The Coronation of The Queen, on June 2nd 1953 at Westminster Abbey, was hailed as the start of a new Elizabethan Age. The Monarch’s Coronation dress, created by Norman Hartnell, was a masterpiece of symbolism that has become an historic artefact. But there was just as much significance in the bouquet of flowers carried by Elizabeth II on the day she was crowned Queen.
While the famous…
While King Henry VIII lived, his greatest fear was dying without a male heir to the throne. As it turns out, he needn’t have worried, for when he died in 1547, King Henry was succeeded by his son Edward VI. But the new King Edward was very frail and sickly boy of nine, and…
All Fine on the Day: a look at past royal weddings which have turned out well despite problems
29th May 2020
On the day Princess Beatrice was supposed to marry her fiancé EdoardoMapelli Mozzi, Jane Dismore takes a look back at other royal weddings which faced problems, but turned out fine in the end.
Being part of a royal family may be a privilege but it does not protect…
His Majesty King Rama V of Siam, present-day Thailand, also called King Chulalongkorn, was born in 1853 and died in 1910. As a fifteen-year-old, Chulalongkorn ascended the Siamese throne, but because of his young age, his uncle acted as his guardian.
During his five years of custody, he was educated by an English governor, Anna Leonowens, in literary history, language and art. He was King of…
Today’s Royal History Mystery focuses on the fate of one of medieval England’s most famous royal mistresses. What happened to The Fair Rosamund?
Much of Rosamund Clifford’s life is now the stuff of legend and folklore but, in her time, she was England’s greatest…
Many a monarch has made their mark on May and left interesting tales to tell in their wake. From the suspicious death of a tragic king to the impossibly romantic wedding of a royal whose legend outstripped reality, the month is filled with milestones linked to the best known…
When little Prince Christopher was born in Bavaria in 1416 as the son of a German Count, he hardly thought he would become king of three European nations. Yet that was exactly what he became.
Christopher was born as a member of the house of Wittelsbach. He grew up in the safety of the Bavarian royal court and in his teens he served under the German Emperor.
He must have been a very…
May is a month filled with queenly anniversaries. From coronations to christenings, marriages to monarchical moments, all four weeks contain special dates linked to majesty. Royal Central’s Calendar of Queens reaches May.
Birth of a Queen
Let’s start with a…
Today, we’re looking at a Royal History Mystery that involves a king and his niece and whether their relationship was too scandalous for the time period. Did Richard III want to marry his niece Elizabeth of York?
One of the most turbulent periods in English history was…
Twelve years ago today, Prince Joachim married his fiancée, Marie Cavallier in Mogeltonder Church, in South Jutland.
Prince Joachim and Princess Mariemet while Joachim was still married to his first wife, Countess Alexandra. They were invited to a dinner and, being the only two French-speaking people invited, their host introduced them. Their romance, however, started much…
