Features

The dramatic stories of the October kings

October is truly the king of all the autumn months as the leaves turn to gold and regal red and the fading sun adds a gentle sparkle to all it touches. And it’s marked the beginning of five royal roads that ended with a crown – although all five monarchs had very different royal careers. Here are the men who became the October kings. Henry III was the first king of England to have…
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The coronation of England's first queen regnant

There have only been a handful of queen regnants in Britain’s history. Queen Elizabeth II was the most recent, having reigned a historic 70 years, but 400 years before her reign began, the first queen regnant was crowned: Queen Mary I. The eldest daughter of Henry VIII…
Features

Opinion: We need more books on European royals

Search for books in English about the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Harry, Diana, Princess of Wales, or The Late Queen, and you will find an array of different choices to select from. When you search for books about Princess Madeleine of Sweden, Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, or King Felipe of Spain, you would be hard-pressed to locate a book about their lives written in the English…
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Features

IN PHOTOS: September's most popular royal event

September saw the Golden Jubilee of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden with a multi-day celebration in Stockholm. Royals from across Scandinavia flew to Sweden for the festivities to mark the King’s 50 years on the throne. We take a look back at the popular event in…
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Wedding diamonds for forgotten archduchess to go to auction

A spectacular ruby and diamond necklace for a Habsburg bride was recently displayed before it will go to the auction block at Sotheby’s in November.  Emperor Franz Joseph gifted his niece, Archduchess Margarete Sophie of Austria, a diamond and ruby necklace ahead of her wedding to Duke Albrecht of Württemberg in 1893. The necklace was created by Austrian court jeweller Köchert…
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Marie Antoinette, last Queen of France?

Marie Antoinette’s whole life was lived in the spotlight and her story continues to fascinate. While other women later took on the role of Empress of the French, Marie Antoinette has a special place in the country’s royal history. Here, Royal Central looks at the…
Features

A spectacular royal wedding cake that celebrated an historic marriage

It was a showstopper of a bake for a dream royal wedding. When Harald of Norway, then Crown Prince, married Sonja Haraldsen in 1968, their cake was truly spectacular. As well as being big enough to feed a palace full of guests it was decorated in spectacular style, as befits a regal celebration. It was a gift from Oslo’s Baker Society, and it was madeby only two bakers. It took…
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