She was the royal bride everyone wanted
to see and her wedding to one of the most sought after princes in
the world made headlines around the world. As befitted this very
regal marriage, the presents included a dazzling diamond tiara that
went on to become a family heirloom. In the winter of 1934, London
was alight with excitement over the marriage of a beautiful
princess and a handsome prince.
She was the long dead widow who was used
by a king to overthrow his own nephew and yet her name is all but
forgotten today. Eleanor Butler was the woman who helped change the
royal history of England forever and almost brought one of its most
famous dynasties to disaster…
The princess at the heart of a famous plot who became a tragic queen
4th November 2024
Remember, remember, the fifth of November
– Guy Fawkes Day is almost here once again. But who is the princess
that was at the heart of the Gunpowder Plot? Meet Elizabeth
Stuart, the daughter of a king who grew up to be a queen given a
romantic title that has echoed…
The Austrian Archduchess whose immunity led to her becoming a queen
2nd November 2024
Marie Antoinette is one of the most
talked about figures in history, known for centuries as the poster
child for the excesses of the French court. But a disfiguring
disease played a part in her marrying the heir to the French
throne. Archduchess Maria Antonia Josefa Johanna was born on
2 November 1755 to the Empress Maria Theresa and Francis I, Holy
Roman Emperor. She was the youngest…
Tsar Nicholas II, one of the most
disastrous rulers in modern history, ascended the throne on 1
November 1894. Grand Duke Nicholas was born in May 1868 to the
Tsarevitch, Alexander Alexandrovitch, and the Tsesarevna, Maria
Feodorovna. During his childhood, he would…
Queens and witchcraft aren’t words that
go together. In books and in films, witches are the wicked women
who stand in the way of pretty princesses as they search for a
happy ending. In the history of royalty, witchcraft was a tool to
use against women who might…
Marie Antoinette is without a doubt one
of the most tragic figures in royal history. And part of her
downfall was due to a diamond necklace that she never owned. King
Louis XV commissioned a diamond necklace for his beloved mistress,
Madame du Barry. He chose two jewellers from Paris, Charles Auguste
Boehmer and Paul Bassenge, to create the 2,000,000 livre necklace
which was meant to…
Princesses on parade: why future queens of Europe on military training has become big news
30th October 2024
Europe’s future queens are taking a
different path to their thrones in the twenty first century with
more and more female heirs carrying out the military training that
was historically only given to their brothers. Leonor, Princess of
Asturias, is in the midst of…
This is the stunning ruby tiara that was given to a future queen by one of the world's richest men
29th October 2024
It’s a striking and colourful tiara that
has only ever been worn publicly by one royal and it has a
fascinating history. For it was presented to a princess to mark her
marriage to a man who hoped to become a king but had no guarantee
he would ever wear a crown. Their…
While the idea of receiving a piece of
jewellery could be the ultimate gift, sometimes it comes with more
baggage than it is worth. And for one opal ring, it seems that it
may have come complete with a curse for one royal family.
Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione, was an Italian
aristocrat who was incredibly well-connected in European society.
She was known for her exceptional beauty…
