Features

A quick look at royal dogs

The British love of dogs is, of course, well established, the royal affection for them as faithful companions being no exception to the rule. Corgis officially entered the British Royal Family when George VI, then Duke of York, gave two corgis named Dookie and Jane to his daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret in 1933; Dookie being a name that the dog was given after the Duke of York. The…
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The great queen written out of history as a much married wife

A portrait of Katherine Parr has just set the record for the most expensive Tudor portrait ever sold at auction. It comes at a time of revived interest in the life of Henry VIII’s last queen. And her story is a fascinating one. Written off as a nursemaid to Henry, Katherine was, in fact, one of the most influential people of the king’s reign, as Lydia Starbuck explains. On a hot summer day…
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Rare portrait of Katherine Parr about to go up for auction with big bids expected

A rare portrait of Katherine Parr is about to be sold in one of the most anticipated auctions of the year. Sotheby’s will sell the work, believed to be the only contemporary rendering of the queen, online on July 5th 2023. The painting is thought to be the work of Master John, an artist recorded in the Privy Purse expenses of the time. Courtesy of Sotheby’s Katherine Parr was Queen…
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The Sword of State in the Honours of Scotland

The Crown of Scotland, a sceptre and the Sword of State make up the Honours of Scotland and they are the oldest regalia items in the British Isles. The Sword of State dates back to 1507. It was a gift from Pope Julius II to King James IV. It was in honour of James’s…
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The Crown of Scotland

The Crown of Scotland will be presented to King Charles III in a special ceremony in Edinburgh. It will mark a milestone moment in his reign. Although this won’t be a coronation, it will be a recognition of his role as King of Scotland and the Crown involved has a special history. A separate Crown of Scotland was present for King James I’s coronation in 1603, King Charles I’s coronation…
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