For almost a millennium, kings and queens
have been crowned at Westminster Abbey. But perhaps the king most
intrinsically linked to the Abbey was never crowned there: Edward
the Confessor. Instead, Edward the Confessor was crowned at
Winchester Cathedral. He succeeded his older half-brother,
Harthacnut, in 1042 but delayed his coronation until Easter 1043.
Winchester Cathedral—or the…
Following royal tradition, King Charles
III will wear the Imperial State Crown as he leaves his Coronation
on May 6th 2023. The Imperial State Crown is set with an impressive
2,868 diamonds, the largest and most famous being the
cushion-shaped brilliant Cullinan II…
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…
As the Coronation draws near, speculation
about what King Charles III might wear increases. Kings usually opt
for a version of the tunics, breeches and silk stockings that have
made up the Coronation outfit for centuries. However, it’s been
reported that His Majesty might prefer to wear military uniform.
And if he does, he will follow the example of the man he replaced
as the oldest person ever…
You could not be faulted if you walked by
the Stone of Scone and not even realized you were in the presence
of a legendary and mysterious rock. Pronounced ‘Scoon,’ the ancient
symbol of Scottish sovereignty is an unassuming rectangular stone,
made of sandstone…
For almost a thousand years, coronation
services have taken place at Westminster Abbey, in times of peace
and strife. The sovereign sometimes arrives at the Abbey a popular
figure; sometimes, they’re deeply unpopular. More often than not,
they’re crowned by birthright…
It’s been quite the week for changing
names. In the past seven days, five members of the family of King
Charles III have gained new titles but one was noticeably left the
same. However, could Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor alter her own
style now? Lady Louise’s parents became the Duke and Duchess of
Edinburgh on March 10th 2023. Prince Edward was given the title by
King Charles on…
A new title but the same person and
somehow that underlines just why it matters that The King’s only
sister in law is now HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh. As King Charles
III made his youngest brother the Duke of Edinburgh, he added a new
chapter to two of his royal…
It was a wedding fit for a queen in
waiting but the bride and groom only made it to the altar after a
wave of protest, some of it angry, that threatened to stop their
romance in its tracks. When Beatrix of the Netherlands, then heir
to her country’s throne, wed Claus van…
Westminster Abbey will close its doors on
April 25th 2023 ahead of the Coronation. It will remain closed
until May 8th and in the meantime, some services will take place,
instead, at nearby St. Margaret’s Church. And while not as famous
as its neighbour, St. Margaret’s has seen some rather special royal
events of its own. It’s hosted dazzling and trend setting royal
weddings…
