Features

Conquest and civil war: how England's first modern royal house rose to power then lost the crown

By
18th October 2025
In 2026, the Bayeux Tapestry will be on show in England for the first time ever. It was created almost 1,000 years ago to tell the story of a moment that changed the country forever but it’s taken until 2025 for it to be displayed in the place at its very heart. It’s expected that royalty will be at the official opening of the exhibition housing it. President Emmanuel Macron gave…
Read more
Features

William the Conqueror gets the red carpet treatment - this is the unlikeliest royal star in TV

By
20th August 2025
Some of the biggest names in TV gathered for the premiere of a much talked about TV show as William the Conqueror made an unlikely red carpet debut. Stars of the new BBC One drama, which starts on August 24, were in London for the first big showing of this blockbuster telling of the ultimate tussle for the English throne and the seismic events of 1066 that saw William the Conqueror and Harold…
Read more
Features

Coronations and kings - how it all began

By
5th May 2023
Within hours, King Charles III’s Coronation takes place at Westminster Abbey. On the eve of this truly historic moment, Royal Central looks at the first time a king was crowned in the ancient church and the very moment a tradition about to claim a place in the 21st…
British RoyalsFeaturesHistory

The coronation of William the Conqueror

By
13th March 2023
For almost a thousand years, coronation services have taken place at Westminster Abbey, in times of peace and strife. The sovereign sometimes arrives at the Abbey a popular figure; sometimes, they’re deeply unpopular. More often than not, they’re crowned by birthright and succession. On a few occasions, they’re crowned after a battle, like the first king to reign after the Norman…
Read more
Palaces & Buildings

The Tower of London gets a new Constable

By
8th April 2022
The Tower of London has a new Constable. From August, General Sir Gordon Messenger will become the 161st Constable of the Tower of London and the first Royal Marine to hold the post. The role of the Constable is the most senior appointment one can have at the Tower of…
British RoyalsHistoryPrince PhilipThe Edinburghs

History of Royal Titles: the Earldom of Wessex

By
26th October 2020
The Earl of Wessex is not a title that has been used very often throughout royal history – so much so that in the time between the first creation and third creation, the county of Wessex ceased to exist in England. Royal Central is investigating the story behind this historic title and why it was left unused for so long. The first use of the title was in around the year 1019 when Godwin…
Read more