Blog
Queen Margrethe II Celebrates Ruby Jubilee
The Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II isn’t the only jubilee being celebrated this year. On 14 January, Queen Margrethe celebrated 40 years on the Danish throne, giving Denmark its own Ruby Jubilee.
The Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is one of the oldest orders in Europe. It was originally a chivalric order, founded by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in 1430, to celebrate the Duke’s marriage to Isabella of Portugal, his third wife.
Review – “Behind Closed Doors” by Hugo Vickers
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor have been showing up all over the media recently, in the Academy Award-winning movie The King’s Speech and Madonna’s upcoming movie W.E., in auctions of jewellery and letters, and in a couple of new biographies of the Duchess. One of the most unusual contributions to the Windsor story is the biography Behind Closed Doors by Hugo Vickers, author of several books on royalty including a highly acclaimed biography of the Duchess of Windsor’s nemesis, the Queen Mother.
Creepy Royal Jewels for Halloween
The image that generally comes to mind when we think of our royals usually includes impressive and (mostly) attractive jewels. However, there are some jewels that don’t fit that category but are decidedly eccentric, not to say downright creepy.
King Michael of Romania’s 90th Birthday
Former King Michael of Romania, Sovereign of the Balkan State as a child and again as a young man, turns 90 years old today.
Royal Wootton Bassett
For four years the people of the Wiltshire town of Wootton Bassett came out to line the High Street and pay their respects as the bodies of repatriated military personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan were driven from RAF Lyneham to a hospital in Oxford. In contrast to the secrecy of American repatriations, the community came together to mourn the loss of these young lives and show support to the bereaved families.
Bhutan King Married
Today the 31-year-old King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, married 21-year-old student Jetsun Pema in a small, traditional ceremony, which was held in an old Buddhist monastery a few miles outside the capital, Thimphu. Thousands lined the streets towards and around the monastery, in order to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.
Mrs Greville’s Jewels
Dame Margaret Helen McEwan Anderson Greville was a well-known figure in British Society until her death in 1942. She was born in 1863 and was heiress to the multi-million pound McEwan brewery fortune. In 1891 she married the Honorable Ronald Henry Fulke Greville and became a much sought-after and admired hostess at their home, Polesden Lacey, which had originally belonged to her father. It was here at this quiet estate that TRH The Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) honeymooned. The friendship between Mrs Greville and the royal couple continued, and Princess Margaret Rose was named in her honor.
Prussia-Isenburg Wedding
After the royal weddings in Great Britain and Monaco, Germany has now had its royal wedding this year. HI&RH Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia, great-great-grandson of the last German Emperor Wilhelm II and Head of the Prussian Royal House, has married his blue-blooded fiancée, HSH Princess Sophie von Isenburg.
Peridot Royal Jewels for August
Without doubt overshadowed by emeralds, the peridot is a woefully underappreciated stone in royal collections, making few appearances. The startling green stone with golden undertones has been used in jewelry since the Ancient Romans and Egyptians; its unique green shade has been referred to as the “Emerald of the Evening” and was often confused with emeralds, most notably in The Shrine of the Three Magi.