Windsor’s first royal wedding took place in the twelfth century. What do we know about this wedding and why exactly did it take place at Windsor Castle?
It was the second marriage of the third Norman King, Henry I (r. 1100-35). His thirty-five-year reign was one without revolt in English history, suggesting greatness in his understanding of how to govern a kingdom (Ed. Antonia Fraser, The Lives…
Princess Margaret’s years as a single woman were followed with the most considerable interest in Britain, where there was a great deal of excitement over her choice of husband.
It was assumed in 1955 that she would marry Peter Townsend. However, Townsend was a divorcee at…
“Oh! This was the happiest day of my life!”
With these words, Queen Victoria described her wedding day in her diary – 10 February 1840, writing up the event for the day’s entry from Windsor Castle. It marked the beginning of her marriage to her cousin, Prince Albert…
When the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall announced their engagement in February 2005 they wasted no time in setting a date or venue for their marriage. They immediately told the world they would marry in April that year in a civil ceremony at Windsor Castle followed by a service of blessing at St. George’s Chapel later the same day. Yet just a week later, they had to move their civil…
In the magnificent twelfth-century Gothic cathedral church of Roskilde on the island of Zealand, thirty-nine Kings and Queens of Denmark are buried. One Danish queen, however, is missing – and by no mere accident or fluke of history. Members of the Royal House of Denmark…
On Wednesday, King Harald of Norway turns 81-years-old. There will be no big celebration like last year, but a private celebration with friends and the closest family. On the occasion of the King of Norway’s birthday, we will look at the not so well known history of…
When most of us are three-years-old, we are in our front yard playing with our toys and neighbourhood kids and running around without a care in the world besides who’s going to win hide and seek. On 26 August 1995, Crown Prince Oyo Nyimba succeeded his father as the Omukama (King) of Toro. At only three and half years old, he became the 12th ruler of the 180-year-old kingdom in Uganda.
Born…
On 1 August 1832, the thirteen-year-old Princess Victoria of Kent made her first entry into her diary; it was a diary, as she described it on its title page, which had been given to her by her mother, the Duchess of Kent, at Kensington Palace the day before. Bound in…
On 16 March 1861, the Duchess of Kent, born Princess Marie Louise Victoire of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and by her first marriage, Princess of Leinigen, died at her residence of Frogmore House, in Windsor Great Park. Though she had been mother to Queen Victoria, the Duchess of…
The spectacular pyramids which cover the tombs of the pharaohs are well-known, but the long-running excavation of the Western Cemetery at Giza has recently discovered the tomb of a female official from around 4500 years ago. Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities announced the discovery at the weekend, the high-ranking palace official has been called “Hetpet” and is thought to date from the Fifth…
