London has many plaques and memorials
with royal connections but in fact, rather fewer statues. Some of
these statues have interesting hidden histories of their own, of
how they were made, how they came to be in the places that they are
and why. Some of these statues may be much less known and indeed,
too little seen. Stephen McKay via Wikimedia Commons Queen
Charlotte, born Charlotte of…
The 7th of June is a special day in
Norwegian history. On that day, the Norwegians celebrated both the
end of the Union with Sweden in 1905 and the return of King Haakon
in 1945 following the Second World War. This year, there was no
celebration because of the coronavirus…
Royal wedding bouquets are often
overlooked but they are often filled with significance. As well as
the myrtle that’s been a tradition since the time of Queen
Victoria, these posies are filled with blooms that nod to history
and highlight the romance that has brought a…
In 1997, the life of the Spanish King
came under threat as a plot was made to kill him during the opening
of a new museum. The failed assassination attempt on King Juan
Carlos was discovered by Spanish police by chance and resulted in
an international hunt for the men who wanted to kill the Spanish
monarch. Eneko Gogeaskoetxea Arronategui was the master of the plan
together with some other members…
Throughout this week, there have been
several days with protests just outside the Royal Palace in
Stockholm which have turned violent. Protesters have clashed with
the police outside the palace in connection with the demonstration
against racism and police violence following…
Flashback Friday: King Carl XVI Gustaf's remarks on Crown Princess Victoria becoming queen
5th June 2020
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has not
always been happy with the idea of Crown Princess Victoria
following him as head of state. In the past, he has stated that he
wanted his son, Prince Carl Philip, to follow him as King as
Sweden. If the King had been able to decide…
An old grenade from the Second World War
was found in the Palace Park of the Royal Palace in Oslo this week.
According to the bomb squad of the Oslo Police, the grenade was not
dangerous. The Bomb Squad from Oslo Police was quickly called to
the area on Tuesday morning at around 11 am. They created a
security zone of 100 meters which remained in place until just
before 4 pm when cars and…
The current situation in the United
States, where President Trump has said he will authorise the
military to enter towns and cities unless growing civil unrest
comes to an end, has drawn attention around the world. In these
circumstances, it is perhaps not unsurprising to…
For a woman who had such a profound
effect on a whole country, she is surprisingly enigmatic. Catherine
of Valois changed royal history forever but even now, centuries on,
the prevailing image of her is the one created by Shakespeare for
whom this French princess was a…
Princess Birgitta of Sweden has always
known how to make her mark. The second sister of King Carl XVI
Gustaf is known for her originality and her wedding was stand out,
too, for several reasons. Birgitta was the only one of her siblings
to marry a fellow royal and the only one who didn’t choose to marry
in June. She was also the first of the five children of Prince
Gustaf Adolf and Princess…
