Comparison between historical
personalities should, as a rule, always be treated with caution
even if given life circumstances are similar; an example of this
might be ‘comparisons’ made between the legendary Empress Elisabeth
of Austria and the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Where an interest
or association is deliberately fostered by one of the individuals,
this can, of course, be better…
A study of the books owned by someone can
open a window into their interests, and a royal personage no less
so. In so doing, the reading material of the last Empress of
Russia, Alexandra Feodorovna (1872-1918) charts important events in
her life and tells us a lot about what…
It’s the cake that keeps on giving. The
flower strewn bake that took centre stage at the wedding of the
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on April 29th 2011 still makes its
presence felt with slices of it popping up at auction with what
seems like an almost metronomic…
The Duke & Duchess of Gloucester's apartment under refurbishment for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
7th May 2018
With less than two weeks remaining until
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s anticipated wedding, work remains
underway on the couple’s new family residence at Kensington Palace.
Nottingham Cottage has been Prince Harry’s long-time bachelor
residence, following in his brother’s footsteps since before his
own marriage. The cottage has been the couple’s residence since
their engagement which…
The relationship of Henry VIII to the
death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth of York, raises possible
interesting psychological theories about his behaviour towards the
six women he later married. These are fascinating to suggest, but
will only ever remain speculative…
The singer Sir Paul McCartney has been
made a Companion of Honour by The Queen at Buckingham Palace
for his lasting contribution to music in the UK and Worldwide.
He previously received a knighthood from The Queen more than 20
years ago. He also received an MBE in 1965 when…
Arise Dame Darcey Bussell! The Strictly Come Dancing judge and ballerina is knighted by The Queen
4th May 2018
The Strictly Come Dancing judge and
world-renowned ballerina, Darcey Bussell, received her
knighthood at Buckingham Palace on Friday morning. The 49-year-old
was knighted by The Queen at the palace after being named in the
New Year Honours List for services to dance. Speaking at the time
of her receiving her award, Dame Darcey said: “I am truly humbled
to receive this honour. “I gratefully…
Like other small and private buildings
that exist in the grounds of Queen Victoria’s residences, such as
the Garden Cottage at Balmoral, each is unique, enabling us to gain
a personal glimpse into the Queen’s domestic world, her daily
pursuits and interests. Another such…
The Queen has been pleased to approve the
appointment of Sajid Javid as Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of
State for the Home Department. Mr Javid was appointed to the role
of Home Secretary on Monday morning following the resignation of
Amber Rudd on Sunday evening. The…
A chance glance upon an entry in an
exhibition catalogue from 2004 immediately attracted my interest
because it related to samples of wallpaper for the Alexander
Palace, the private residence of Tsar Nicholas II and his family,
in Tsarskoe Selo. I knew the last Tsarina had chosen ‘English’
chintzes for some of the furnishings of the palatial home they came
to love, but I had never found the…
