History

#OnThisDay in 1683: The Rye House Plot, to assassinate English king Charles II was discovered

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12th June 2016
On this day in 1683 a plot to assassinate King Charles II of England and his brother/heir James was discovered. King Charles II was unpopular with the Protestant members of Parliament because although he was officially an Anglican, both he and his brother/heir were very sympathetic to Catholics. Most of King Charles II’s foreign allies were Catholics and this was seen as a threat by some…
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Queen Elizabeth IIState & Ceremonial

The Queen attends Trooping the Colour ceremony

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11th June 2016
The Queen’s Birthday Parade, Trooping the Colour took place today in Central London to mark Her Majesty’s official 90th birthday. Embed from Getty Images Dressed in a lime green coat and matching hat, the 90-year-old monarch took the salute at Horseguards Parade and inspected her guards as she does annually. This year’s parade has added significance though as it takes place during three…
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Queen Elizabeth IIState & Ceremonial

Tonight's the Knight for Sir Rod Stewart! Queen's Birthday Honours List 2016 revealed

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10th June 2016
Rod Stewart, Tim Peake and Vera Lynn are among the high profile names who have been honoured in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Rod Stewart is being bestowed a Knighthood for his services to music and charity after having a career spanning for nearly half a century. Vera Lynn also becomes a Dame Companion of Honour in this year’s list for services to Entertainment and…
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HistoryQueen Elizabeth II

#OnThisDay in 1953: The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II Takes Place

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2nd June 2016
The Queen ascended to the throne on 2 February 1952, upon the death of her father King George VI, but was not crowned for more than a year afterwards, as the period of mourning required wouldn’t allow a swift ceremony, and the planning behind it would take some time. The Queen’s coronation date was chosen reportedly because it was the most likely to be a nice day, weather-wise, however, it…
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