For seven decades, Queen Elizabeth II was
a regular guest at millions of Christmas dinners. At 3pm, people
across the UK and Commonwealth tuned in to hear her festive
address. The tradition continues with her son and successor, King
Charles III. His Majesty is following a pattern set by the House of
Windsor – the Christmas broadcast started with King George V in
1932. But it was during the…
The Imperial House of Japan is the oldest
current monarchy. The Japanese throne was founded in 660 BCE
according to legend. While the Japanese monarchy does function in
the same ways as many other monarchies, they use a unique naming
system. Emperor Mutsuhito took the…
Emperor Emertius Akihito, the first
Japanese Emperor to abdicate in over 200 years, marks his 90th
birthday today. We take a look at his life and reign. Born on 23
December 1933, Prince Akihito was born in the Imperial Palace of
Tokyo as the elder son and fifth child of…
The King's Champion, who took historic role at the Coronation, has died
22nd December 2023
The King’s Champion, Francis Dymoke, has
died. Francis Dymoke, 68, passed away just months after taking a
leading and historic role at the Coronation of King Charles III and
Queen Cailla. The King’s Champion now carries the Royal Standard
into Westminster Abbey and Francis Dymoke proudly carried out that
role, following in the foosteps of many ancestors. For this ancient
role is…
Review: 'A Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown' by Anne Glenconner
21st December 2023
When I saw a post about “Lady in Waiting:
My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown” by Anne
Glenconner, I was immediately intrigued. It’s not often you hear
from the people who worked behind palace walls. I was excited to
learn more about the…
Queen Victoria’s winter sledge became
synonymous with the Windsor Christmas, at least during the lifetime
of Prince Albert, who is rightly credited with popularising
Christmas traditions in England, including that of the Christmas
tree. The royal trees were decorated with…
A romantic empress and a heroic queen - the royal Christmas Eve babies
21st December 2023
The Christmas story begins, of course,
with a baby and there’s something about a Christmas birthday that
makes it all the more interesting, even if mean relatives do double
up on presents. Some of the most intriguing royal stories of all
have begun on Christmas Eve, leading to lives filled with romance,
tragedy and drama. King John of England Let’s start with the birth
of a king.
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…
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 most intriguing regal celebrations.
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