The spectacular beauty of the Empress
Elisabeth of Austria (1837-1898) was a reputation which, once
created, had to be determinedly maintained. This was only achieved
through rigorous beauty and exercise regimes, which she adopted as
her personal discipline. The Empress, who would go on to become
what was probably the most brilliant horsewoman of
nineteenth-century Europe, was often stitched into…
King Olav II of Norway was born in 993 at
a royal farm in Ringerike, west of the present capital of Oslo.
Even though neither of his parents were a king or queen, Olav was
the great-great-grandchild of King Harald I, Norway’s first king.
Being a decedent of King Harald…
Queen Elizabeth II is NOT the Queen of England – is it so hard to get it right?
28th July 2020
I am a bit of a stickler for correct
usage of styles and titles. So it is a bit of a pet peeve of mine
when these are used improperly. The main one that bugs me is
calling Elizabeth II, Queen of England. That bothers me because
“Queen of England” is not her correct…
Empress Elisabeth of Austria was one of
the most beautiful women of nineteenth-century Europe, yet this
beauty was the determined result of intensive labour, at
considerable cost. The cult of that beauty which astonished her
contemporaries became Elisabeth’s personal myth when, past the age
of thirty, she refused to be photographed – thereby establishing
her own enigma. Her reputation…
Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia
have continued their tour through Spain in Pamplona in an effort to
promote tourism. Their Majesties have been visiting different areas
of the country after the pandemic lockdown in Spain was lifted. The
King and Queen arrived…
Who was Augusta Caroline Sophia, Dowager
Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld? Born a Princess of Reuss Ebersdorf
(1757-1831), she was Queen Victoria’s ‘dear Grandmother’. In 1872,
Queen Victoria wrote down a short memoir which survives at Windsor,
which was reprinted…
Queen Victoria’s relationship with the
railway began on 13 June 1842, when she drove from Windsor to
Slough with Prince Albert, to make the historic first royal journey
by train to Paddington. This relationship would continue throughout
her life and endure, even beyond her death, as the Great Western
Railway conveyed the Queen’s body in the Royal Train from
Paddington to Windsor for her…
European royals in the British line of succession: Norway's Royal Family
24th July 2020
The British Royal Family has a vast line
of succession with over 5000 monarchs in waiting, but the line also
has links to European monarchies. King George II, who was King from
1727 to 1760, has links to many of those who are now heads of
Europe’s royal families…
Mary, Queen of Scots is one of the most
tragic figures in royal history. She inherited her crown at only
six-days-old and spent her childhood and adolescence in France.
After the death of her first husband, King Francis II died in 1560,
she returned to a turbulent and…
Season five of The Crown won’t premiere
on Netflix until 2022 as the series will take a filming break ahead
of the final cast changeover. Olivia Colman will conclude her role
as Queen Elizabeth II in season four before being replaced by
Imelda Staunton for the final two seasons. Helena Bonham
Carter will finish up as Princess Margaret, and Lesley Manville
will then take over the role…
