Emperor Akihito is marking his 90th
birthday on December 23rd 2023. He took the throne upon the death
of his father, Emperor Shōwa, on 7 January 1989 and abdicated in
2018. Let’s take a look at Emperor Akihito’s life in photos: [getty
src=”1041868616″ width=”594″ height=”393″] The Emperor pictured in
traditional dress for his enthronement…
A sprinkle of Christmas sparkle: five dazzling tiara moments from 2023
20th December 2023
We were spoiled this year: a Coronation,
a Jubilee, an 18th birthday gala, and all the state events in
between! How can you possibly narrow down the top five tiara
appearances? I’m going to try! 1. The Princess of Wales Digs Out
the Strathmore Rose Tiara [getty…
The traditions of a royal Christmas have
developed over the centuries and the celebrations of past monarchs
seem as strange to us today as our own festivities might seem to
them. The royal Christmas has taken many shapes over the centuries
– here we look at some of the…
The royal families of Europe use social
media to highlight their holiday celebrations from Christmas
through the New Year. Most European royal families reveal their
Christmas family photo or Christmas card on social media, but some
go above and beyond their counterparts to mark Christmas. In
Denmark, the use of Instagram (and their website) is directed
toward their Advent calendar. Each…
Queen Victoria’s beloved residence at
East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, was the place where she spent her
final Christmas. Built in the style of an Italianate villa, Osborne
House was purchased in March 1845 and was bought together with its
estate of approximately 1,000…
While modern royal Christmas celebrations
take place at Sandringham, for hundreds of years it was Windsor
Castle that was the preferred setting for the festive celebrations
of kings and queens. Victoria and Albert loved to spend the season
there but they were only…
Christmas tends to be a pleasant time,
especially for the royals. When it comes to the Norwegian Royal
Family, they have many good Christmas traditions that make
Christmas a pleasant time. There is, however, a period when
Christmas for the Royal Family from Norway was not very pleasant,
namely during World War II. Germany invaded Norway on 9 April 1940.
This led to a five-year occupation. While…
Sometimes known as ‘the annexe to
Buckingham Palace’, the classic hotel in London’s Mayfair has
time-honoured connections with royalty that exist into the present
day. From the earlier single building run by William and Marianne
Claridge at 51 Brook Street…
The striking and unusual engagement ring given by Edward VIII to Wallis Simpson
15th December 2023
She was the woman who would change royal
history forever. Wallis Simpson’s romance with King Edward VIII led
to him deciding between love and duty. In the end, it was a choice
of love. The King Emperor abdicated the throne as he was unable to
marry the American…
The marriage of King Baudouin of the
Belgians and Fabiola de Mora y Aragon, on December 15th 1960, gave
a country a new queen and began a royal partnership that would
become one of the most successful in modern regal history. The
discreet monarch and his equally dignified bride went on to enjoy a
long and happy union that would help stabilise the Belgian monarchy
after years of turbulence. Their…
