It was a quiet country house, described
by several who knew it as ‘’little’’ and a ‘’pied a terre’, given
as a wedding present to a royal couple who were expected to linger
on the fringes of regal life. Yet on July 2nd 1903, it became the
birthplace of one of the most popular and celebrated monarchs of
the 20th century. For it was at Appleton House, on the Sandringham
Estate, that…
The stunning aquamarine and diamond
diadem of Sweden’s royal family is an unusual jewel and it has a
rather poignant history to go with it. But it’s become most famous
in recent years as the tiara that a popular princess wore to create
a modern day fairytale. Princess…
She was the ‘May Queen’ whose reign
lasted little more than a month but left its mark in royal history.
Marie-Jose was always a bit of a maverick who had her own views and
no fear of sharing them. Those opinions would become a saving grace
for the dynasty she…
They are the people who will one day
reign and their role has an importance that pervades every element
of their lives. Being the heir means preparation for a throne that
starts early and only ends with accession. From the first in lines
who grew up in pole position to those who took the part when
adults, here are the heirs of Europe in 2024. Crown Princess
Victoria of Sweden Elisabeth Toll…
The Empress of Japan wore one of the most
famous jewels belonging to the Imperial Royal Family when she was
guest of honour at a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace. Empress
Masako wore the Imperial Chrysanthemum Tiara and her choice was
historic. [getty…
Royal weddings are now major
celebrations, glittering events that capture the imagination and
draw huge crowds who cheer the vows and shout demands for a kiss
when the deal is done. However, in centuries past a royal union
might be a discreet event, witnessed by just a…
How many kings called Edward have there
been? If you think you know the answer, this special feature by
Liam Foley might make you think again. One aspect of the evolution
of monarchy that I find interesting is the development of Ordinal
numbers, or regnal numbers, and also called post-nominal numbers
used to differentiate between monarchs of the same name within the
same territory. In the…
The tiara left by a princess to her young godson to give to his future bride
26th June 2024
The Duchess of Gloucester has a jewellery
collection to rival some of those held by royal dynasties in
Europe. Some of her pieces come from Queen Mary thanks to the
current duke’s mother and her mother-in-law, Princess Alice. But
one tiara in particular has a different…
On July 12th 1543, a rather low key royal
wedding took place. The groom was Henry VIII and his sixth
wife was Katherine Parr, a relatively unknown minor noblewoman who
had risen from daughter of a knight to Queen of England in thirty
years. The woman who became a royal…
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of
Japan are about to begin their State Visit to the United Kingdom.
It runs from 25 to 28 June although the Emperor and Empress are
already here, carrying out private engagements. There will be pomp
and ceremony for this long awaited visit, although it has had to be
scaled back due to the upcoming UK general election. However, the
schedule is fairly…
