At the height of the Second World War
Wallis Simpson, wife of the former King Edward VIII, ordered a top
level diplomatic mission to rescue a swimming costume that she had
left behind at her luxury South of France villa. Mrs Simpson
ordered the American Minister in Lisbon and American Consul in Nice
to find the swimming garment. Even though part of the South Coast
of France was occupied by Nazis…
A shocking new book claims that Henry
VIII very nearly got married for a seventh time in his
life, to a woman called Katherine Willoughby. Henry VIII’s Last
Love, written by David Baldwin, suggests that the King had planned
to divorce his wife at the time, Catherine…
The face of a nation: New coin portrait of The Queen unveiled by Royal Mint in London
2nd March 2015
The Royal Mint has, this morning,
unveiled the new portrait of The Queen which will soon appear on UK
coins in an event at London’s National Portrait Gallery. Adam
Lawrence, CEO of The Royal Mint unveils the new portrait of The
Queen which will appear on UK coins from…
First statue of Mary Queen of Scots in Scotland to go on show at Linlithgow Palace
27th February 2015
The first ever statue in Scotland of the
infamous Mary, Queen of Scots has been commissioned; it will be
revealed later this spring. Despite the huge public interest in her
life across the globe, only now – 400 years after her death, will a
public statue be erected at Linlithgow Palace, where Mary was born
in 1542. Mary’s reign was short-lived. The 7ft statue is being
built at…
Teeth that have been extracted from King
John will go up on display as part of the celebrations marking the
800th anniversary of the Magna Carta. Two molar teeth belonging to
the Medieval King, who granted the world’s most famous charter in
1215, will be displayed at…
In what some have seen as a landmark
decision, the Westminster City Council has granted permission to
Westminster Abbey to begin planning for a new stair and lift tower
to be constructed at the east end of the church. This project will
enable, for the first time, public…
Queen to award first Victoria Cross to living recipient in a decade
25th February 2015
The Queen is expected to hand out the
first British Victoria Cross to a living recipient in a decade as
it is announced today the rare (and single highest) award ‘for
valour’ has been made to Lance Corporal Joshua Leakey of the
Parachute Regiment for actions in Afghanistan. Corporal Leakey also
becomes the first living British recipient of the Victoria Cross to
receive it for actions…
Unique mode of royal transport saved from scrap yard and returned to Balmoral
20th February 2015
A horse-drawn Hungarian Hunting Phaeton
dating back to 1850 is saved from a scrapyard and returned to its
former home, Balmoral Castle. The Phaeton is on loan to the castle
by the Grampian Transport Museum in Aberdeenshire. The Phaeton was
purchased by Queen’s…
In this instalment of The Queen Mother’s
life, we look at the 1950s, no doubt a sad but also memorable
decade for Elizabeth. The decade started off on a high for Queen
Elizabeth, as she welcomed her second grandchild in 1950: Princess
Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise, a…
One does not turn 500 every day, so how
do you celebrate such a milestone? You channel your inner Henry
VIII and commission a massive cake that would make even one of
Hampton Court’s famous residents proud. This year will mark 500
years since Cardinal Wolsey leased Hampton Court and began a
massive refurbishment transforming Hampton Court into an
extravagant palace. A palace eventually…
