here are a number of events in English royal history that seem extraordinary and unbelievable, but the warming pan scandal has to be at the top of the list. The son of James II and Mary of Modena had a very interesting start to life and would be questioned for decades.
James II was not an overly popular monarch; he was Roman Catholic (and was married to a Roman Catholic), attempted to…
From queen's necklace to wedding tiara - the sparkling story of one of the most famous royal gems of all
5th April 2024
It’s become one of the big questions in the run up to a royal marriage – which tiara will the bride wear? It’s now an accepted part of any Windsor wedding and the decision of Princess Beatrice to wear the same tiara as her grandmother did as a bride for her…
The queen’s daughter who disappeared without trace – a mystery that remains unsolved
5th April 2024
Within the walls of one of England’s most picturesque castles, a queen gave birth to her only child and set in motion a chain of events that would become one of Tudor England’s most intriguing mysteries.  The birth had been much anticipated and much talked about.  The…
The fate of one of medieval England’s most famous royal mistresses has fascinated historians for centuries. What really happened to The Fair Rosamund?
Much of Rosamund Clifford’s life is now the stuff of legend and folklore but, in her time, she was England’s greatest beauty and Eleanor of Aquitaine’s greatest nemesis. For by the time Rosamund began a relationship with Eleanor’s…
He was the monarch who had to fight for a throne but then relied on a mistress for advice with a queen who arrived at court to find another holding power. And in the middle of their marriage was a woman with ambition, brains and no sense of self control. Our special read…
Sparkling with diamonds and studded with creamy pearls, it is a perfect fit for bridal white so it’s no surprise that a rather impressive royal necklace was created for a marriage.
Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Necklace is a rarely seen royal gem but it has a…
In a year when traditional remembrance for those who have given their lives for their country was made difficult by the pandemic, Queen Elizabeth II made one of the most poignant gestures of her reign. Her Late Majesty placed a floral tribute on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior ahead of Remembrance Day, standing at the grave with a soldier who stood apart from her, as pandemic restrictions…
Eleanor of Aquitaine died on 1 April 1204 but after 800 years, she still holds our interest. She was Queen twice and held titles in her own name, and she remains one of the most interesting royal women in the mediaeval period.
Eleanor was born on 8 April 1124 to William…
She was the beautiful princess who had been the subject of endless royal wedding speculation, he was the handsome prince with a crown waiting in his future. When Marie-Jose of Belgium married Umberto, heir to the throne of Italy, in January 1930 their marriage had all the…
It’s grand, unforgettable and forever associated with one of the most famous princesses of the 20th century. The tiara chosen by Princess Margaret for her wedding to Antony Armstrong-Jones in May 1960 has become iconic. In fact, it was such a successful pick, it begs the question – is Margaret’s the best royal wedding tiara of all?
The Poltimore Tiara, to give this sparkler…
