Prince & Princess of WalesState & Ceremonial

Prince William awards OBE to Damian Lewis

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26th November 2014
<![CDATA[Actor Damian Lewis has spoken of his amazement and joy after being awarded an OBE by The Duke of Cambridge. The star, best known for appearing in the popular US drama series Homeland, described the honour as a huge surprise. #459612394 / gettyimages.com Lewis’s performance as Major Richard Winters in the 2001 second film Band Of Brothers made the British-born actor a huge…
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History

Notable Names: Thomas Becket

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24th November 2014
<![CDATA[Thomas Becket is famously remembered as the Archbishop of Canterbury who was murdered upon the supposed orders of King Henry II. Becket’s legacy has continued into the modern day, with many authors, poets, and films being centred on his struggles with Henry…
Palaces & Buildings

Hampton Court Palace opens new gallery

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18th November 2014
<![CDATA[Hampton Court Palace unveiled its new gallery this week. The ‘Cumberland Art Gallery’ will now occupy the Georgian suite of rooms William Kent designed for King George II and Queen Caroline’s youngest son, William Augustus, the Duke of Cumberland. The rooms have been restored to the original Kent interiors, as over time, they were altered by the various Grace and Favour…
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FeaturesHistory

History Rewind: Death of Queen Mary I

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17th November 2014
<![CDATA[ On the 17th November 1558 the first English Queen Regnant, Queen Mary I, died at St James’ Palace. At her funeral service, the Bishop of Winchester summed up her life quite aptly: “She was a King’s daughter, she was a King’s sister…
FeaturesHistoryInsight

The Royal W: Scarlet Rod

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16th November 2014
<![CDATA[The Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod is one of six administrative and ceremonial officers of the Order of the Bath and established in 1725. The Title ‘Scarlet Rod’ is from the characteristic insignia of the office which is a long silver gilt rod. The shaft is covered with scarlet enamel that signifies the mantles of the Knights and Dames Grand Cross of the Order. The holders of…
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Palaces & Buildings

Tower of London sees final poppy 'planted'

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11th November 2014
<![CDATA[The final poppy was ‘planted ‘at the Tower of London on Tuesday, completing the ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’, the ceramic art installation conceived by Paul Cummins. Cummins, a graduate and now PhD student at the University of Derby, handed the…
History

Notable Name - Henry 'Hotspur' Percy

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10th November 2014
<![CDATA[In the Middle Ages, there were two prominent and influential families in England – the Nevilles and the Percys. The Percy's power was concentrated in the North, and as a result, they were the chief defenders of the Scottish border. They were aided in their battles by strongholds in the form of great castles at Alnwick, Warkworth, Bamburgh and Prudhoe. Perhaps the best…
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