All About Royal Families

King Umberto II of Italy remains one of the most fascinating figures in modern royal history. Born on 15 September 1904 as Umberto Nicola Tommaso Giovanni Maria di Savoia, he was the last King of Italy and the final sovereign of the House of Savoy. His reign was famously brief, lasting only 34 days from 9 May to 12 June 1946, which earned him the nickname the May King. Royal Family As the only son of King Victor Emmanuel III and Queen Elena of Montenegro, Umberto was raised to become monarch from birth. He received a traditional military education and followed a military path, although much of his public life was shaped by the turbulent years of Fascist Italy and the Second World War. During the war, he gradually turned against the conflict and quietly supported the removal of Benito Mussolini after Italy’s disastrous defeats. On 8 January 1930, Umberto married Princess Marie José of Belgium, the daughter of King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians. This marriage created an im...

Just outside Brussels, in the village of Groot-Bijgaarden (Dilbeek), stands the beautiful Castle of Groot -Bijgaarden, a historic estate surrounded by water and gardens. Royal history The origins of the castle date back to the early 12th century. The domain was granted by the Abbey of Saint Bavo to the Lords of Bijgaarden, with the first known lord, Amelricus, appearing in records in 1110. A later lord likely built the first fortified motte castle to protect the surrounding lands. Over the centuries the estate passed through several noble families. In the 17th century Ferdinand of Booischot transformed the castle into the elegant residence we see today, built in Flemish Renaissance style with brick walls and slate roofs. In the 18th century, after the marriage of Helena of Booischot to Count Charles Ferdinand of Königsegg Rothenfels, Empress Maria Theresa elevated the lordship to a marquisate. Royal garden The castle is surrounded by a moat and reached by a bridge with five arches. It...