Features

The Princess Royal presents Joanna Lumley with damehood

One of Britain’s much loved, all-around entertainers, Joanna Lumley, has been awarded a damehood by Princess Anne during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace for her services to drama, entertainment and charitable causes. Following the ceremony, Dame Joanna, in a fuchsia pink ensemble designed by Laura Green London, described the honour as “absolutely huge” and was thrilled to have…
Read more
Features

Secret Royal Weddings: the passionate king and the silent widow

Royal weddings are now major celebrations, glittering events that capture the imagination and draw huge crowds who cheer the vows and shout demands for a kiss when the deal is done. However, in centuries past a royal union might be a discreet event, witnessed by just a handful of people. And for that reason, rumours were able to grow of secret weddings, hidden spouses and possible threats to…
Read more
Features

The discreet arrival of 'The Lost Prince'

As the long, dry summer of 1905 unfurled across Britain, a prince was born, but his arrival was far from the media event that the arrival of a new royal heralds today. On July 12th 1905, the Princess of Wales gave birth to her sixth child and fifth son. But his arrival was…
Features

The unexpected royal wedding that created one of England's most unusual queens

Sixteenth century kings, even those that had worked their way through a quintet of queens, had a somewhat preconceived idea of what a consort should bring to their royal marriage. Henry VIII might well have been in love with the idea of love but he also had a concept of court politics that his wives had to match. However, his final wedding would prove to be the most unusual of all his marriages…
Read more
Features

The many weddings of King Henry VIII

Henry VIII is famous for many things but perhaps the most talked about is his penchant for weddings. The king with six wives clearly enjoyed being married even if those he tied the knot with ended up less than impressed. However, Henry didn’t like to make a fuss about…
Features

Why didn't Queen Victoria have a Silver Jubilee?

Victoria was the monarch who invented jubilees as we know them. The celebrations of 1887 and 1897 are among the most famous events of royal history and helped shape her legacy. But our modern minds assume there must also have been a silver version, for that is the pattern we are used to. Elizabeth II, the ultimate Jubilee Monarch, began her unprecedented run of anniversary celebrations in 1977 as…
Read more