NB! · Monarchies · Observations · Humour
New official portrait of King Charles III, his appearance, makeup and retouching
In his new official portrait, King Charles III looks rather poorly. And the make-up and retouching have let the side down
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Monarchies
Monarchies · Mores · Society
Meeting of Henry VIII and Francis I at the Field of the Cloth of Gold in June 1520
One of the most costly and pointless state meetings in history took place in June 1520 between the young King Henry VIII and King Francis I, on the very edge of English territory, between the castles of Guînes and Ardres. The sovereigns arrived with retinues of 12,000 people. The
NB! · Archaeology · Art · Monarchies · Museums
Head of Tutankhamun, c. 1336–1327 BC
The East · Books · Monarchies · Humour
Donald Trump's 1990 visit to Japan and his meeting with the Emperor 27 years later
A rather amusing episode concerning Donald Trump's meeting with the Japanese Emperor Akihito, described in Harry Hurt's book "Lost Tycoon: The Many Lives of Donald J. Trump" The author tells of Trump's business visit to Japan in 1990. If the book is
Archive · Art · Monarchies
A 15th-century French book of hours on Melusine, the queen who turned into a dragon
The March calendar summons people to plough, sow and put their houses in order. And dragons to return to the castle. Though, strictly speaking, we are talking about one very particular dragon. A French book of hours of the fifteenth century records one version of the legend of Queen Melusine,
Aristocracy · Faith · London · Monarchies
Princess Alexandra of Kent attends a service at St George's Chapel in memory of King Constantine II of Greece, second cousin of King Charles III, who died a year ago
The Hon. Lady Ogilvy was in a wheelchair. With the years she looks ever more frail, yet she keeps her aristocratic bearing and grace, and is as beautiful as ever. At the ceremony Princess Alexandra was accompanied by her daughter Marina Ogilvy. Just look how alike they are. By reason
Monarchies · Observations
Napoleon leaves Elba and enters Paris without a shot in March 1815
So the brief but dazzling novella known as "Napoleon's Hundred Days" began 209 years ago. On 25 February 1815 he left his captivity of his own accord, sailing from the island of Elba aboard the brig L'Inconstant together with six ships, passing calmly through
Faith · Monarchies · Museums · Saint Petersburg
Throne chair of Paul I as Grand Master of the Maltese Order, designed by Quarenghi
The throne chair of the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, with an embroidered Maltese cross on its back, made for Paul I in 1799-1800 to a design by the architect Giacomo Quarenghi. Paul I was elected Grand Master of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem in
NB! · Architecture · Monarchies · Paris
Versailles in Winter
NB! · Monarchies · Mores · Ethnography
Russians dearly loved their long beards and moustaches, which Tsar Peter I took from them
Russians dearly loved their long beards and moustaches, which Tsar Peter I took from them. But people prized these marks of respectability so highly that they carefully kept their shorn beards in order to be buried with them, imagining how dreadful they would look in the coffin with a bare
Archive · Art · Monarchies · Humour
Dutch provinces as a cow in a 16th-century caricature with Philip II, Elizabeth and William of Orange
The Dutch provinces in the guise of a cow: Philip II of Spain tries to ride her, Elizabeth, Queen of England, feeds her, while William the Silent, Prince of Orange, puts his mouth to the udder to milk her. The Duke of Anjou, who holds the beast by the tail,
Archive · Monarchies
Group portrait of Queen Victoria's family at the Osborne House fountain, 24 May 1854
Group portrait of the British royal family before the fountain at Osborne House, 24 May 1854. Besides Queen Victoria, her husband Prince Albert and her 68-year-old mother, Princess Victoria, the photograph shows, from left to right, the royal children: Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, Princess Alice, Prince Arthur,