As Prince George celebrates his 10th
birthday, we are looking at the six kings of Great Britain named
George. King George I ushered in a new dynasty after the
death of the last Stuart monarch, Queen Anne, in 1714. Also the
Elector of Hanover, George was chosen to take the throne as he was
the most senior Protestant descendent of King James I of Great
Britain. He did not have a consort after…
The birth of a new family member always
brings joy but for Queen Elizabeth II, the arrival of her first
great grandson also made history. For the first time in over a
century, a Monarch saw three generations of heirs in line for the
throne. The direct succession was…
Many remember where they were on 22 July
2013 when they heard the Prince and Princess of Wales, then the
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, welcomed their first child and the
future king of Britain – Prince George. [getty
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Princess Charlotte of Wales was the queen
that Britain never had, and easily the most popular member of the
Royal Family during her lifetime. When she died in childbirth aged
just 21, she was deeply mourned by the British public, yet her
story is so often consigned to a footnote in history. Princess
Charlotte was the only child of the Prince Regent – later King
George IV – and his estranged…
Leopold III was the fourth King of the
Belgians (the Belgian King is known as the King of the Belgians
rather than King of Belgium). In the early years of his reign, he
was a popular figure; however, he became a divisive figure after he
surrendered the Belgian army to the…
This year marks thirty years since King
Baudouin of Belgium unexpectedly died while on holiday in Spain. He
was one of the most popular kings Belgium ever had. Even now, three
decades on, his memory is treasured. His nephew, King Philippe,
paid an emotional tribute to him as…
King Philippe is about to celebrate his
tenth anniversary on the throne of Belgium, with many successes
behind him that surprised his past detractors. Many
considered him too quiet and shy to be an effective leader, and
when King Albert II announced his decision to abdicate, many were
sceptical of Philippe’s abilities to carry the duties of a head of
state on his shoulders. However…
Some monarchs are born in massive castles
that have stood for centuries while others are born in relatively
new palaces. Although the birth of a royal baby is a celebrated
event, some of these more modern palaces have darker connections.
King Philippe of Belgium was born at…
How many kings called Edward have there
been? If you think you know the answer, this special feature by
Liam Foley might make you think again. One aspect of the evolution
of monarchy that I find interesting is the development of Ordinal
numbers, or regnal numbers, and…
We’re used to seeing royals at Wimbledon
with the Princess of Wales now patron of the All England Club. But
rewind nine decades and another royal was a familiar face there. A
princess known to her family as Thora regularly cropped up on the
Pathe newsreels of the time presenting trophies and cheering on the
tennis stars of the day. This granddaughter of Victoria was a good
sport and she needed…