HistoryNorway

King Haakon’s Christmas speeches to an occupied Norway

Christmas tends to be a pleasant time, especially for the royals. When it comes to the Norwegian Royal Family, they have many good Christmas traditions that make Christmas a pleasant time. There is, however, a period when Christmas for the Royal Family from Norway was not very pleasant, namely during World War II. Germany invaded Norway on 9 April 1940. This led to a five-year occupation. While…
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Features

Winter's most romantic royal palaces: Rosenborg

Rosenborg Castle has plenty of royal history and carries an air of regal menace that is only slightly softened when the snow falls. Decked in flakes, it still looks as if its only place in a fairytale is as the home of a villain. It has majesty and mystery and covered in…
Insight

If Edward VIII hadn’t abdicated, who would be Monarch today?

We all love a royal ‘what if’ and perhaps one of the most intriguing of recent times revolves around the question of the king who renounced his throne for love. On December 11th 1936, 86 years ago, Edward VIII announced to the world that he was ending his reign to marry the woman he loved, Wallis Simpson. But what if Edward VIII hadn’t abdicated? Who would be Monarch now? There are two…
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Features

Victoria's Christmas: the revealing festive celebrations of a young princess

She was the queen who made her mark on Christmas. So much of how we celebrate the festive season began in the Victorian era and the monarch who gave her name to that time left intricate records of how she celebrated. In this special series, Royal Central looks at some of the most important of them and discovers how Queen Victoria celebrated Christmas. The Christmas of 1832 is the first recorded…
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Features

Prince Albert, the royal skater

Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s beloved consort, was an eager skater who loved winter sports as part of enduring royal pleasure. Not only did he drive the Queen’s sledge when the royal couple were visiting Brighton during a sudden snowfall, but he also enjoyed charming…
FeaturesSpain

How the Spanish royals celebrate Christmas

Each family has its own Christmas tradition, and royal families are no exception. The Spanish Royal Family starts Christmas festivities by releasing their Christmas cards earlier in December that they will be sending out to those who send them holiday cards over the festive period. King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía have their signatures printed on their card, while…
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