26 April 1923: The Marriage of the Duke of York and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon

The future King George VI and his Queen consort, Elizabeth, were married at Westminster Abbey, London, on 26 April 1923. The second son of King George V and Queen Mary was born Prince Albert Frederick Arthur George, on 14 December 1895. He was created Duke of York in 1920. He proposed to Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, daughter of the 14th Earl of Strathmore, three times before she … Continue reading 26 April 1923: The Marriage of the Duke of York and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon

HistorianRuby27/04/202127/04/20216 Comments

History

A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Exhibition at Windsor Castle

So what do you do in the hinterland that is the time between Christmas and New Year? You go to a free exhibition, of course! Okay, so it wasn’t completely free, I took a train from Kingston upon Thames to Windsor but it was still cheaper than my ticket into London the day before. I paid to get into Windsor Castle the week of the … Continue reading A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Exhibition at Windsor Castle

HistorianRuby03/01/201915/09/201910 Comments

History

British Monarchs and Their Spouses: from the Windsors to the Tudors

Queen Elizabeth II married Prince Philip of Greece – 20 November 1947 King George VI married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon – 23 April 1923 King Edward VIII – abdicated the throne in December 1936 to marry twice-divorced Wallis Simpson – 3 June 1937 King George V married Princess Mary of Teck – 6 July 1893. She was originally engaged to his brother Prince Albert, who was … Continue reading British Monarchs and Their Spouses: from the Windsors to the Tudors

HistorianRuby27/09/201830/12/20185 Comments

20th Century, History, Women's History

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: Consort of King George VI

Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was born 4 August 1900, the ninth child of Claude George Bowes-Lyon and Nina Cecilia Bowes-Lyon, Lord and Lady Glamis. The family divided its time between Glamis Castle in Scotland and homes in Hertfordshire and St James’s Square, London. When war broke out in 1914, Glamis Castle was used as a reception centre and hospital for the wounded and young Elizabeth … Continue reading Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: Consort of King George VI

HistorianRuby18/09/201826/04/202113 Comments

20th Century, History

29 July 1981: the Marriage of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer

Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales, married Lady Diana Frances Spencer, daughter of the eighth Earl Spencer on 29 July 1981 after a short engagement that had been announced on 24 February the same year. The marriage ceremony was held at St Paul’s Cathedral rather than the more traditional Westminster Abbey as it could hold more guests. Charles, a future King of Great Britain, … Continue reading 29 July 1981: the Marriage of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer

HistorianRuby29/07/201822/09/201814 Comments

History

Windsor Castle: a Visit to St George’s Chapel

This week I couldn’t resist a pre Royal Wedding visit to Windsor Castle. You can read my post here. Along with visiting the State Apartments I had the privilege of visiting St George’s Chapel. Quoting from my post Royal Weddings at Windsor Castle: a History; ‘the Chapel has centuries of significance for the royal family and is the last resting place of many previous monarchs … Continue reading Windsor Castle: a Visit to St George’s Chapel

HistorianRuby19/05/201820/05/20184 Comments

History

Royal Weddings at Windsor Castle: a History

Today Prince Harry marries Meghan Markle at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The Chapel has centuries of significance for the royal family and is the last resting place of many previous monarchs and their consorts, including King Henry VIII and his third queen, Jane Seymour, King Edward the IV and his queen Elizabeth Woodville and King George V and his consort Queen Mary, the present queen’s … Continue reading Royal Weddings at Windsor Castle: a History

HistorianRuby19/05/201819/05/20186 Comments

History

Windsor Castle: a Visit

This week I headed to Windsor Castle, I might have given it a miss but for the fact the the Royal Collection was bombarding my Facebook page with adverts inviting me to come! With 5 days to go before the Royal Wedding I was excited to visit on what turned out to be a beautiful late spring day. You can read my earlier post here. … Continue reading Windsor Castle: a Visit

HistorianRuby17/05/201817/05/20187 Comments

History

Windsor is Royal Wedding Ready!

Royal Wedding fever has officially hit! We are 5 days away from watching Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle walk down the aisle of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Windsor Castle is resplendent in the sunshine today and, not surprisingly, is teeming with tourists and TV crews. People are dodging cameramen, royal reporters, news anchors and the ubiquitous selfie-sticks, and others are photobombing perfectly … Continue reading Windsor is Royal Wedding Ready!

HistorianRuby14/05/201814/05/201816 Comments

19th Century, History

The Royal Double Wedding

Almost 200 years ago there was a very different royal wedding. It was not held in the grand and historically significant Westminster Abbey, like the 2011 marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, but in the relatively small summer palace in the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. Kew Palace, originally ‘the White House’, was the home of Frederick, the Prince of Wales and his wife … Continue reading The Royal Double Wedding

HistorianRuby05/12/201720/05/201817 Comments