Haven’t we been here before? As the
arrival of baby Cambridge number three closes in, so do the odds on
a new princess being called Alice. Ahead of the birth of Princess
Charlotte, the A name was in the frame as top pick for a baby girl
and we all know how that one ended. However, that hasn’t stopped
Alice being among the bookies’ favourites should the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge welcome…
Close to Balmoral Castle is a small
church, which is – almost – unique. With the exceptions of St
Mildred’s Church, Whippingham – where Queen Victoria’s family would
sometimes worship when in residence at Osborne and where the
marriage of her daughter…
Whilst musical talent in the eighteenth
century was judged to be an appropriate feminine accomplishment,
Marie Antoinette’s personal relationship with music was a special
one, which reached far beyond mere natural inclination. Music
proved to be in many ways, perpetually present, like a main
character in her life story, giving parallel to key events or
lending them at least, poignant expression.
The site of Christchurch Greyfriars, is a
strange, haunting place, redolent of history. It is now a ruined,
public garden and a popular place for Londoners to take their
sandwiches for lunch. Long gone is the atmosphere of bells and
prayer from the Middle Ages; although in…
On trend, Arthur is suddenly the front
runner again for a baby prince as the final countdown to the
arrival of the third child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
gets well and truly under way. In the past few days this ancient
name has streaked ahead with the bookies and is now a firm
favourite. But while it might conjure up ideas of knights and
kings, the name hasn’t got quite as many royal…
Sayako Kuroda was born on 18 April 1969
as the first daughter and third child of the then Crown Prince
Akihito and then Crown Princess Michiko. Her grandfather, Emperor
Shōwa, named her Sayako and gave her the title of The Princess
Nori. From birth, she was also entitled to…
The country estate of Eastwell Park, in
the parish of Eastwell, near Boughton Lees, Ashford in Kent, is not
perhaps a name which immediately comes to mind when thinking of a
one-time royal residence. It was, however, the Kent home of Prince
Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and his family, when they were not at
their official London residence at Clarence House. The fact that
the sons of Queen Victoria…
