It’s not often the bridal bouquet gets its own name but that’s just what happened at the first major royal wedding of the 21st century. When Mette-Marit Tjessem Hjoiby married Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, on August 25th 2001 in Oslo, she carried an unusual arrangement of flowers that had a title all of its own.
The creation was called ‘Brudeloperen’ and it remains one…
The fairtytale bride and the first royal wedding of the 21st century
25th August 2021
It was the first big royal wedding of the 21st century bringing kings, queens, princes and princesses together for a very modern monarchical marriage. The relationship between Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Mette-Marit Tjessme Hoiby had been under scrutiny from the moment…
Charles II, the Merry Monarch, had several different mistresses. However, one of these mistresses stands out from the rest for several reasons- Barbara Villiers. John Evelyn pronounced her the “curse of the nation”, and she would hold sway over the Restoration court for…
Arabella Churchill - mistress and ancestress of popular royal
16th August 2021
King James II tends to be largely ignored. Following his brother’s long Restoration reign and removal during the Glorious Revolution for his Protestant daughter and son-in-law, his reign can feel like a footnote in a lot of discussions. And unfortunately, those in his life tend to get the same treatment. While he might not have had the many, many mistresses that his brother did, James did have a…
Taking a look at the christenings of Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine
12th August 2021
With the christening of Prince Julian of Sweden, on 14 August, we are taking a look back at the christenings of his father and his aunts.
Crown Princess Victoria Ingrid Alice Désirée, Duchess of Västergötland, was born on 14 July 1977 to King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen…
All big royal events have symbolism attached to them and when Prince Julian of Sweden is baptised, on August 13, 2021, at the Royal Chapel at Drottningholm Palace, he will find himself wrapped in one of his family’s best-known traditions. The little royal, youngest child…
Diane de Poitiers - the older mistress as an unofficial adviser
10th August 2021
There have been countless French royal mistresses throughout the centuries, but some are better known than others. Diane de Poitiers was brought back into the spotlight in teen drama Reign in 2013 but has largely been forgotten in favour of later mistresses. This sixteenth-century noblewoman was not only a loyal companion to the king but established in her own right.
Diane was born on 9…
On 29 July, the Royal Palace of Vrana was finally given to deposed Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria by the Sofia Court of Appeals, ending a more than ten year legal battle between the Bulgarian Royal Family and the Bulgarian government. According to The International Monarchist…
Fire threat to Greece's Tatoi Palace recedes as winds alter course of devastating blazes
6th August 2021
Greece has in recent weeks been ravaged by major forest fires because of a heat wave. In recent days, the flames have moved ever closer to the Greek royal palace of Tatoi. On August 4th 2021, the fire was so close that the Greek Minister of Culture, along with Prince…
As 1922 got under way, newspapers began to run excited articles about a royal wedding. The only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary was about to say ‘I do’ and every moment of her marriage ceremony was up for scrutiny. Princess Mary’s wedding dress, choice of venue and honeymoon destination were pored over even if actual details were hard to come by (sound familiar?) but one…
