FeaturesHistoryPrince & Princess of Wales

A look back at the christening of Prince William

It was 4 August 1982. The IRA had recently set off bombs in Regent’s Park and Hyde Park, and just a few weeks before that, the infamous Michael Fagan incident occurred, when a man managed to break into Buckingham Palace and entered The Queen’s bedroom. But a happier royal event that summer was the christening of Prince William. Like his father, Prince Charles, Prince William was…
Read more
FeaturesHistory

History's Royal Kates: Katherine of Valois

For a woman who founded one of the most famous royal dynasties in British history, she is surpisingly enigmatic. Katherine of Valois was the first Kate to be Queen of England and yet much of the modern imagining of her comes from her fleeting appearance in the works of…
FeaturesHistory

The Honiton Christening Robe's Place in Royal History

At some point this summer, it’s likely we’ll get another close up look of the best known replica christening gown around. For when Prince Louis of Cambridge is baptized, probably before the Royal Family’s summer break, he will wear the intricate copy of the famous Victorian outfit that featured in so many royal christenings. That original is too fragile to be used anymore but the pretty gown…
Read more
FeaturesHistory

A Portrait of Princess Alix of Hesse

A portrait of the toddler Princess Alix of Hesse by the Austrian painter George Koberwein caught my attention back in 2004. Examining how it came to be painted was a source of great interest to me, not least because the picture that he produced of the baby princess, not…
British RoyalsFeaturesHistoryInsightQueen Elizabeth IISpainSweden

The royal touch at the World Cup Final

The World Cup is about to get underway in Russia with the England squad now at their training camp with royal backing after the Duke of Cambridge visited them ahead of their departure for the competition. We know there will be no Windsor representation in the VIP stands this time around, but royals and the contest have a long history. Three European monarchs have done the honours and handed over…
Read more