All About Royal Families

On 6 May 2023, a big Royal Event will take place: The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen (Consort) Camilla.  Leading up to this event, the Allaboutroyalfamilies blog will look back at how the coronation ceremonies went in the past. 👉 For more information, do take a look at the special coronation page on top of this blog or on this link .  The coronation of King George VI and Elizabeth On May 12th. 1937, the coronation of King George VI and Elizabeth took place at Westminster Abbey in London. George VI ascended the throne upon the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII, on 11 December 1936, three days before his 41st birthday. Edward's coronation had been planned for 12 May and it was decided to continue with his brother and sister-in-law's coronation on the same date. Ceremony The coronation service itself began once the procession into the abbey was over and the King and Queen were seated. Beginning with the recognition, the King then took an oath and was anointed by th

One of the main historic castles in London is the Tower of London located on the north bank of the River Thames.  It is not only a tourist vistor place but the Tower of London also has a great royal history. Royal History Between 1066 and 1087, William the Conqueror established 36 castles, although references in the Domesday Book indicate that many more were founded by his subordinates. The Normans undertook what has been described as "the most extensive and concentrated programme of castle-building in the whole history of feudal Europe". William sent an advance party to prepare the city for his entrance, to celebrate his victory and found a castle; in the words of William's biographer, William of Poitiers, "certain fortifications were completed in the city against the restlessness of the huge and brutal populace.  At the time, London was the largest town in England; the foundation of Westminster Abbey and the old Palace of Westminster under Edward the Confessor had

The coronation of George V and his wife Mary as King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and as Emperor and Empress of India, took place at Westminster Abbey, London, on Thursday 22 June 1911. The Procession The first of three processions left Buckingham Palace at 9:30 am. It consisted of representatives of foreign royal families and governments, carried in fourteen carriages. The second procession had five state landaus for members of the British royal family; the fifth contained the King and Queen's children, the Prince of Wales, Princess Mary and the young Princes Albert, Henry and George.  The third procession brought the officers of state in a further four carriages and the twenty-fifth and final carriage, the Gold State Coach carrying the King and Queen. They were surrounded by equerries, aides-de-camp and the commanders of the armed forces mounted on horseback, all escorted by Yeomen of the Guard, colonial and Indian cavalry and the Royal Horse Guards

6 January 1367 marks the birth of Richard of Bordeaux the younger son of Edward the Black Prince and Joan of Kent. Richard's birth took place at the Archbishop's Place in Bordeaux in the English principality of Aquitaine. According to contemporary sources, three Kings: - The King of Castille, - The King of Navarre, and the King of Portugal were present at his birth. Family His paternal grandparents were King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault. His maternal grandparents were Edmund of Woodstock, the 1st. Earl of Kent and Margaret Wake, 3rd Barones of Wake. Richard II was thus a member of the royal house of Plantagenet. Childhood The Commons in parliament genuinely feared that Richard's uncle, John of Gaunt, would upsurp the throne. Due to this, the Prince was quickly invested with the princedom of Wales and his father's other titles. On 21 June 1377, King Edward III of England died after a 50-year- long reign. Richard, t

On December 16th. 1485, Catherine of Aragon was born in Madrid (Spain). Catherine of Aragon Source picture: Wikipedia On June 11th. 1509, Catherine of Aragon married Henry VIII of England. On June 23rd 1509, Catherine's coronation was in the Westminster Abbey. The coronation banquet was in Westminster Hall. In 1516, Catherine became pregnant of a girl called Mary. Source picture: Wikipedia Henry VIII wanted a son. In 1525 he became in love with Anne Boleyn. Henry asked the pope to agree with a divorce. The pope refused. Henry VIII started his own religion. In 1533, Henry VIII divorced from Catherine. She lost her title as Queen. She moved to a castle far from the court. In 1536, Catherine died from a kind of cancer.

December 10th. 1472 marks the birth of Anne de Mowbray, 8th. Duchess of Norfolk. This took place at Framlinghang Castle in Suffolk, England. Family Her parents were John Mowbray, 4th. Duke of Norfolk and Elizabeth Talbot. Her maternal grandparents were John Talbot, 1st. Earl of Shrewsbury and his second wife Lady Margaret Beauchamp. With the death of her father in 1476, Anne became a very wealthy heiress. Love and Marriage At the age of 5! she married at St. Stephen's Chapel in Westminster to Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st. Duke of York. He was a son of King Edward IV and Queen Elizabeth Woodville. Death On November 19th. 1481, Anne died in Greenwich, London, two years before her husband disappeared in the Tower of London with his elder brother King Edward V. Anna was entombed in the Chapel of St. Erasmus of Formiae in Westminster Abbey, however due to later restorations of the Chapel and a move to the Abbey of the Minoresses, her coffin disappeared. Sou

Philippa of Hainault was born on June 24th. between 1310 and 1315 at Valenciennes, in the County of Hainault in the Low Countries. Nowadays Valenciennes is located in France, just over the border with Belgium.  Family Philippa of Hainault was the daughter of William I, Count of Hainault and Joan of Valois, Countess of Hainault. Joan was a granddaughter of King Philip III of France. Philippa's eldest sister, Margaret, married to the German King Louis IV and she became Holy Roman Empress. Philippa of Hainault and her family were members of the noble House of Avesnes. Love and Marriage King Edward II wanted a strong alliance between Flanders and England, therefore he sent Bishop Stapledon of Exeter on the Continent as an ambassador. On this trip, the bishop passed the County of Hainault to inspect the count William's daughters. Four years later Philippa was betrothed to Prince Edward. As the couple were second cousins (through their mothers), a Papal

February 11th. 1466 marks the birth of Elizabeth of York at the Palace of Westminster Palace. She was the eldest child of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville. Elizabeth of York - Source picture: Wikipedia Love & Marriage In 1469 Elizabeth of York was briefly betrothed to George Neville, who initially supported Edward IV against the rebellion of George's elder brother Richard Neville. Later he changed his mind. As a result, the betrothal was cancelled. In 1475 Louis XI of France agreed to the marriage of Elizabeth of York and his son Charles, the Dauphin of France. Although, in 1482, Louis XI declined his promise. On April 9th. 1483 Edward IV died unexpectedly and Elizabeths younger brother, Edward the Prince of Wales became King. On August 22nd. 1485 Henry Tudor and Richard III fought the Battle of Bosworth Field. Richard III died during this battle and Henry Tudor took the reign as Henry VII. As eldest daughter of Edward IV, Elizabeth of York could cl

On 27 October 1401, Catherine of Valois was born at the Hôtel St. Pol in Paris, France. Family Catherine was the youngest daughter of King Charles VI of France and Isabeau of Bavaria. Her siblings were inter alia: - Isabella, Queen of England; - Michelle of Burgundy (first wife of Philip the Good); - King Charles VII of France. She was thus a member of the noble house of Valois. Love and Marriage In May 1420, a peace treatment was made between France and England during the Hundred Year's War. The document was called the Treaty of Troyes, in which King Charles VII of France recognized King Henry V of England as his heir. On 2 June 1420 Catherine of Valois married Henry V of England at the Cathedral of Troyes. Later Catherine went with her husband to England where she was crowned as Queen at Westminster Abbey on 23 February 1421. Her husband King Henry V returned to France to continue the war. By this time Catherine was already pregnant and on 6 D

Their majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands will bring an official State Visit on 23 and 24 October 2018 to the United Kingdom. They were invited by her majesty Queen Elizabeth II. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands will be accompanied by Stef Blok, Minister of Foreign Affairs. The royals will have an official programm but I hope that they will see some hotspots of the magnificent city of London. So, I made my top 6. 1/ Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands will be received by Charles, the Prince of Wales and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House. Then there will be a riding tour on the Mall. After that the Dutch royals will visit Buckingham Palace, the residence of Queen Elizabeth II. More information on this link . 2/ Tower Bridge Tower Bridge The Tower and the Tower Bridge certainly are the symbols of London and the United Kin