History

The English Queens of France

On an autumn day, over 500 years ago, Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII, marriedthe French king, Louis XII. The spectacular ceremony in Abbeville in Northern France transformed Mary into the Queen of France. No other English princess held that title after…
FashionFeatures

Royal tour fashion favourites: Diana, Princess of Wales in Italy, 1985

Royal tours are always a source of excitement, not just for interesting locales and fun engagements but also for stand-out style moments. This summer, Royal Central is looking back at some of the best tour fashion moments from over the years. The Prince and Princess of Wales embarked on a 17-day tour of Italy in April 1985, and while it might not be their best-known royal tour (Australia does…
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Features

Marie Antoinette's diamonds up for sale

Diamonds once worn by Marie Antoinette are going up for auction later this year. Two diamond bracelets belonging to the ill fated queen are set to go under the hammer in Geneva in November. The gems form part of the collection that Marie Antoinette had sent from France…
FeaturesHistory

Mysterious Mary, the queen's daughter who disappeared

Within the walls of one of England’s most picturesque castles, a queen gave birth to her only child and set in motion a chain of events that would become one of Tudor England’s most intriguing mysteries. The birth had been much anticipated and much talked about. The baby, a little girl, was immediately taken off to a nursery decked in scarlet and gold where a string of…
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FashionFeaturesHistorySweden

Sapphires for September: Queen Silvia’s Leuchtenberg Sapphires

Among Europe’s royal families, the Swedish Royal Family owns one of the the most impressive jewelry collections. The Leuchtenberg sapphire and diamond parure in particular goes back to early 19th century and is said to have been a wedding gift from Napoleon Bonaparte to Princess Augusta of Bavaria, his stepson’s bride. Josephine of Leuchtenberg—Augusta’s daughter—brought it with her…
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