 2023, King Charles III and
Queen Camilla will sit on…
His reign would end with the toppling of
the monarchy but as Charles I was crowned King of England in 1626,
there was little indication that the ancient ceremony heralded a
time of tumult that would lead to war and death. However, as the
Archbishop of Canterbury lifted St. Edward’s Crown into the hushed
air of Westminster Abbey ahead of the Coronation, he heralded a
moment in royal history…
With the Coronation only a few days away,
the country is abuzz with speculation about what to expect from
this historic event. The last Coronation took place seventy years
ago, and much has changed since then. We have been given a
tantalising glimpse into what the Procession…
The coronation that created the glittering image of monarchy about to be unveiled in Westminster Abbey
1st May 2023
He was a hero king who had survived an
epic game of thrones and his coronation was set to be a splendid
celebration at the start of a new era of royal power. The crowning
of Richard I involved pomp, pageantry and chivalric splendour but
it also led to riots and the deaths of…
It has been described as the most
important British dress design of the 20th century and the gown
that Queen Elizabeth II wore at her Coronation, on June 2nd 1953,
has its own place in history. The work of Sir Norman Hartnell,
created in partnership by the Monarch, it has become one of the
most emblematic outfits of the House of Windsor. This was arguably
the most important commission of Sir…
The idea of the Crown Jewels being stolen
might seem like a movie. Well, it’s not. They really were stolen
thanks to one Irishman, Thomas Blood. Born in County Meath in 1618,
Blood came from a good family. His father was a prosperous
blacksmith, and his…
Seventy years ago this spring, a young
princess left her palace to marry a handsome heir to a throne.
Their families had helped ensure the couple said ‘I do’ while
royalty from around the continent gathered to see them exchange
vows. It was a pattern followed by…
For the first time ever, female bishops
will take part in a Coronation service. Three of the UK’s highest
ranking clerics will play integral parts in the ceremony on May 6th
which will see King Charles III and Queen Camilla crowned. The Rt
Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullaly, Bishop of London will have a
leading role. So, too, will the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop
of Dover and…
