Mary of Modena was Queen of England,
Scotland, and Ireland for less than four years but the Stuart
consort found herself at the centre of multiple scandals. Mary was
born to the Duke of Modena and his wife in 1658. In 1673, the
fifteen year old princess married the forty year old widowed James,
Duke of York. James’ first wife, Anne Hyde, had died of breast
cancer in 1671 after giving him two…
The romantic tiara worn by queens and princesses with an historic link to an empress
4th February 2024
It’s among the most unusual pieces in any
royal collection and, in recent years, it’s acquired a reputation
as the go to tiara for Sweden’s royal brides. The diadem now known
as ‘the Cameo’ has a long and romantic history. And since Queen
Silvia…
The only ruby tiara in the Spanish Royal
Family’s collection is the Niarchos Ruby Bandeau and its
accompanying parure. Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark received
a treasure trove of jewels on her wedding day in 1962. In addition
to the Prussian Tiara, a gift from…
She was the beautiful princess who had
been the subject of endless royal wedding speculation, he was the
handsome prince with a crown waiting in his future. When Marie-Jose
of Belgium married Umberto, heir to the throne of Italy, in January
1930 their marriage had all the echoes of history about it, a union
of dynasties that would secure a throne. Tens of thousands flocked
to Rome to see the…
It’s rare to see a royal engagement ring
with a flash of green about it. Emeralds aren’t the most popular
pick for royal betrothals but the few that have hit the headlines
are all rather striking. Here’s our rundown of that rarest of royal
sparklers…
The poignant reason Cristobal Balenciaga designed the dress for a fairytale royal wedding
21st January 2024
He is one of the 20th century’s most
famous fashion designers who became involved in a fairytale royal
wedding through loyal links to a proud patron. Cristobal
Balenciaga, who was born on January 21st 1895, created the regal
gown worn by Queen Fabiola of the Belgians…
following a massive seizure. He was
buried soon afterwards, his grave marked with a simple Celtic stone
cross. Over a hundred years on, John is sometimes called ‘the lost
prince’, a name first coined for the 2003 TV dramatisation of his
life by Stephen Poliakoff, while his seclusion in his last years
and his apparent disappearance from royal history is taken by some
as an indication…
King Charles is using his health to bring awareness and we should all be glad of that
17th January 2024
The news that The King will go into
hospital for a small procedure has, of course, made headlines.
That’s hardly surprising as he is the Monarch and the Head of
State. However, the surprise has come from the detail that
Buckingham Palace has shared. For His Majesty is…
Belgium’s future queen wore a tiara once
belonging to a beloved great-aunt for Prince Christian’s 18th
birthday in Copenhagen last weekend. Walking into the gala dinner
arm-in-arm with Princess Amalia of the Netherlands, Princess
Elisabeth sported the Wolfers Tiara…
The sparkling ruby and diamond parure
that has become synonymous with the brand new Queen of
Denmark acquired a new chapter in its history when parts of it were
worn by Queen Mary on the day she became consort. Left to her
husband, King Frederik, by his grandmother, Queen Ingrid upon her
death in 2000, the parure has a unique history that spans several
centuries and countries. The origins of…
