‘Firebrand’ tells the story of how Katherine Parr became the final wife of King Henry VIII and how her new role as queen put her in danger. Here, we recount how a woman with no royal status of her own became Queen of England.
King Henry VIII was notorious for having many wives. On 12 July 1543 he would marry his sixth and final wife, Katherine Parr.
A year after his fifth queen…
A dancing queen and a striking royal jewel
6th September 2024
The Queen chose an elegantly appropriate accessory for her first visit to the English National Ballet since becoming its patron.
Queen Camilla wore a striking brooch – in the shape of a ballerina.
Queen Camilla chose a golden ballerina decked in jewels as her…
Katherine Parr, Queen of England, died in the early hours of September 5th 1548 and was buried two days later at Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire. Her body was later lost only to be rediscovered in bizarre circumstances. Queen Katherine had been one of the most important…
The unusual royal sapphire tiara with mysterious origins
5th September 2024
Sapphire is the birthstone of September and features in many royal jewellery vaults. The Luxembourg Grand Ducal Family may have one of the most unique sapphire tiaras.
Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte’s Art Deco Sapphire Necklace is a convertible piece that can be worn either as a tiara or a necklace. It features three square elements with a large cabochon-cut sapphire set into the…
Princess Martha wears family heirloom tiara for royal wedding
1st September 2024
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway married American shaman Durek Verrett on Saturday, 31 August at the Hotel Union in Geiranger. The Princess chose to wear a personal tiara for the ceremony, wearing a diadem presented to her by King Olav.Â
King Olav V of Norway gave his…
It’s a royal wedding where images of the bride and groom had been hard to come by. And, in their absence, the romantic decision of another prince had taken centre stage. As Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett arrived for their wedding behind huge sheets to protect the…
How Britain's first jubilee hid personal royal sadness
29th August 2024
The long reign of Elizabeth II provided so many jubilees that it’s easy to think of these royal celebrations as an integral part of the fabric of monarchy. In reality, Britain has celebrated just a handful of royal jubilees and the tradition of big, public events for milestones in a reign only started two hundred years ago.
George III was just the fourth king in English history to reach…
The story of the most famous royal photos of all to be revealed
27th August 2024
The story behind some of the iconic images that shaped royalty in the modern age is about to be shared.
Cecil Beaton took some of the most famous photos of royals including the celebrated Coronation portraits of Queen Elizabeth II.
Now, a leading royal historian is set…
It was always going to be a private wedding but the nuptials of Norway’s Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett have prompted a new level of royal silence.
Since the couple announced they would share their celebrations exclusively with Hello magazine, royal…
The tiara that a princess said could pick up radio signals
25th August 2024
Princess Astrid, sister to King Harald V of Norway, has one of the most unusual tiaras still worn today- and she has joked that it has a particular attribute.Â
Princess Astrid’s diamond aigrettes are a rarer style of tiara; the aigrette mimics the tufted style of an egret’s head plumes.
There is a thin diamond band in a scroll-design for a base, and there are two interchangeable…