Features

The story of England's first queen consort: Matilda of Flanders

Every monarchy has to start somewhere. For England, the ”modern” monarchy started with William the Conqueror and his wife, Matilda of Flanders.Matilda was born in 1031 into the House of Flanders. She was the only daughter of Count Baldwin V of Flanders and Adela of France. The Flanders were of strategic importance to most of Europe and England as they served as a “stepping…
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Features

If Edward VIII hadn't abdicated, who would be monarch today?

We all love a royal ‘what if’ and perhaps one of the most intriguing of recent times revolves around the question of the king who renounced his throne for love. On December 11th 1936, 86 years ago, Edward VIII announced to the world that he was ending his reign to marry the woman he loved, Wallis Simpson. But what if Edward VIII hadn’t abdicated? Who would be Monarch now?New questions…
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Features

What really happened to Henry VIII's last queen? Inside the mysterious death of Katherine Parr

History remembers her as the ‘survivor’. Katherine Parr, last queen of Henry VIII, managed to get to the end of his reign with her marriage and her head intact. It was no mean feat. Yet, just over a year later, Kateryne The Quene was dead. How did the story of a royal woman who had navigated the pitfalls and caprices of the last days of Henry VIII end so soon afterwards?The…
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History

The time The Queen and Prince Philip attended the Kentucky Derby, fulfilling a lifelong dream

Queen Elizabeth II was a huge supporter of horse racing and was one of the sport’s most prominent owners, so it is hardly a surprise that in her free time, the monarch could often be seen on a racecourse.Her late Majesty became a regular face at some the UK’s best known racetracks such as Ascot and Epsom Downs, but the Queen was also known to visit more distant racecourses…
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