History

The king who was crowned on Christmas Day

For almost a thousand years, coronation services have taken place at Westminster Abbey, in times of peace and strife. The sovereign sometimes arrives at the Abbey a popular figure; sometimes, they’re deeply unpopular. More often than not, they’re crowned by birthright and succession. On a few occasions, they’re crowned after a battle, like the first king to reign after the Norman…
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Features

The last Christmas of a great queen

Queen Victoria spent her last Christmas at Osborne in 1900. It was forty years exactly since Prince Albert had celebrated his final Christmas in 1860 at Windsor, the setting for so many happy family festivities in the past. Prince Albert did not live to see Christmas 1861…
Features

The royals who have loved playing in the snow

Snow has provided enjoyment for countless generations of children and adults alike; royalty, of course,is no exception to this time-honoured rule. English monarchs have wintered at Windsor since the twelfth century. Windsor Castle was the preferred royal residence…
Features

The royal who really brought the Christmas tree to Britain

Prince Albert is generally credited with introducing the Christmas tree to Britain, but in fact, it was the work of his wife’s grandmother, Queen Charlotte. Like Prince Albert, Charlotte was born and raised in Germany, where the tradition of bringing a tree inside at Christmas time, decorated with lights and sweets, is believed to date back to the 16th century. As a child, Charlotte’s family…
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Features

Why Prince Sverre Magnus is only a Highness when his sister is a Royal Highness

Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway is third in line to the Norwegian throne, and as of today, he is legally allowed to ascend the throne should it ever come to that. However, there are a few major differences in the titles and styles of Sverre Magnus and his older sister, Princess Ingrid Alexandra. The Prince is only styled as “His Highness,” whereas Ingrid Alexandra is “Her…
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History

A Royal Christmas: Celebrating in the Middle Ages

Every Christmas, we expect the Royal Family to go to Sandringham for their annual Christmas Day church service and later, hear a speech from the Monarch. While that is the tradition in the 21st century, the days of the Royal Family celebrating Christmas in a big way date…
Features

The historic royal order which just got a brand new member

King Harald’s gift to Prince Sverre Magnus on his 18th birthday was the designation as a Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav. The prince, the only grandson of King Harald and Queen Sonja, received the gift just days before he comes of age. And it’s a very special order. Founded by King Oscar I in 1847, though he reigned as the Sovereign of both Norway and Sweden, the Order of St.
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