Features

Wedding diamonds for forgotten archduchess to go to auction

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28th September 2023
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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Features

Marie Antoinette, last Queen of France?

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27th September 2023
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

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26th September 2023
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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Features

The royals whose first names ended up in second place

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25th September 2023
We know that sometimes monarchs choose a different regnal name than the one they have gone by throughout their life—King George VI is a famous example of this, having gone by Bertie (or Albert, his given name) until he became King – but what about those who go by…
Features

The royal weddings of York Minster

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24th September 2023
It’s one of the oldest churches in Britain the seat of one of England’s most important clerics yet the famous York Minster is a rare venue for royal weddings. Just two major regal marriages have taken place at this ancient church in almost 1,000 years. The most recent took place six decades ago. On June 8th 1961, the Duke of Kent married Katharine Worsley there in front of royalty…
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Features

The time Queen Elizabeth II accidentally stepped on the foot of the King of Norway

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23rd September 2023
Weddings can be fraught businesses and nothing every goes completely to plan, even for royalty. When Queen Elizabeth II attended Princess Alexandra’s 1963 wedding to Alexander Ogilvy, she ended up having to say sorry to another monarch. Footage from Princess Alexandra’s wedding on 24 April 1963 shows The Queen accidentally standing on King Olav V of Norway’s foot as guests gathered…
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