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Rescue plan for tomb of the English queen who never set foot in her realm

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4th August 2020
For a Queen of England who never set foot on English soil, her tomb has not been able to find a home either. Berengaria of Navarre was the wife of King Richard the Lionheart for eight years until his death in 1199. Berengaria and Richard had had no children together, and she settled in Le Mans in France. She died there in 1230, and she was buried near Le Mans at the l’Épau Abbey. The monks…
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British RoyalsFeaturesHistory

The mystery of the Queen Mother's birthplace

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4th August 2020
The first famous Windsor woman to be born on August 4th lived most of her adult life in the spotlight and yet one very basic detail of her story is shrouded in mystery. For no one is really sure exactly where Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother was born. And no one did more to get people guessing than the Queen Mum herself. In 1980, as preparations were under way for her eightieth birthday…
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Features

Two kings, two mistresses and a luxury yacht

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3rd August 2020
In 1937 King Carol II of Romania bought a luxury yacht called Nahlin, which he renamed Luceafarul (The Evening Star) and embarked on a romantic cruise with his mistress, Elena Lupescu. At the time, Elena, who was also known by the names of Lupeasca, Magda, and Duduia, had…
Features

New Zealand: one country, two monarchs

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2nd August 2020
As a member of the Commonwealth Realms, New Zealand, like 15 other nations, shares the British Royal Family and The Queen as head of state. But what most people don’t realise, is that since 1858, New Zealand has had its own King, through the Māori King Movement, with the current monarch Tūheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII reigning since 2006. The Māori King, while holding no constitutional…
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European RoyalsFeaturesHistory

Murdered Royals: Emperor Maximilian of Mexico

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31st July 2020
The Austrian Prince Maximilian was born in 1832 as the son of Archduke Franz Karl of Austria and Princess Sophie of Bavaria. He grew up in safe surroundings in Austria and pursued a career in the Austrian Navy. Following his career, he became a close friend of Emperor Napoleon III of France. Maximilian was encouraged by Napoleon III to become Emperor of Mexico following the French intervention…
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