FeaturesHistoryHistoryInterestsSweden

Why do Swedish royals use a French surname? The origins of the first Bernadotte

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31st July 2023
Sweden was a monarchy long before its current ruling house arrived on the throne. However, it was the last dynasty to accede to the throne that made it famous. Its founder was born in France, and the Kingdom of Sweden was his reward for a well-conducted campaign during the Napoleonic wars. Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte was born in Pau, southern France, on the 26th of January 1763, the…
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History

The ultimate royal image maker to take starring role in new Buckingham Palace exhibition

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5th July 2023
The Royal Collection Trust is staging a landmark exhibition this winter focusing on some of the most impressive portraits from the Tudor period. “Holbein at the Tudor Court” will showcase many of the surviving works from Tudor artist Hans Holbein.Hans Holbein the Younger was a German-Swiss painter and woodcarver who originally trained under his father, Hans Holbein the Elder. He rose to…
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British RoyalsHistory

The Coronation Ceremony: The Oath

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17th April 2023
A crucial part of any Coronation is the oath that the new Sovereign takes.Just like the ceremony itself, the oath that is part of it has changed throughout the centuries, according to historical context and the will of the Monarch.The last big change to the oath came in 1937, when other “territories and realms” were also included in the formula, an acknowledgement of all the…
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History

Habsburg jaw caused by intermarrying

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20th February 2023
A group of fourteen surgeons and geneticists have confirmed that the distinctive Habsburg chin in the Spanish Royal Family resulted from their inbreeding. The Habsburg dynasty dates back to the eleventh century when the Counts of Habsburg ruled areas of present-day Switzerland. Through successive generations of advancement and intermarriage with different royal families, branches of the…
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