Features

How Katherine Parr, the royal at the heart of Firebrand, became Queen of England

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6th September 2024
‘Firebrand’ tells the story of how Katherine Parr became the final wife of King Henry VIII and how her new role as queen put her in danger. Here, we recount how a woman with no royal status of her own became Queen of England. King Henry VIII was notorious for having many wives. On 12 July 1543 he would marry his sixth and final wife, Katherine Parr. A year after his fifth queen…
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Features

A dancing queen and a striking royal jewel

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6th September 2024
The Queen chose an elegantly appropriate accessory for her first visit to the English National Ballet since becoming its patron. Queen Camilla wore a striking brooch – in the shape of a ballerina. Queen Camilla chose a golden ballerina decked in jewels as her…
Features

The unusual royal sapphire tiara with mysterious origins

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5th September 2024
Sapphire is the birthstone of September and features in many royal jewellery vaults. The Luxembourg Grand Ducal Family may have one of the most unique sapphire tiaras. Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte’s Art Deco Sapphire Necklace is a convertible piece that can be worn either as a tiara or a necklace. It features three square elements with a large cabochon-cut sapphire set into the…
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Features

How Britain's first jubilee hid personal royal sadness

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29th August 2024
The long reign of Elizabeth II provided so many jubilees that it’s easy to think of these royal celebrations as an integral part of the fabric of monarchy. In reality, Britain has celebrated just a handful of royal jubilees and the tradition of big, public events for milestones in a reign only started two hundred years ago. George III was just the fourth king in English history to reach…
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Features

The tiara that a princess said could pick up radio signals

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25th August 2024
Princess Astrid, sister to King Harald V of Norway, has one of the most unusual tiaras still worn today- and she has joked that it has a particular attribute.  Princess Astrid’s diamond aigrettes are a rarer style of tiara; the aigrette mimics the tufted style of an egret’s head plumes. There is a thin diamond band in a scroll-design for a base, and there are two interchangeable…
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