The foundation stone for No. 1 Royal
Crescent – the first of what would become the glorious Bath stone
symmetrical terrace of 30 houses in the city of Bath – was
laid on 19 May 1767. The year 2017 will mark exactly 250 years
since this iconic symbol of Georgian architecture – largely
unchanged – was built to the designs of John Wood the Younger
between 1767-1774. The Royal Crescent…
The royal bed was a symbol of power
as well as being a powerful symbol. Almost like a throne,
it ultimately stood for status and royal authority,
providing the background for such ceremonies as the monarch’s
‘lever’ and ‘coucher’ rituals – the public…
Lieutenant General David Leakey might not
be a name you instantly recognise, partly because he is known
inside and outside of Parliament as Black Rod. Best known for his
role during the State Opening of Parliament, Black Rod is sent to
the House of Commons by Her Majesty The…
The Grade II* listed mansion of Bentley
Priory in Stanmore, in the London Borough of Harrow, is best known
for the vital role it played during the Battle of Britain when the
building formed the setting for Headquarters Fighter Command. The
Priory remained an RAF base until 2008, when the offices finally
moved to RAF Northolt, after which plans began to transform the
Priory into a Museum, a project…
Charlie Proctor: It might sound trivial not wearing a seatbelt, but The Queen should lead by example
23rd June 2017
Twenty years ago, Diana, Princess of
Wales died in a catastrophic car crash in Paris – a moment that
shocked the world. It is widely believed that if Diana were wearing
her seatbelt at the time of the incident, she would have most
likely survived. So what seems even more…
Patricia Knatchbull was the 2nd Countess
Mountbatten of Burma. She was the eldest child of Lord Mountbatten
of Burma. Our Queen did not celebrate her accession as it was also
the anniversary of her father’s passing, but there is little doubt
that Patricia Knatchbull took…
It has been confirmed that this year’s
Queen’s Speech has been delayed by a few days due to the
Conservative Party failing to reach an agreement with Northern
Ireland’s DUP. If an agreement cannot be made, then it is
likely that The Queen’s Speech will not be passed resulting in
another General Election. But by delaying the speech, Her
Majesty will inevitably have to miss Royal Ascot…
Charlie Proctor: The Queen will be livid with the government if she is forced to miss Royal Ascot
12th June 2017
It never ceases to amaze me how things
can go from relatively calm to scenes of chaos within a matter of
minutes. I should imagine that the same situation unfolded in
Buckingham Palace this morning when Her Majesty found out that she
might have to miss Royal Ascot due to the…
Opinion: The Royal Family should speak out against the recent terrorist attacks
8th June 2017
The United Kingdom has been the scene of
a terrorist attack three times this year, and yet the British Royal
Family has remained largely quiet, leaving many wondering why. In
March a terrorist attack took place near the Palace of Westminster,
the seat of the British…
At night, a historical attraction somehow
acquires an entirely different authentic ambience, with the
sense of its past rendered more palpable by the feeling of
exclusivity – there is a sense of being a private guest at a bygone
court. Entering any residence at night emphasises this idea,
something which the sequence of a royal apartment’s series of
rooms – designed to indicate your…
