British RoyalsFeaturesHistory

The coronation of a consort who might have been England's first queen regnant

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18th March 2023
In another lifetime, perhaps she’d be recognised as England’s first queen regnant, but Elizabeth of York was fated to be a consequential queen consort instead, with her popularity helping to sow peace in the aftermath of the Wars of the Roses. Elizabeth holds a unique position in English history: she is the only woman to be daughter, niece, sister, wife, and mother to kings. The long and…
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The history of the Coronation Chair

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17th March 2023
It is a chair with understated elegance and steeped in history. The Coronation Chair, also known as King Edward’s Chair or Saint Edward’s Chair, was commissioned by King Edward I in 1296. Originally, it was meant to hold the Stone of Scone, taken from Scotland by King…
British RoyalsHistory

The Coronation of Edward VII

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17th March 2023
King Charles III has often been compared to his great-great-grandfather, King Edward VII. Both ascended the throne after their mother’s enjoyed record-breaking reigns, and at the time of each king’s ascension, they both held the record for longest-serving Prince of…
Features

What is the Robe of State?

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17th March 2023
As well as wearing several crowns at his Coronation (well, this is a once only event after all), King Charles will also be clothed in a variety of robes. The first out of the royal wardrobe will be the Robe of State and while The King won’t wear it for the whole of the ceremony, it won’t be the only time this special garment is used during his reign. The Robe of State is worn by the Monarch…
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The only consort to wear the Monarch’s crown

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17th March 2023
It is a considered a gem meant for monarchs, but there is one notable exception to the rules around St. Edward’s Crown: Anne Boleyn. St. Edward’s Crown is the oldest and heaviest crown in use in the British collection. Worn by Edward the Confessor during his reign…
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Why are coronations held at Westminster Abbey?

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17th March 2023
One thing has been certain about the Coronation of King Charles III from the very start. Even before the date was known, the location of the crowning of the new Monarch was set in stone. For Charles III, like every King and Queen for almost a millennium, will be crowned at…
Features

The Coronation portrait of King George VI interrupted by war

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17th March 2023
It is one of the most striking portraits of George VI painted in his reign and contains all the symbols of his kingship in a dramatic and historic setting. But this famous image had to wait for completion because of war. The famous portrait by Sir Gerald Festus Kelly was commissioned by the king in early 1938, just a few months after he was crowned at Westminster Abbey. It shows him in his…
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The Coronation of King Henry IV

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17th March 2023
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…
FeaturesSweden

A look at the Order of the Polar Star

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17th March 2023
Each royal house has its own royal chivalric orders. Sweden has several royal orders; the Order of the Polar Star is one of the oldest orders in Sweden. The Order of the Polar Star was established on 23 February 1748 by King Frederick I, along with the Order of the…
Features

The princess named after Ireland's patron saint

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17th March 2023
For a princess who claimed a bit of a royal first at the baptismal font, it’s perhaps not surprising that Patricia of Connaught – known for most of her adult life as Lady Patricia Ramsey – ended up changing plenty of regal rules on her way.  The little girl who was born in Buckingham Palace on March 17th 1886 grew up to be one of the most eligible women in Europe, and when she…
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