Features

The controversial chateau that became the birthplace of a king

Some monarchs are born in massive castles that have stood for centuries while others are born in relatively new palaces. Although the birth of a royal baby is a celebrated event, some of these more modern palaces have darker connections. King Philippe of Belgium was born at Belvédère Castle at Laeken, one of these palaces.  Originally built in the 1780s, King Leopold II bought the palace for…
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Features

Ten royals who have presented the trophies at Wimbledon

The Princess of Wales will be on Centre Court to hand over the trophies at Wimbledon as this year’s competition comes to a close. The last few years have seen the Princess become a regular at the presentations but a whole host of royals have done the honours over the years. Queen Elizabeth II [getty src=”514877632″ width=”468″ height=”594″ tld=”co.uk”] Queen…
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HistoryHistoryInterestsSweden

A childhood marked by tragedy: a look at King Carl XVI Gustaf's early years

Many people are used to thinking about members of royal families as people with immense privilege and a life free from pain and suffering.  However, this was far from the truth for King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Born Prince Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus on 30 April 1946, he was the last child and only son of Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sybilla.  On 26 January 1947, Prince Gustaf Adolf…
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Features

From Napoleon's Coronation to a very modern royal - the story of a tiara that has changed appearance many times

The birthstone of July, the ruby, has been used as a symbol of royalty for centuries. Today we’re looking at the history behind the most famous ruby tiara in the Danish Royal Family’s collection: the Danish Ruby Parure. Now most closely associated with Crown Princess Mary, who has worn the tiara exclusively since her 2004 wedding, the Danish Ruby Parure has been used by a long line of…
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