The first royal wife in this five part
series is Sophia Dorothea of Celle – the Queen that never was. She
married George I at a time when he was still only the heir to the
Duchy of Hanover. The couple had two children, including the future
King George II, but their relationship was turbulent, and after a
few years of marriage they were divorced and George had his
erstwhile wife imprisoned in a…
The piper though does not travel to
Sandringham and play due to the shortage of accommodations there.
At Windsor, Balmoral and Holyroodhouse, he also pipes at Her
Majesty’s dinner table. The piper is also in charge of forming the
entry and exit of the 12 pipes that play…
In August, I researched into the matter
to try and get a definitive and coherent answer. My
findings showed that the title of Queen Consort actually has no
legal standing beyond custom and usage – unlike, for instance, that
of King regnant or Queen regnant which is…
In the previous instalment, we looked at
some Kings and Queens who succeeded their elder sibling and ruled a
country despite the odds. Now, in light of the
recent revelation that Prince George’s younger brother or
sister will arrive in April, here are some more rulers who, at one
point or another, were once nothing more than royal siblings. King
James II King James II and VII of England and…
The 11th Duke of Marlborough, who
recently died on October 16th, left a widow, Lily. Now the Dowager
Duchess, over thirty years the Duke’s junior, she married him in
2008 and became his fourth wife and second duchess. It was she who
was instrumental in reconciling the Duke…
On ceremonial occasions, the Lord Great
Chamberlain wears a gold key of his office which hangs from his
waist, a scarlet court uniform and carries a white stave as the
insignia of his office. The Lord Great Chamberlain has authority,
entrusted by the Queen, for certain areas…
They are chosen by The Queen on the
recommendation of the Prime Minister and may be peers or commoners.
Lord Lieutenants were at first selected as part of the
restructuring of local Government during King Henry VIII’s reign.
The plan was for those chosen to take over the military obligations
of the Sheriff and manage the military forces of the Crown. They
were given full control of the military…
Today the Master of the Horse is mainly a
ceremonial office and seldom is seen apart from on state occasions,
and particularly when the Sovereign is mounted. Such events as the
State Opening of Parliament and Trooping the Colour will see the
Master of the Horse in…
Coins convey a message to citizens, and
have a symbolic meaning that has consistently been used over the
past millennium. The Royal Mint is the largest exporter of coins in
the world, and ship to approximately fifty countries each year.
During the 1800s The Royal Mint began…
Upon the death of the Sovereign, he is in
charge of organising the funeral as well as the accession and
coronation of the new monarch. The Earl Marshal is a senior figure,
which takes precedence after the Lord Great Chamberlain before all
peers of his own degree other than Royal Dukes. The Earl Marshal
and the Lord Great Chamberlain also preside at the State Opening of
Parliament. The Earl…
