They were the words spoken by a king as a country looked to him for inspiration and, legend has it, they were handed to him by the heir who would go on to make history. During Britain’s first Christmas of World War Two in 1939, George VI broadcast to the country and quoted a few lines of a poem which became forever associated with him. In fact, they are so much a part of his story that they…
It is one of the most famous pictures in royal history, a moment when a Monarch and his people were completely united. As World War Two came to an end in Europe, King George VI and his family stood on the balcony of Buckingham Palace surrounded by the cheers of thousands.
On May 8th 2020, the Queen will speak to her country and her Commonwealth to mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Her own VE Day address will take place at 9pm, the exact time her father, King George VI, spoke as World War Two came to an end in Europe seventy…
In the days and weeks afterwards, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited many parts of England to see how people were beginning to tackle post war living. They were given a warm reception everywhere while some areas, like London’s East End, welcomed them as one of their own. On the 75th anniversary of VE Day, Royal Central looks back at how Britain celebrated with its king and…
Around the same time that the UK introduced new succession laws that allowed girls the same rights as boys, the country also passed same sex marriage legislation. But royal laws haven’t caught up with that yet. In the future, as is the case in most European countries…
In the years ahead, both the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge will act as consorts to their husbands when they one day ascend to the throne.
It is a well established constitutional convention that the wife of a King is styled as Queen Consort.
The last…
On May 7 1697, a fire broke out and destroyed much of the old royal palace in Stockholm. The castle Tre Kronor, or Three Crowns in English, is now only a footnote in history with the present royal palace of Stockholm built above the ruins of the old middle-aged castle that burned down over 320 years ago. But why exactly did the castle burn to ashes so mysteriously and suddenly?
Tre Kronor…
Was Prince William's tragic death kept secret from the Duke of Gloucester?
7th May 2020
The third son of King George V and Queen Mary, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester was born on 31 March 1900.
He was the first son of a monarch to be educated at school and went onto study at Eton College.
His life was full of tragedy starting with not being able to…
It’s grand, unforgettable and we first saw it exactly sixty years ago. The tiara chosen by Princess Margaret for her wedding to Antony Armstrong-Jones in May 1960 has become iconic. In fact, it was such a successful pick, it begs the question – is…
Looking Back at the Wedding of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones
6th May 2020
On 6 May 1960, Princess Margaret became the first royal to marry in a televised ceremony when she married photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones in a glittering service at Westminster Abbey.
Princess Margaret had been linked to several beaus, most notably her father’s and sister’s former equerry, Peter Townsend. After a tumultuous period of will-they-won’t-they, their relationship ended on…
