British Royals

The birth of a Queen: how the arrival of Elizabeth II was reported by the papers

As The Queen turns 96, many UK papers feature her photo as well as tributes to a record breaking Monarch in her Platinum Jubilee year. But Elizabeth II has been dominating the front pages for almost a century now. Back on April 21st 1926, when the Queen was born, there was plenty of excitement over the arrival of a new princess who – at the time – was several steps removed from the Crown…
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Features

The murder of Lord Mountbatten

Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma was the second cousin of Her Majesty The Queen, and his nephew was her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. The great-grandchild of Queen Victoria, Lord Mountbatten was once Viceroy of…
Features

Why The Queen topped an initial Sunday Times Rich List

In 1989, Her Majesty made headlines as she was placed at the top of the Sunday Times Rich List. This caused controversy as her finances included state assets that were not personally hers. The Queen was listed as the wealthiest person in the United Kingdom with a net worth of £5.2 billion. In today’s value, that equates to about £13.2 billion. In the original list of the…
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British RoyalsFeatures

Why Michael Fagan didn't face criminal charges when he broke into Buckingham Palace

It is perhaps one of the biggest royal security breaches of the 20th century, the day that Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace and made his way to The Queen’s bedroom. Fagan would make his first intrusion into the palace in early June 1982. He claims he shimmied up a drainpipe and startled a housemaid who called security. Before guards arrived, Fagan disappeared and security…
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British RoyalsFeatures

The history of Royal Maundy Services

With the Easter holiday fast approaching, Royal Central is looking into the history of Royal Maundy Services. Royal Maundy is a religious service in the Church of England held on Maundy Thursday, which precedes Good Friday. At the service, the British monarch, or a royal…
Features

Milestones of a Monarch: the start of the walkabout

Royal walkabouts have created some of the most iconic moments in history, whether that’s a special hug or a royal going out of their way for a special interaction. Believe it or not, as common as they are now, the royal walkabout didn’t actually start until the 1970s. In previous tours, people could only catch a glimpse of a visiting royal as they drove by in cars. In 1970, Her…
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