History

Mary - Queen Of Hearts?

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12th January 2014
<![CDATA[Whenever Queen Mary, Consort of King George V, is mentioned, what do you think? A stern, old fashioned matriarch who did not care about her family or do you think a traditional, caring queen who not only loved her family but also loved her country. Here I would like to look at the life and times of Queen Mary, from her upbringing as Mary of Teck to Queen of the United Kingdom and…
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History

Anne of Cleves, A Flanders Mare: Part 1

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11th January 2014
<![CDATA[Everyone knows that Henry VIII had six wives, with the rhyme ‘Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived’, recording their largely unenviable fates. Henry’s second wife, Anne Boleyn, is a household name, but what of the other Queen Anne – the…
History

William III - The Invader King

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28th December 2013
On this day in 1688, the Dutch Stateholder William III of Orange made a triumphant march into London ending the reign of King James II. In what history has since coined the “Glorious Revolution” William of Orange invaded England on the 5th of November 1688. It would however, take nearly two months of struggle for William to depose of King James and claim the throne for himself and his wife…
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History

Judith of Francia: Twice Queen of Wessex

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20th December 2013
Anglo-Saxon queens receive very little attention, with it commonly believed that there were no pre-Conquest queens in England. Such an assertion is patently untrue, as the lives of early queens, such as Elfrida, Emma of Normandy and Edith Godwin show. All three of these…
History

Monarchy Rules: A look at Empress Matilda

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2nd December 2013
On 25 November 1120 the White Ship sank off the coast of Normandy not long after it set out for England. The ship, which was fast and well-built, went down quickly, with only two survivors. Unfortunately, William, the sole legitimate son of King Henry I was not one of…
History

14 years since Australia said no to becoming a Republic

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29th November 2013
Just recently on the 6th of November, Australia marked 14 years since voting “no” in a referendum to abolish the Australian Monarchy and become the Republic of Australia. The topic of Monarchy vs Republic has always been one of fervent discussion in many Australian homes, social groups and public arenas, but when the question ‘Should Australia become a Republic?’ was put to…
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History

Did Queen Victoria have a secret grandchild?

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28th November 2013
Charles II was famous for his illegitimate children, and there have been many monarchs and their families that have had secrets they wanted to keep hidden.  Now it has been suggested that one of Queen Victoria’s daughters, Princess Louise, could have been one of…
HistoryPalaces & Buildings

Tower of London's 1000-year-old moat opened for ice skating

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23rd November 2013
If skating through history catches ones fancy, then the chance to hit the ice at the Tower of London is a must. Now in its 8th year, the Tower moat is the site for the holiday ice skating. Undoubtedly the Tower moat is the most recognized moat in London, if not in the country. Since the incarnation of the Tower in the 11th Century, there has been some variety of protective ditches. The larger moat…
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