The Order of Leopold is the oldest order
of chivalry or knighthood in Belgium having been founded in July
1832, shortly after Belgium gained independence from the
Netherlands. It takes its name from King Leopold I, who was the
first King of the Belgians and instigated the award. There are
three branches of the order, Military (Armed Forces), Maritime
(Merchant Navy) and Civilian. Like many…
“That’s the tomb of Queen Elizabeth the
First”; this was the remark I heard when I last visited Henry VII’s
Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey. These words –unquestionably
correct – confirm that here was the tomb of…
As part of our new series ‘Five Minutes
With…’, Royal Central will be speaking to an array of well-known
faces including celebrities, politicians and royal experts. To kick
off our new monthly series, we are pleased to interview former
Health Minister and…
The use of nicknames or epithets to
describe a royal or a local ruler was quite common until recent
times. Before pictures were easily accessed, or in places where the
first name was repeatedly used for consecutive rulers, a nickname
was a useful way to distinguish one person from another. Sometimes
these names were chosen by the bearer themselves, sometimes they
were gained through a courageous…
Royal Central’s Europe Correspondent,
Laura Dekkers, offers her opinions regarding the ongoing antics of
Prince Henrik of Denmark and Prince Laurent of Belgium. Who is
doing more to discredit constitutional monarchy in Europe?
Recently, two different royals from two…
At 91-years-old and no signs of slowing
down, many wonder how much longer The Queen can or will go on.
Very few people believe Her Majesty will ever abdicate the throne
which she has held since the age of 25. When still a Princess,
Elizabeth said in a 1947 speech: “I…
Channel 4 achieves largest documentary ratings since Benefits Street as millions tune in to watch Diana tapes
7th August 2017
Channel 4 achieved its highest television
ratings for the screening of a documentary in over three years on
Sunday night after a peak audience of 4.1m tuned in to watch ‘Diana
In Her Own Words’. Overall, the broadcaster won 16.4 per cent of
the audience share with an average of 3.5m viewers tuning in to
watch the controversial programme which has been Channel 4’s most
watched…
It seems like in every royal family there
is a member who cuts corners from time to time. Often it is the
result of an exaggeration by the press but sometimes there really
are royals who do not feel the need to follow the rules or do not
behave like they are expected to. An…
The experience of royal childbirth in the
Tudor period was perilous at best, the attitude towards it both
anxious and obsessive, most especially because the weight of its
outcome would concern the matter of the succession. This is a
crucial case in point that royal sex was…
It has been reported that The Queen has
implied she would consider making her son, Prince Charles, Prince
Regent once she reaches the age of 95. In his column for the London
Evening Standard, royal commentator Robert Jobson says that Her
Majesty has “has hinted that she would consider a Prince Charles
Regency at 95.” So, could this happen? Is it possible for The Queen
to hand over her…
