Prince Albert is generally credited with introducing the Christmas tree to Britain, but in fact, it was the work of his wife’s grandmother, Queen Charlotte. Like Prince Albert, Charlotte was born and raised in Germany, where the tradition of bringing a tree inside at Christmas time, decorated with lights and sweets, is believed to date back to the 16th century. As a child, Charlotte’s family…
The Queen's first Christmas 1926: As Meghan looks ahead to her first royal Christmas, we look back at Princess Elizabeth's
5th December 2017
As Meghan Markle prepares to spend her first Christmas with the royal family at Sandringham, her fiancé’s grandmother may recall fondly her own early Christmases at the much-loved Norfolk estate. One such occasion the Queen would be unable to remember, however, is her…
Do you know which senior member of The Royal Family is a direct descendent of Oliver Cromwell?
13th November 2017
It is widely reported that 1 in 200 people alive today are descended from the bloodthirsty Genghis Khan. The same can’t be said for the former Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell, although it may surprise you that one senior member of the British Royal Family is a direct…
Henry was born in Stirling Castle on 19th February 1594, the son of King James VI of Scotland and Anne of Denmark. James put Henry into the care of James Erskine, Earl of Mar, rather than his wife, Anne because he did not want him to be brought up a staunch Catholic. This did not sit well with his wife at all. However, the young Prince remained with the Mar family until 1603 when King James was…
Queen Victoria and those closest to her viewed her Uncle Cumberland with deep suspicion. Not just because he openly coveted the British throne, but because the Duke’s reputation was very black; his adult life was marked by a series of scandals and misdemeanours.
Born in…
Remembering Princess Charlotte of Wales, 200 years after her death
30th September 2017
The 6th November 2017 marks 200 years since the death of Princess Charlotte of Wales. She 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…
It has been twenty years since the news that shocked the world was announced: Diana, Princess of Wales had been killed in a Paris car crash in the early morning of 31 August 1997 alongside her partner, Dodi Al Fayed.
The headline of the Sunday Mirror on this day 20 years ago. Photo: Royal Central
It was breaking news all across the world and the headline story in the majority of papers. Historic…
The Most Noble Order of the Garter is considered to be the most prestigious chivalric order in Great Britain, so let’s take a look at the history behind it.
Founded in 1348 by King Edward III, who was “so inspired by the tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the…
Queen Elizabeth I famously died a virgin, but her life was not always without romance. Before being crowned Queen in 1558, she was involved with Robert Dudley who was her master of the horse. Dudley was the Queen’s favourite, and it was suggested that the pair would have…
It’s been more than a century since Whitechapel, London witnessed a disturbing string of five murders between 1888 to 1891 and historians and interested observers still argue about the true identity of Jack the Ripper. In the intervening years accusations have been levelled against a wide variety of characters – both infamous and not – who may have been the serial killer. The royal family…
