European RoyalsFeaturesHistoryHistoryInsightSpainState & Ceremonial

King Felipe and the Catholic Church: a changing tale of faith and diplomacy

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11th February 2023
To analyse the religious situation in Spain, one must consider faith and diplomacy as inextricably linked. Spain is one of the world’s most religious countries, officially, with some statistics putting the percentage of the population that ascribes to the Roman Catholic Church as high as 96%.  To put that number in context, that same survey put Italy’s percentage of Roman Catholics at…
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Asian RoyalsFeaturesHistoryJapanState & Ceremonial

The monarch's role in Japan

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16th November 2022
Historically, Japan is one of the oldest empires in the world that is still in existence today. However, the role of the Emperor has tended to fluctuate a lot within the millennia of history since the creation of the first shogunate.  In some periods, the Emperor only had a symbolic role, while in others, all power to rule over the country was in his hands. And I can use the masculine pronoun…
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FeaturesKing Charles IIIState & Ceremonial

The Crown that will be placed on King Charles III's head at his coronation

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20th October 2022
The sovereign of Great Britain can and does wear several different crowns for different occasions. There is one crown that is only worn at one point during their reign, and King Charles III will be wearing it in May. St. Edward’s Crown is worn during the Coronation ceremony and is worn at the moment of Coronation, with the Archbishop of Canterbury placing it on the monarch’s head.  The…
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British RoyalsHistoryInterestsPalaces & BuildingsPrince PhilipQueen Elizabeth IIState & Ceremonial

Royal funerals in Westminster Abbey: history with a big hiatus

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17th September 2022
Queen Elizabeth II will be the first monarch to have her funeral held at Westminster Abbey since 1760.  All sovereigns after that date have received their last salute at St George’s Chapel, in Windsor, due to logistic challenges: the Royal Vaults in the Abbey are entirely full, and therefore royal burials are now in the Royal Vault under the Windsor chapel.  However, for a remarkable…
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