On November 20th 2014, a duchess descended from royalty but who had more titles than most kings and queens of her time died. The death of a Spanish noblewoman might not ordinarily make global headlines. But Cayetana, Duchess of Alba, was no ordinary person. She had been feted by some of the most famous people of the 20th century and packed plenty of excitement and intrigue into her 88 years. The…
The ultimate floral symbol of love that starred in Queen Elizabeth II's royal wedding bouquet
20th November 2024
Royal weddings tend to have a lot in common. They usually take place in huge, historic churches with brides decked in acres of white fabric and heirloom tiaras and grooms in military uniform, followed down the aisle by hoardes of bridesmaids and pageboys. Traditions must be…
The simple and unexpected gift Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip gave to royal guests at their wedding
20th November 2024
It’s seven decades and counting since the royal wedding that built the modern House of Windsor. On November 20th 1947, at Westminster Abbey, Queen Elizabeth II married Prince Philip in a ceremony that would lead to one of the most successful royal unions in history.
How Beth the rescue dog won a place on one of the most historic royal gowns of the 21st century
18th November 2024
Beth, the rescue dog of Queen Camilla, has died. Buckingham Palace announced the loss of the much loved pet and shared photos of the terrier with her royal owners. But Beth lives on in another way. For this Jack Russell, brought to the Palace from Battersea Dogs Home, has a place in Coronation history.
When Queen Camilla commissioned Bruce Oldfield to make her Coronation gown, she wanted…
For centuries, one of the main roles of a monarch in western Europe was to be ready to lead their troops to war. There are many royals from history who have actively taken part in battle. King George II is the last King of the United Kingdom to lead his troops on the…
November has two birthstones: topaz and citrine. Although they are not common stones for tiaras, Princess Stéphanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg has worn a historic citrine tiara.
Since her 2012 wedding to Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, Princess…
While modern monarchs undergo military training and often carry out military service, they rarely serve in battle. Historically, many monarchs would lead their troops in battle. King Frederick II of Prussia, also known as Frederick the Great, would become known for his military leadership and theory.Â
Frederick inherited the Prussian throne in 1740; at that time, he held a fairly disconnected…
It is a moment for the history books, the birth of a boy who would be king. On 14 November 1948, the future Charles III was born. As the first child of the soon to be Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, his path to the throne was clear. But the baby who…
The unknown man who was briefly trusted with a very important royal secret
14th November 2024
He was among the only people outside a royal inner circle who knew the answer to a question everyone was asking and on a chilly winter’s day he, briefly, became rather famous for that very reason. And given that the person who shared that secret with him was the always…
King Charles has appointed King Abdullah of Jordan and King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain as Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. Charles III also appointed Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to the order earlier this year, months before he was forced to stand aside over a child abuse scandal in the Church of England. As it hits the headlines once more, what is…
