137 years ago, on 14 January 1878, Queen
Victoria became one of the first people to see Professor Alexander
Graham Bell’s brand new invention in action. Bell’s demonstration
of the telephone, which took place at Osborne House, was a roaring
success, and it went on to become one of our history’s greatest
inventions. Indeed, years later, its widespread usage helps us all
to…
‘No one has ever had a sister like her’.
The words of King George V, written about a younger sibling known
to her family as Toria, perhaps best sum up the life of one of the
quietest of Queen Victoria’s granddaughters. When she
died many had almost forgotten about…
If, like me, you are a massive fan of all
things Harry Potter, then I am sure you would have visited the
dedicated Wikipedia site to all things related to the boy
wizard and his world. Just recently I visited the site and was
surprised at how much thought had been put in to…
Dating back to 1912, the Royal Variety
Performance has seen an outstanding 87 spectacular shows. View
image | gettyimages.com King George V and Queen Mary first agreed
to attend a ‘Royal Command Performance’ which was to take place at
the Palace Theatre in London. The performance supported the Variety
Artistes’ Benevolent Fund (the previous name of the Entertainment…
The stories of Queen Victoria's granddaughters: Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein
12th August 2015
In the winter of 1900, Princess Christian
of Schleswig-Holstein fled in a panic from Cumberland Lodge,
clutching an alarming telegram. Arriving at Windsor Castle, she
frantically explained to her mother, Queen Victoria, that the Duke
of Anhalt had tersely demanded that her…
The Final Curtsey: your 90 second summer reading review
11th August 2015
Many interviews, articles, and books were
published during Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. There is
one individual who shared personal stories and not the kind that
may come into question as true. These stories were from someone who
has seen the transformation…
It is fitting that this Hessian
granddaughter of Queen Victoria was christened ‘Irene’ – a name
meaning “peace” – an appropriate choice in more ways than one, as
her character and the circumstances of her birth would prove.
Perhaps the one of Princess Alice’s surviving daughters about which
least is known, she was destined to outlive all her immediate
family, dying in 1953. Princess…
Football crazy: five teams who can count on royal support as the Premier League season gets under way
8th August 2015
The Royal Family have gone a bit football
crazy in recent months. The Duke of Cambridge, President of the
Football Association, has led the way with high profile support for
the women’s team who made the semi finals of the World Cup and an
interview for BBC One with…
Highclere Castle: not just Downton Abbey
7th August 2015
Highclere Castle, located in England’s
southern county of Berkshire, is the seat of the Earl of Carnarvo,n
and has been owned by the Herbert family since 1679. The history of
the estate may be traced back some 1,300 years when owned by the
Bishops of Winchester. George…
The Queen's Dressmaker: Angela Kelly
7th August 2015
Part of the job of being royal is
dressing the part and Queen Elizabeth II has never disappointed
when it comes to choosing the right thing to wear. Whether she is
entertaining guests at a glittering state banquet or performing a
royal walkabout, Her Majesty The Queen always looks very elegant
and beautiful. Much of this is due to her lovely dresses that never
fail to entrance and enchant but…

