Tag: Princess of Wales

What the Waleses Tell Us About the Cambridges

On By RSBIn The House of WindsorLeave a comment

a8384bcacc1411c0b451147939505175.jpg

As I mentioned last week, I have been making my way through Sally Bedell Smith’s latest biography on the Prince of Wales. I haven’t gotten too far, but far enough that I’ve come through the other side of the 1980s and all that that entails. Not too much about the Waleses’ marriage could possibly be new to us at this point, but it’s been a few years since I’ve sat down and waded my way through a biography of one of them and it was interesting to do so, particularly the early years in light of how the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are currently perceived.

Continue reading “What the Waleses Tell Us About the Cambridges” →

Camelot & the Virginity of Katherine of Aragon

On By RSBIn The House of Tudor1 Comment

aragonsittow1.jpg

Between Henry VII ascending the throne in 1485 and his death in 1509, England evolved from a country that had been in or on the verge of civil war for decades to a country that was beginning to re-emerge as an actual power broker in Europe. It’s an interesting concept to consider in the wake of all the Brexit news as members of today’s Royal Family undertake diplomatic tours of European countries to underline Britain’s continued friendship.

By establishing the House of Tudor, Henry essentially put an end to the viability of continued Plantagenet infighting. As the last Lancastrian claimant (sort of, his lineage wasn’t much to boast of) he strategically married Elizabeth of York, fusing the two warring houses in one union. Thus, their children were meant to appease both sides, and their position was bolstered by a father who ruthlessly kept the peace, filled the coffers and eliminated dynastic threats.

Continue reading “Camelot & the Virginity of Katherine of Aragon” →

Always a Princess, Never a Queen: Augusta of Saxe-Gotha

On By RSBIn The House of Hanover1 Comment

Augusta_of_Saxe-Gotha,_Princess_of_Wales_by_Charles_Philips_cropped.jpg

Let’s take a moment to pity poor Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, because she didn’t have an easy go of it. Married to the Prince of Wales as a teenager, she was wildly under-prepared for marriage into the British Royal Family, particularly when it was as fractured as it was in the reign of King George II. She had little way of knowing that her new husband was the black sheep of the family, or that her own growing family would become a thorn in the side of her in-laws. Even less could she have foretold that her husband would die prematurely, removing the possibility of ever becoming queen, while leaving her with the weighty responsibility of raising the future king in a foreign country.

Continue reading “Always a Princess, Never a Queen: Augusta of Saxe-Gotha” →