On 6 May at Westminster Abbey, King
Charles III will be crowned with St. Edward’s Crown at the moment
of coronation. The design dates back to the eleventh century, but
the crown itself that will be used is much younger. The
original St. Edward’s Crown reportedly dates back to Edward the
Confessor’s reign but can first be found in sources in the
thirteenth century. He reigned from 1042…
Elizabeth Woodville is considered to be
the first commoner to be crowned as Queen of England. Her
coronation, soon after her marriage to King Edward IV was revealed,
was controversial at the time and would mark a formal beginning to
a royal tenure that was filled with drama…
As the Coronation of King Charles III and
Queen Camilla inches nearer, the historic gems that will be used in
the ceremony are under the spotlight. Among those historic pieces
is the Black Prince’s Ruby which sits in the Imperial State Crown.
Located on the front of the…
Queen Camilla made the headlines in
February when it was announced that she would wear Queen Mary’s
crown for the 6 May coronation at Westminster Abbey. Throughout the
centuries, some consorts have re-worn previously created crowns.
However, several consorts have also had a specific crown created
for them. Five different consort crowns have been created over the
last three and a half…
To analyse the religious situation in
Spain, one must consider faith and diplomacy as inextricably
linked. Spain is one of the world’s most religious countries,
officially, with some statistics putting the percentage of the
population that ascribes to the Roman…
Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kawānanakoa,
known as the “last Hawaiian Princess,” who passed away in December
2022, has returned to Iolani Palace. Kawānanakoa was the daughter
of Lydia Liliʻuokalani Kawānanako, a member of the deposed Hawaiian
Royal Family. She was…
While Buckingham Palace has been making
changes with a new reign underway, some old royals are moving back
into the palace. The family who originally bought the
then-Buckingham House is returning again. A new Royal Collection
Trust exhibition focused on the Georgians will open in the spring
at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace. “Style & Society:
Dressing the Georgians” opens…
The royal reason a Christmas tree stands in London's Trafalgar Square
30th November 2022
Every year since 1947, a 20-metre tall
tree has been donated to the British as a thank-you from Norway.
Now, that tree shines in London’s Trafalgar Square every holiday
season. The tree was given to thank the British for their support
during World War II. In April 1940…
An incredible discovery has given back an
emperor to history, as Professor Paul Pearson of King’s College
London discovered that a gold coin was not fake as previously
thought. So, what happened? In 1713, archaeologists in
Transylvania found a small hoard of coins…
Lucille Ball is my favourite actress of
all time, and the show, I Love Lucy, is one I can watch all day (I
know that at 31 it is surprising to have my favourite actress and
television show from four decades before I was born). So, when I
watched an interview with her and Vivian Vance from 1975, Vivian
Vance told a story about their encounter with the King of “Siam”
(Thailand) – and I just…
