All About Royal Families

After a wonderful journey, I am finally back home, with my camera full of memories and my notebook filled with stories waiting to be shared. As a travel blogger with a passion for royal history and royal families, there is nothing quite like visiting the places where history comes to life. This trip offered a unique opportunity to explore not one, but two remarkable royal working palaces: the Royal Palace of Brussels and Buckingham Palace in London. The Royal Palace of Brussels welcomed visitors once again this summer. However, I had already seen the fascinating exhibition dedicated to Queen Louise d'Orléans in Namur. The real treasure was the garden.Hidden in the heart of Brussels, the palace gardens offered a peaceful oasis away from the bustling city. Even the palace groundskeeper's lawn mower became an unexpected attraction, reminding me that these historic residences are not only monuments of the past but also living places that require daily care and attention. Buckingham...

The past week has been filled with royal celebrations, historic ceremonies and important international visits. From London to Stockholm and from Amsterdam to Brussels, royal watchers had plenty to follow. Trooping the Colour in London On 13 June, members of the British Royal Family gathered for the annual Trooping the Colour parade. Although King Charles III celebrated his actual birthday in November, the traditional birthday parade once again brought together senior working royals on Horse Guards Parade. The highlight for many royal fans was the appearance of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where they watched the traditional Royal Air Force flypast. The event remains one of the most iconic royal traditions in the world. Sweden celebrates a double Jubilee Also on 13 June, Sweden celebrated two remarkable milestones. The festivities honoured King Carl XVI Gustaf's 80th birthday and the golden wedding anniversary of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. Members...

Fifty years of helping young  people build a future. In 1976, the then Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, founded what would become one of the United Kingdom’s most influential youth charities: the The King’s Trust. Originally known as The Prince’s Trust, the organisation was created with a clear mission: helping vulnerable young people between the ages of 11 and 30 who were struggling with unemployment, homelessness, disability, difficulties at school or problems with the law. Nearly fifty years later, that mission remains as important as ever. The idea behind the trust was remarkably personal. At the time, the young Prince Charles used part of his naval severance pay to launch initiatives supporting disadvantaged youth. What began as a small project gradually evolved into a nationwide network offering training programmes, mentoring, grants and business support. Over the decades, the charity has grown into the leading youth organisation in the United Kingdom. More than one mil...

On 18 February 1516, at the Palace of Placentia in Greenwich, a daughter was born to Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. She would grow up to become one of the most controversial monarchs in British history: Mary I of England. For royal historians, Mary’s life is a powerful study in legitimacy, faith and female authority in a male-dominated political world. Family Mary was the only surviving child of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. Highly educated, fluent in Latin and Spanish, and musically gifted, she was once the pride of her father’s court. When Henry annulled his marriage to Catherine and married Anne Boleyn, Mary was declared illegitimate. She lost her title of Princess and was forced to serve in the household of her half-sister, the future Elizabeth I. The emotional and political trauma of these years shaped her deeply rooted Catholic convictions. The first crowned queen regnant of England After the death of her half-brother Edward VI in 1553, an attempt was made to place Lad...

September brings with it a rich tapestry of royal engagements, birthdays, and historic milestones across Europe and beyond.The royal calendar is filled with traditions, celebrations and meaningful events. This month also offers moments of remembrance and reflection, with anniversaries marking the lives and legacies of monarchs who shaped history. Royal diary On September 2nd.: Queen Mathilde of Belgium will visit the "De Vijvers residential care centre as part of the ‘Te Gek!?’ campaign." On September 4th. and 5th. : Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde will be in Switzerland (Bad Ragaz, St. Gallen) on Thursday and Friday. On September 4th. : The Prince and Princess of Wales will visit the Natural History Museum in London.  Own picture of the Natural History Museum in London taken in 2016 September 4th - Passing of the Duchess of Kent. The funeral will take place at Westminster Cathedral on September 16. at 2pm.  On September 6th.: Queen Sonja of Norway will unv...

One of the places, I always love to visit when I’m in London is the King’s Gallery. In spring and summer, it becomes the stage for some of the most splendid royal exhibitions. This year’s display, The Edwardians: Age of Elegance, was no exception, a true showcase of royal history at its very best. The exhibition tells the story not only of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, but of an entire dynasty finding its place in a rapidly changing world. Beginning with their marriage in 1863 and continuing through to the solemn aftermath of the First World War, the exhibition traces a remarkable journey of duty, devotion, and transformation. What impressed me most was the sheer breadth of the collection. With more than 300 objects on display, nearly half of them never before seen by the public, the show sparkled with treasures: magnificent gowns, portraits, jewels, and intimate photographs. Together they created a vivid and very human portrait of the Edwardian era. Like many visitors, I was da...

Last Thursday, I had the chance to visit the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and was utterly enchanted by the Cartier exhibition, an extraordinary journey through the storied evolution of this legendary jewellery house. Cartier at the V&A: A legacy in shine Running until 16 November 2025, this exhibition is the first major Cartier showcase in the UK in over three decades, presenting more than 350 pieces, from dazzling jewels and historic gemstones to decorative watches and clocks tracing Cartier’s artistry from the early 20th century onward.  Curated by Helen Molesworth and Rachel Garrahan, the show reveals how the founders Louis, Pierre, and Jacques Cartier crafted a brand defined by creativity, technical finesse, and global reach.  Royal treasures that took my breath away Two pieces, in particular, left me in awe: The Cartier Bandeau of Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians : This diamond-laden, leaf-motif bandeau-style tiara was originally designed in 1912. Queen Elisa...