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The Countess, Napoleon and St. Helena

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Yes! I've finished another very interesting book: The Countess, Napoleon and St. Helena. It is written by a wonderful author: Lally Brown. Readers of the Allaboutroyalfamiliesblog already know that I've a 'small' fascination about Napoleon Bonaparte, an ordinary man who became Emperor of France. On Twitter I've 'met' several years ago a lovely author: Lally Brown. We started to talk about my other passion gardening and about her amazing roses. Via Twitter and Lally I discovered her fascinating books: - The Volcano, Montserrat and me; - High and dry in the BVI; - The Countess, Napoleon and St. Helena. When reading books, I always love two important things: the style of the author and the fact if the book is written chronologically. For me the latter is very important in history works. Lally Brown, took me back to 1815. After the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated and he was forced to exile to St. Helena. So the Co

Lord Carnavon and the Curse of Tutankhamun

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Onthisday,  on 26 June 1866 George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert was born at Highclere Castle in Hampshire in the United Kingdom. Family His parents were Henry Herbert, the 4th. Earl of Carnavon and Lady Evelyn Stanhope. His maternal grandparents were George Stanhope, 6th. Earl of Chesterfield and Lady Anne. Love and Marriage Lord Carnavon married to Almina Victoria Maria Alexandra Wombwell. She was the illegitimate daughter of millionaire banker, Alfred de Rothschild of the famous Rothschild family. This wedding took place on 26 June 1895. They would have 2 children. Hobby's Carnavon first was best known as an owner of race horses and a reckless driver of early cars. His grandson the 7th. Earl of Carnavon was a racing manager to Queen Elizabeth II from 1969 and one of the Queen's closest friends. Egypt Lord Carnavon was an enthusiastic amateur Egyptologist, he and his wife often spent their winters in Egypt, where they bought antiquities

Noble families:Who is Who:d'Oultremont

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While reading in a book about the history of the Belgian Royal family the name d'Oultremont was mentioned often. the coat of arms of Henriette d'Oultremont History The name d'Oultremont was originally from a town Warnant in the principality of Liège in Belgium. A certain Hustin de Warnant  d'Oultremont alderman of Huy and Wanze died on 17 May 1398. This is one of the first traces of the name: d'Oultremont. Due to the right marriages the family d'Oultremont could gain more power in Huy and in the region of Liège. In 1731, Emperor Charles VI, granted the hereditary title: Count to Jean-François d'Oultremont. In 1816, three great-grandsons of François d'Oultremont were included in the hereditary nobility of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands Famous personalities Elisabeth d'Oultremont (1867-1952) was the lady-in-waiting of Queen Elisabeth of Belgium (1876-1965). But there were lots of more traces of connection o

19 June 1606 : Birth of James Hamilton

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James Hamilton was born on 19 June 1606 at Hamilton Palace in Lanarkshire in Scotland. Family His parents were James, 1st. Marquis of Hamilton and Lady Ann Cunningham. Lady Ann Cunningham was the daughter of James, Earl of Glencairn. In 1609 James' insane great uncle, also called James (What's in a name?!) Earl of Arran died, so the little James was styled Earl of Arran. Heir to the throne The Young James's close ancestor was Princess Mary, daughter of King James II of Scotland and Mary of Guelders. After the death, in 1612, of Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, the young James became third in line to the Scottish throne, after Charles, Duke of Rothesay and his sister Elizabeth (who later became Queen of Bohemia). Later the Young James was sent to Exeter College in Oxford. Art From a very young age, James was interested in art. He collected Venetian painting through an agent: Viscount Basil Feilding. Nowadays this collection can be seen at the Ku