FeaturesHistory

Royal History Mystery: What happened to Edward II?

Today we’re looking at a royal history mystery involving the death of a king. What happened to Edward II of England? Edward II was born in 1284 as the fourth son of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile. His three elder brothers pre-deceased him, and he became his father’s heir and the first English prince to be named Prince of Wales. In his youth, he became close to a man named Piers…
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HistoryHistoryPalaces & Buildings

From woodland to a royal palace - Oslo Royal Palace's historical development

The Royal Palace in Oslo is today a striking monument in the city centre of Oslo. When the castle was built, it was located outside the very centre of Oslo. The property that is today the residence of Norway’s monarch was for only 300 years ago nothing more than part of a forest. Let us take a look at the historical development of this property – from forest to castle. The most…
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FeaturesHistoryQueen Elizabeth II

#OnThisDay: Queen Elizabeth II was born

Today marks the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Her Majesty will be celebrating turning 94 at Windsor. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in London on 21 April 1926, the first child of Albert and Elizabeth, then Duke and Duchess of York. When Elizabeth’s uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated the throne in December 1936, his brother and Elizabeth’s father became King…
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FeaturesHistory

A Calendar of Queens: April

April brings spring, brighter weather, a flurry of flowers and an array of anniversaries. The fourth month of the year has been the backdrop for some milestone events involving England’s queens, both regnant and consort. Here’s our Calendar of Queens for…
British RoyalsEuropean RoyalsFeatures

#MonarchsAt20 - how our queens and kings used to look

It’s all the rage at this stage of lockdown. People are posting photos of themselves at the age of twenty across social media and reflecting on how things used to be. Many of the throwbacks appear to involve bad perms and rather lurid clothes while some show that we all seemed to look older in the 70s no matter what age we actually were. In the spirit of fun, and with a royal version of the…
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