This year marks 25 years since King
Baudouin of Belgium unexpectedly died while on holiday in Spain. He
was the sixth King of the Belgians and at the same time one of the
most popular kings Belgium ever had. King Baudouin reigned from
1951 until his death in 1993. However, there was one day during his
reign that the government declared the King unable to rule. In
1990, there was one day in which…
Queen Victoria famously wrote of her
wedding day – 10 February 1840: ‘“Oh! This was the happiest day of
my life!” The day – 10 February – became one which the Queen – so
peculiarly concerned with dates and anniversaries – would ever
refer to as having…
A bedroom gives a uniquely personal
insight into any historical personality and a royal personage no
less so. Many key moments in Queen Victoria’s life also took place
in her bedrooms, which help in no small way, to tell the story of
that life. The furnishing of this most…
They are monuments to love that have told
a royal romance for seven centuries. The Eleanor Crosses are a
famous part of England’s regal history and, for hundreds of years,
they have told the story of the king who built them for the queen
he had lost and could never forget. Now, in 2018, just a handful
survive to pay witness to the devotion of Edward I to his consort,
Eleanor of Castile. But…
Queen Victoria’s love of dogs provided
the inspiration for royal sculpture and painting, as well, of
course, the Queen’s journal entries. References to her dogs abound
throughout. Interestingly, her life may in one way, be charted
through her dogs, because they were with…
On 25 June 1900, Victoria, Princess Louis
of Battenberg – born Princess Victoria of Hesse – gave birth to a
son at Frogmore House in Windsor Great Park, the erstwhile
residence of Queen Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent, until
her death in 1861. Princess…
Princess Alix of Hesse visited Malta in
1890. Little would appear to have been recorded about it, although
it is possible to piece together some details of the trip from
surviving accounts, biographies by those that personally knew her
and from extracts of letters she wrote herself. The following is
the result of what I have managed to discover so far about this
visit that she made, as part of a…
The Queen's favourite song 'Dancing Queen' is played outside Buckingham Palace during Changing the Guard
27th July 2018
One of Her Majesty’s favourite songs was
performed outside of Buckingham Palace this morning by The Queen’s
guards during the Changing the Guard ceremony – ABBA’s Dancing
Queen. Can you guess this tune? #FridayFeeling Beautiful played by
@TheRLCBand…
Most people when you mention Jane
Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, remember that from a difficult
first meeting between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy, true love
eventually blossoms when young Elizabeth realises first impressions
may be deceptive. However, a recent…
Biography is also made up of people in
the background; so it is with William Howley, Archbishop of
Canterbury. The appearances he made in the life of the future Queen
Victoria were of extreme significance, in a way that was unique,
and whilst these functions formed a natural part of his official
duties as dictated by the Church of England, he was part of her
world almost literally from the first…
