Features

The King's Birthday Honours list: knighthood was conferred on Sir Martin Amis just before his death

The first King’s Birthday Honours of the reign of Charles III include a knighthood for one of Britain’s most famous novelists that was conferred just before he died. Sir Martin Amis received his honour the day before he passed away. The Cabinet Office made the unusual move of conferring the knighthood ahead of the release of the list to ensure that Sir Martin was honoured. The…
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The Mantle Of The Order Of The Garter

The order of the Garter is considered the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain. Created over 700 years ago by King Edward III, the Order was inspired by King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Today the 24 Knights of the Garter are men and women…
Features

How much has changed in just four years - the last traditional Trooping of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II

This year will see the Sovereign’s Birthday Parade, better known as Trooping the Colour, held in honour of King Charles III for the first time. It will also be a return to a more familiar Trooping, for the final years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II saw the traditional ceremony altered several times for different reasons. In 2020 and 2021, it was held at Windsor Castle, because of the…
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The romance and history of Denmark's royal pearls

Pearls are the birthstone of June and for centuries they have taken a starring role in royal jewels. They now feature in some of the best known pieces worn by ruling dynasties across Europe. Among the Danish collection are some truly romantic and historic pieces. Crown…
Features

The mystery surrounding the death of one of England's most controversial queens

Her story is amongst the most controversial of all the Queens of England and centuries after her death, a new twist appeared in the tale of Elizabeth Woodville. An expert at the National Archives in London found a document suggesting that the consort who revolutionised royalty may have died of the plague. Euan Roger is a records specialist at the National Archives and while looking through 16th…
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The wedding of a queen and a prince who longed to be a king

On 4 October 1966, the Danish Royal Court announced that Crown Princess Margrethe was to marry Henri de Laborde de Montpezat. The engagement was a surprise to most as they had kept their relationship a secret.Henri was a French diplomat in London, and he and Margrethe met during an official dinner at the French Embassy and then again at a wedding, starting a relationship soon…
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