Philippe of the Belgians was an unlikely
king. Although born second in line to the throne, he was never
expected to succeed. In fact, his whole royal life has been filled
with surprises. Yet since his accession, in July 2013, he has been
praised as a successful sovereign, a royal who has given his
dynasty strong foundations for the future. The man who would,
unexpectedly, be king was born on…
Queen Victoria’s love of orange blossom
properly began with her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840; however,
this marked only the start of what would be an enduring association
within the Royal Family, and not just for weddings. Orange blossom
is, of course, traditionally…
In reading Royally Suited: Harry and
Meghan in their own words by Phil Dampier, you realise just how
perfect these soon-to-be newlyweds are for each other. Divided into
two sections, one for Prince Harry and one for Meghan Markle,
Dampier has plucked quotes that highlight each person’s feelings on
family, work, charity, and love – and you find several prescient
selections. For example, at the…
The tradition of myrtle being used in a
bridal bouquet is long established and largely European, although
its associations with marriage has its origins in both ancient
Greek mythology, as well as in Roman ritual, the myrtle being
“dear” to Venus, as it had once been considered “sacred” to the
goddess Aphrodite. Jewish liturgy also incorporated it occasionally
in the form of branches…
We’ve just weeks, possibly days, to go
until Royal Baby Cambridge Number Three makes their debut. The
hospital is ready, the overnight bag is no doubt by the door at
Kensington Palace and as if we needed another indication that the
new fifth in line to the throne is…
