Moniek Bloks's Blog, page 88

Royal Jewels – The King Faisal Necklace

The King Faisal necklace is described as being “channel-set with baguettes, suspending claw-set brilliant” and having “11 graduated pear-shaped pendants.”1

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The King Faisal necklace has a total of 83.94 metric carats and was made by Harry Winston in 1952. It stayed in stock until 1967, when it was purchased by King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. He presented it to Queen Elizabeth II during his State Visit to the United Kingdom that same year.

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Queen Elizabeth II has worn it often since. She also loaned it to her daughters-in-law, The Princess of Wales in 1983 and the Countess of Wessex in 2012.

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Empress Xiaokangzhang – The Qing Dynasty’s shortest-reigning Empress Dowager

Empress Xiaokangzhang was the fourth Empress of the Shunzhi Emperor. She was also the mother of the Kangxi Emperor. Empress Xiaokangzhang was also known to be the first Han Chinese Empress in the Qing Dynasty. She was also the Qing Dynasty’s shortest-reigning Empress Dowager. Empress Xiaokangzhang was an overlooked concubine who suddenly rose to prominence as the Emperor’s mother.

In 1640 C.E., Empress Xiaokangzhang was born. She was from the Tonggiya clan, who were under the Han military banner. Her father was a general named Tonggiya Tulai.[1] She had two younger brothers named Tonggiya Guowei and Tonggiya Guogang.[2] When Emperor Kangxi accended the throne, he made his maternal grandfather a duke.[3] Her brothers became her son’s imperial bodyguards.[4]

In 1653 C.E., Lady Tonggiya entered the palace to become a concubine to Emperor Shunzhi. On 4 May 1654 C.E., Lady Tonggiya gave birth to Emperor Shunzhi’s third son, Xuanye. However, Lady Tonggiya was not favoured and was often neglected.[5] She was not given a title or a promotion.[6] Xuanye was also ignored by his own father.[7] Therefore, they continued to be overlooked and unfavoured by Emperor Shunzhi until 1661 C.E.

In 1661 C.E., Emperor Shunzhi fell ill with smallpox. He still had no apparent successor. Emperor Shunzhi finally selected Xuanye to be the Crown Prince.[8] He chose Xuanye because, among all his sons, he was the one who was lucky enough to survive smallpox.[9] Emperor Shunzhi thought that since Xuanye defeated smallpox, he would become a strong and healthy emperor.[10] On 5 February 1661 C.E., Emperor Shunzhi died. Xuanye accended the throne as the Kangxi Emperor. Lady Tonggiya was made Empress Dowager Cihe. The Tonggiya clan’s Han banner was turned into a Manchu banner.[11] They would become one of the most prosperous clans in the Qing Dynasty.[12]

Two years later, Empress Dowager Cihe fell ill. Emperor Kangxi nursed his sick mother day and night. However, she died on 10 March 1663 C.E. She was twenty-four years old. She was the Empress Dowager for two years. On 30 March 1663 C.E., Empress Xiaokangzhang’s coffin was moved to Bashang. Emperor Kangxi held the ceremony with great composure.[13] However, he lost his composure and shed tears when the servants carried his mother’s coffin out of the palace.[14] Emperor Kangxi was not allowed to attend her funeral because his grandmother would not permit him to leave the Forbidden City.[15] She was buried beside Emperor Shunzhi and Empress Xiaoxian Donggo in the Eastern Qing Mausoleum.[16] On 2 July 1663 C.E., Emperor Kangxi made his mother the posthumous Empress Xiaokangzhang.

Empress Xiaokangzhang was often neglected and overlooked by Emperor Shunzhi. It was through a series of tragic events that her son was able to become Emperor. Upon Emperor Kangxi’s accession, she was finally able to get the respect she deserved. However, she was the shortest-reigning Empress Dowager in the Qing Dynasty. Tragically, she did not live long enough to see her son’s accomplishments as one of China’s greatest emperors.

Sources:

DayDayNews. (March 29, 2020). “How did Emperor Kangxi’s mother become the first Han queen in the Qing Dynasty?” Retrieved on 18 September 2022 from https://daydaynews.cc/en/history/amp/....

McMahon, K. (2016). Celestial Women: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Song to Qing. NY: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Yu, S. & Wang, L. trans. (2015). “Empress Xiao Kang Zhang of the Tonggiya Clan”. Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women v. 1: The Qing Period, 1644-1911 (1st ed.). (L. X. H. Lee, Ed.; C. Lau, Ed.; A.D. Stefanowska,. Ed.; S. Wiles, Asst. Ed.) NY: Routledge. pp. 347-348.

Swen, L. (2021). Jesuit Mission and Submission: Qing Rulership and the Fate of Christianity in China, 1644-1735. Netherlands: Brill.

[1] Swen, 2001

[2] Swen, 2021

[3] Yu and Wang, 2015

[4] Swen, 2021

[5] DayDayNews, 29 March 2020, “How did Emperor Kangxi’s mother become the first Han queen in the Qing Dynasty?”

[6] DayDayNews, 29 March 2020, “How did Emperor Kangxi’s mother become the first Han queen in the Qing Dynasty?”

[7] DayDayNews, 29 March 2020, “How did Emperor Kangxi’s mother become the first Han queen in the Qing Dynasty?”

[8] Yu and Wang, 2015

[9] Yu and Wang, 2015

[10] Yu and Wang, 2015

[11] DayDayNews, 29 March 2020, “How did Emperor Kangxi’s mother become the first Han queen in the Qing Dynasty?”

[12] DayDayNews, 29 March 2020, “How did Emperor Kangxi’s mother become the first Han queen in the Qing Dynasty?”

[13] Yu and Wang, 2015

[14] Yu and Wang, 2015

[15] Yu and Wang, 2015

[16] McMahon, 2016

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Schloss Ahlden – Sophia Dorothea’s prison

Sophia Dorothea of Celle should have been Queen of Great Britain but her divorce from the future King George I put any stop to that.

Sophia Dorothea of Celle was born on 15 September 1666 as the daughter of George William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and his mistress, Eleonore d’Esmier d’Olbreuse. Her parents officially married in 1676.

On 22 November 1682, she married her cousin, George, Electoral Prince of Hanover, after reportedly shouting, “I will not marry the pig snout!” The marriage was off to a bad start, and they were particularly unhappy. Sophia Dorothea was despised by her family-in-law, and the only reason they married was for financial reasons. Her mother-in-law wrote, “One hundred thousand thalers a year is a goodly sum to pocket, without speaking of a pretty wife, who will find a match in my son George Louis, the most pigheaded, stubborn boy who ever lived, who has round his brains such a thick crust that I defy any man or woman ever to discover what is in them. He does not care much for the match itself, but one hundred thousand thalers a year have tempted him as they would have tempted anybody else.”

Despite their problems, the couple had two children, George Augustus (born 1683) and Sophia Dorothea (born 1686). George took up with a mistress, Melusine von der Schulenburg and neglected his wife. Sophia Dorothea responded by taking a lover of her own, Count Philip Christoph von Königsmarck. George ended up physically attacking his wife over her affair and was eventually pulled off by her attendants. Von Königsmarck disappeared in 1694 and was presumably murdered or killed. Sophia Dorothea was immediately informed that she was to stay in her rooms. She probably released that the affair had been discovered and that something horrible had happened. However, as she remained under house arrest, the evidence against her was being gathered.

She was eventually questioned and informed that Christoph von Königsmarck was dead. She became overwhelmed with grief and screamed that he must have been murdered. Her father-in-law had her put on suicide watch that night. Her husband offered her one last chance. She would have to swear fidelity to him and resume her wifely duties in the court and in the bedroom. Sophia Dorothea refused his offer and asked to be sent home to her parents. This was never going to happen, and her father-in-law decided to send her to the castle of Ahlden and made it seem like the decision had been made by Sophia Dorothea herself.

Click to view slideshow.

On 17 July 1694, Sophia Dorothea departed for Ahlden, though she probably did not realise that she would spend the rest of her life there.

As divorce proceedings began, Sophia Dorothea was given another chance to return to her husband. Once again, she refused. She was then brought to Lauenau to appear before the divorce court, where she stated that she could and would not “ever again live in conjugal relations with our Consort.”1 If she believed she would ever be able to see her children again or perhaps even be allowed to remarry, she would be in for a shock. On 28 December 1694, the divorce proceedings were finalised. Sophia Dorothea was considered the guilty party.

Two months later, Sophia Dorothea returned to the Castle of Ahlden, where she became known as the Duchess of Ahlden. While there, she was under the watchful eye of the Seigneur de la Fortière. He read all her incoming and outgoing mail and walked with her on the grounds. Even her – considerable – staff were told to keep an eye on her., For some sense of normality, she was given the right to administer the territory of Ahlden, and due to her charitable nature, she became quite popular in the area. She tried to keep up appearances by dressing according to her status, even if no one was around to see the glittering jewels.

She remained desperate for her freedom and tried to stick to every rule in order to be on her father-in-law’s good side. Even when the castle caught on fire, she remained until she had written approval to leave. Although she was allowed some visitors, mostly local dignitaries, visits from her family were strictly off-limits. Over time, the restrictions began to lessen, and she was allowed to attend the local church. She was eventually allowed to go on carriage rides with a set route. But wherever she went, she was constantly under guard, and there was no escape.

Her father-in-law died on 23 January 1698, and just three days she wrote to her husband begging to be allowed to see her son and daughter. She wrote, “The sincerity of my repentance should obtain pardon from Your Highness; and if to crown your favour you would permit me to see and embrace our children, my gratitude for such longed-for favours would be infinite as I desire nothing so earnestly as this, and I should be content to die afterwards.”2 Her wish was not granted, although she was eventually allowed to see her mother.

Sophia Dorothea was briefly moved from Ahlden as it was feared she might fall into the hands of French troops. She was whisked away to Celle in the spring of 1700. Even after the danger had passed, her mother tried to keep her with her, claiming ill health. Sophia Dorothea was promptly sent back to Ahlden, where her mother was allowed to visit her with news of her children. Life went on without her in it, and she eventually became a grandmother. However, she was devastated by the loss of her mother in 1722, the one person who visited regularly. Not even the secret letters from her daughter could now bring her joy.

Life continued in a lonely and cruel routine for a further four years. On 13 November 1726, Sophia Dorothea died within the walls of the Castle of Ahlden. Her body was placed in a lead coffin and placed in a vault inside the castle as officials waited for instructions. It took six months before the decision was made to have her buried in the ducal vault in Celle. She rests there still – now in the company of her great-granddaughter Caroline Matilda.

The Castle of Ahlden is now an auction house and is not generally open to the public.

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The Year of Marie Antoinette – Marie Antoinette & Maria Amalia, Duchess of Parma

Maria Amalia was born on 26 February 1746. The Archduchess was the eighth child of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Holy Roman Emperor Francis I, who had accended the Imperial throne just a year before Maria Amalia was born.

After a tumultuous few years and a drawn-out succession crisis, her mother’s reign was finally secure. The Empress and her growing family lived in luxury between the Hofburg and Schönbrunn palaces. As her parents ruled over one of Europe’s largest empires, the children were given nothing but the best and were educated according to their rank as future rulers of Europe. The boys were given a rigorous education, drilled morning until night in all subjects, whereas the girls focused on art, history and needlework.

Over the years, Maria Theresa went on to have thirteen children who survived into adulthood. The flock was divided into an older group and a younger group, the split having been caused by the sad loss of a number of the middle children. Maria Amalia, known simply as Amalia by her family, belonged to the older group of children and was always overshadowed by Maria Christina, who was her mother’s favourite. Maria Antonia, the youngest daughter, joined the family in 1755, meaning there were nine years between Amalia and little Antoine, as she was fondly known.

Maria Theresa and family (public domain)

While Maria Theresa loved her children and wanted the best for them, she did not show love readily and was often very critical of the children. Some of the children, it seemed, could never put a foot wrong, while others, including Amalia, received very little attention from the Empress other than criticism. Though the family employed a large number of staff and governesses to care for the children, the brood was often unruly and difficult to tame. The atmosphere in the nurseries and school rooms of the palace was often tense and competitive, while at other times, the children would be “in open war with each other, throwing priceless pieces of artwork and fighting.”

The girls were forever compared for their looks, manners and behaviour, and there were often jealousies and rivalries between them. Marie Antoinette (as Maria Antonia was later known) was always jealous of her older sister Maria Christina, but when it came to Amalia, the pair were more friendly as Amalia was seen as a “less threatening figure” who was not as pretty, graceful, clever or interesting as some of the others. The large age gap, however, meant that Amalia and Marie Antoinette, though raised together, had little in common and did not play together much growing up. On the other hand, Marie Antoinette and Maria Carolina were raised like twins and spent all of their time together, playing games and often getting involved in mischief.

As the sisters grew older, the focus of their mother shifted to their future marriages. After the death of their father, Empress Maria Theresa became obsessed with arranging prestigious matches for her children. In a period of grief and despair, Maria Theresa had allowed Maria Christina to marry a lower-ranking man for love. Following this, the girls’ older brother, the new Emperor Joseph II, tragically lost his wife and vowed never to have more children. For the remaining unmarried Habsburg children, including Amalia and Marie Antoinette, this meant the stakes were raised, and their spouses had to be carefully chosen in order to create further dynastic ties to other royal houses throughout Europe.

In the late 1760s, there were three daughters still to be married; Maria Carolina, Maria Amalia and Maria Antonia. The first to wed was Charlotte, who became known as Queen Maria Carolina of Naples upon her marriage to King Ferdinand IV of Naples and Sicily on 7 April 1768.

Next, it was time for Amalia to marry, and she was determined to marry for love as her sister Maria Christina had. Amalia had fallen for Prince Charles of Zweibrücken, but she was not permitted to marry him as this did not fit in with her mother’s plan to marry the girls off to powerful Bourbon men.

Maria Amalia submitted to her mother’s will, but their already strained relationship was damaged irreparably after Amalia was forced to marry against her wishes, especially when she discovered her groom was a poorly-educated man who was six years younger than her and had little control over his own penniless state.

Ferdinand I of Parma (public domain)

Nevertheless, the pair were married on 19 July 1769. As with Maria Carolina before her, Amalia said an emotional farewell to her Austrian family. They were all hugging and kissing and in floods of tears, knowing they may never meet again.

Marie Antoinette was devasted at watching her older sisters leave, though it was not long before she left Austria for good to become the French Dauphine. In one of the most important marriages of the 18th century, Marie Antoinette married the Dauphin Louis Auguste on 16 May 1770, the youngest of Maria Theresa’s daughters was now destined to become Queen of France.

Even when living in different countries, the girls were forever receiving letters from their mother about their conduct as royal consorts. Maria Theresa would write to Maria Carolina and Amalia advising them to obey their husbands and not to interfere in politics. When it was reported that Maria Carolina and Amalia were “perceived as interfering consorts”, Maria Theresa was furious and constantly worried about how this would affect the newly married Dauphine.

Upon reaching her new home in the Duchy of Parma, Amalia was shocked to see how provincial and how small everything was when compared to the glistening courts of her Austrian homeland. There was also a bitterness that she was merely a Duchess when her sisters were now both Queens. Over time, Amalia settled into her life in Parma and was determined to free Parma from French control and bring about reforms.

When Amalia and Ferdinand were blessed with children, the couple came a little closer together and thrived in their role as parents. Their first child was a daughter who was named Carolina, despite Maria Theresa’s demands that all granddaughters be named after her. Carolina was followed by eight siblings, though only four children survived to adulthood. The people of Parma were pleased with Amalia for providing heirs for the Duchy, and she was popular with the masses for giving to the poor and treating everyone as equals. The nobility and her husband’s ministers, however, despised her due to her interfering, behaving like a tomboy and the fact she was spending the country in to ruin as she bought lavish clothes and held grand parties.

Children of Maria Amalia (public domain)

It was not long before Marie Antoinette was also reprimanded by her mother for failing to fall pregnant. The Dauphine was heartbroken whenever she heard that one of her sisters had fallen pregnant, and it famously took Marie Antoinette seven years to bear a child. Over time, after becoming Queen, Marie Antoinette became known for her over-spending while the country was starving, just like her sister Amalia. Their upbringing at lavish Austrian palaces had obviously left a mark on both women.

Though Marie Antoinette was far away from her siblings, she stayed in contact with them by writing letters and sending gifts and portraits regularly. When Marie Antoinette was imprisoned and awaiting her death during the French Revolution, it was her sisters she wrote to, and when they heard she had been executed, Maria Carolina and Amalia were utterly bereft. Maria Amalia’s daughter wrote that her upon hearing of her sister’s execution in 1793, she turned pale, began to cry and scream and then fell to the ground. Amalia completely lost control and sunk into a depression that would stay with her for the rest of her life. Despite being apart for much of their lives, this shows how much love remained between the sisters.

Like her sister, Amalia’s life came to a sad end because of the French Revolution. Parma was stormed by Napoleon’s troops and was soon annexed to a new puppet state, the Kingdom of Etruria. After the death of her husband Ferdinand, Amalia died in Prague, where she had spent her final years living in exile with her younger daughters. However, Amalia’s son went on to rule as King Louis I of Etruria, and in time, the Duchy of Parma was restored to the family line.

In Destiny’s Hands: Five Tragic Rulers, Children of Maria Theresa by Justin C. Vouk p17
How To Ruin a Queen by Jonathan Beckman p20
In Destiny’s Hands- p15
In Destiny’s Hands- p17
In Destiny’s Hands- p11
Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser p25
Marie Antoinette: The Journey p27
In Destiny’s Hands- p25
Marie Antoinette: The Journey- p56
In Destiny’s Hands- p64
The French Revolution by Christopher Hibbert p20
Marie Antoinette: The Journey- p57
In Destiny’s Hands- p77
In Destiny’s Hands- p107
In Destiny’s Hands- p107-108
The French Revolution: 1789-1799 by Peter McPhee p19
In Destiny’s Hands- p269

Sources
How to ruin a Queen- Jonathan Beckman
The French Revolution- Christopher Hibbert
The French Revolution 1789-1799- Peter McPhee
In Destiny’s Hands: Five Tragic Rulers, Children of Maria Theresa- Justin C. Vouk
Marie Antoinette: The Journey- Antonia Fraser

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The Duchess of Kent at 90: The reluctant Duchess (Part three)

Read part two here.

These years were unhappy times in the Kent marriage. In 1976, she was admitted to the hospital and was diagnosed with mild anaemia. Around this time, the Duke decided to leave the army, and he was appointed as the vice-chairman of the British Overseas Trade Board. The following year, Katharine was elated to discover that she was once again pregnant. On 4 October 1977, she gave birth to a third son, who was tragically stillborn. She named the boy Patrick. In a later interview, she said, “It had the most devastating effect on me. I had no idea how devastating such a thing could be to any woman… I suffered from acute depression for a while. I think it would be a fairly rare individual who didn’t cave in under those circumstances. The baby was born dead at nine months. It was a horrible thing to happen.”1

Although she continued with her engagements, which included handing out trophies at Wimbledon. However, the deaths of her father and mother during these years only made matters worse. Desperate to avoid embarrassing or offending Queen Elizabeth II or the royal family, Katharine carried on. In 1978, she was eventually hospitalized for several weeks due to a “nervous strain.”2 By then, her marriage was also on the point of collapse as Edward reportedly had no idea how to deal with Katharine’s mental distress. However, they eventually agreed that their marriage would survive. Slowly but surely, she battled through.

The first of their children to marry was their eldest son George. In 1988, he married Sylvana Tomaselli. Katharine was on the fence about her new daughter-in-law, but would anyone ever be good enough? Queen Elizabeth II officially gave her consent to the match, but as Sylvana was a Catholic, George would lose his place in the line of succession. Less than a year after the marriage, they welcomed their first child – a son. He was named Edward, and as the eventual heir to the Dukedom, he carried the courtesy title of Lord Downpatrick. Two daughters were also born to them.

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Her son Nicholas caused quite some concern as he reportedly suffered from an eating disorder, which Katharine found particularly hard to bear. Her daughter Helen was the second to be married in 1992. She married Timothy Taylor with the consent of The Queen. They went on to have four children.

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Katharine was received into the Catholic Church on 14 January 1994, a wish that had been growing for more than 30 years. She later said in an interview, “I do love guidelines, and the Catholic Church offers you guidelines. I have always wanted that in my life: I like to know what is expected of me. I like being told: ‘You shall go to church on Sunday, and, if not, you’re in for it.'”3 In 1996, a new health challenge presented itself when Katharine was diagnosed with ME or chronic fatigue syndrome.4 She was also diagnosed with possibly having coeliac disease, which could also account for her exhaustion as she was not properly absorbing food.5

By the late 90s, Katharine and Edward’s children were all grown up, and they basically lived separate lives with separate agendas and hobbies. The Duchess began to slowly retreat from her royal life and even took up a regular job, working as a music teacher in Hull. During her time there, she was known as “Mrs Kent” or “Katharine Kent.” She later said, “When I was teaching, the first thing I began to notice was the power of music as a stimulant to these children to give them confidence and self-belief. I began to see that happen all the time.”6 Katharine briefly left teaching and launched a music charity called Future Talent, which helps children to develop their musical talent. Then, she reportedly returned to teaching for children who lived in Grenfell Tower.

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As she turns 90, The Duchess of Kent has become the oldest living member of the British royal family, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

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The Duchess of Kent at 90: The reluctant Duchess (Part two)

Read part one here.

In response, she left the country. Katharine took a friend with her to Canada, and they planned a trip by greyhound bus to Mexico. She briefly took a job in a Canadian department store to save up more money for the trip. As she eventually reached her final destination, a bouquet of flowers was waiting for her. The card simply read “E.” Upon her return, it became clear that the wedding was to go ahead despite everyone’s reservations. Princess Marina began to train her future daughter-in-law for the life that lay ahead. For a final huzzah, Katharine escaped to Rome for the 1960 Olympics.

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On 1 January 1961, the Duke of Kent proposed to Katharine in the library at Hovingham Hall with a ring of sapphire and diamonds. He requested and received official permission from Queen Elizabeth II. A friend of the Duke later said, “I suspect she undertook the marriage partly out of a sense of duty. [..] I suspect she had no wish to enter into the royal world of protocol. She would have been happier with a good county marriage.”1

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On 8 June 1961, Katharine walked down the aisle of York Minster to marry the Duke of Kent. Her gown was commissioned from John Cavanagh, and it was made of more than 250 yards of white silk gauze. She wore pearls, which were a gift from her parents. She had a long veil that fell over her 15-foot train, which was held down with a bandeau of diamonds. Princess Anne was her chief bridesmaid. She emerged as Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent. Just a few hours later, she was reportedly in tears, fearing that she had made a terrible mistake.

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The newlyweds moved into Coppins, which had been vacated by her mother-in-law. By Christmas, it was apparent that Katharine was pregnant with her first child. On 26 June 1962, she gave birth to a son named George Philip Nicolas, who went by the courtesy title of Earl of St Andrews. Not much later, the Duke and Duchess went to Uganda for their independence celebrations. Although she had never been an extraordinary student, she now “did her homework.”2 From then on, she was always impeccably prepared for all engagements.

Not much later, Prince Edward was posted to Hong Kong, and Katharine and their son travelled with him. In the autumn of 1963, Katharine fell pregnant with her second child, just as Edward was posted to Germany. Katharine chose to have the baby in the UK, where three other royal women were also pregnant. Queen Elizabeth II was pregnant with Prince Andrew, Princess Margaret was pregnant with Lady Sarah, and Princess Alexandra was pregnant with James. On 29 April 1964, Katharine gave birth to a daughter named Helen Marina Lucy. As the daughter of a Duke, she carried the courtesy title of Lady. Prince Edward had arrived home just in time for the birth. Her recovery after the birth was slow and perhaps hinted at some kind of postpartum depression. During these years, Katharine lived mainly as an officer’s wife, though they were sometimes called upon to carry out engagements.

On 27 August 1968, her mother-in-law Princess Marina died at Kensington Palace of a brain tumour. Katharine’s relationship with Marina had been complicated, but now she inherited her work. She took on several new patronages and offices, and the number of royal engagements now filled her diary. In 1969, she and her husband headed to Australia, New Guinea, the British Solomons and the New Hebrides, but by Perth, the strain on Katharine’s health was already becoming clear. Nevertheless, she brushed it off and carried on. At the end of the year, her third pregnancy was confirmed. On 25 July 1970, she gave birth to a second son named Nicholas Charles Edward Jonathan. As the second son of a Duke, he carried the courtesy title of Lord. The following year, they sold Coppins and moved into York House.

Katharine desperately longed for more children, and she finally fell pregnant again in 1975. However, on 30 April 1975, newspapers reported that Katharine had fallen ill with German measles. This, combined with an early pregnancy, could cause damage to the unborn child, such as defects to the heart, brain and eyes. Princess Christina of the Netherlands was born blind in one eye and with cataracts in the other eye following her mother’s infection with measles. Often, the mother would suffer a miscarriage. Katharine was advised by her doctors to have an abortion, but she turned to the church for a second opinion. They told her that if the medical advice was to have an abortion, she would be committing no fault. In the end, she chose abortion.

Part three coming soon.

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The Duchess of Kent at 90: The reluctant Duchess (Part one)

The future Duchess of Kent was born Katharine Mary Lucy Worsley on 22 February 1933 as the daughter of Sir William Worsley, 4th Bt. and Joyce Brunner. She was their fourth child and first daughter.

Although the idyll of her birthplace of Hovingham Hall might easily be romanticised, Katharine was separated from her brothers during the school term as they were all sent away to boarding school. In her early years, her mother was frequently her only companion. She was just six years old when war broke out, and she found herself being fitted for a gas mask. Around this time, a governess named Miss Evelyn Brockhurst was hired to see to Katharine’s education. However, the older Miss Evelyn Brockhurst was not much of a suitable companion for the young girl. Katharine had some contact with her older cousins, but there was to be no lasting relationship. As a result, Katharine’s childhood was to be unhappily lonely, though she always had a strong bond with her father.

At the age of ten, she was finally allowed to go to a traditional boarding school, though it was not far from her home, and so she attended only during the day. At the school, Castle Howard, Katharine first glimpsed at royalty when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited with Princess Elizabeth in 1944. When the war came to an end, Katharine danced with her friends in school, but with the war now over, she was to be sent to a proper boarding school, where her older cousins also were – Runton Hill School.

Although now offered a chance to thrive away from her family, Katharine was not happy at Runton Hill. The conditions at the school were pretty basic and bleak. However, she did play lacrosse and appeared in some of the school plays and managed to open up to a few close friends. One of the girls she shared her accommodation with said, “She made the best of her time there. We all have times when we’re not happy, and she just made the best of it.”1 Her main passion was music, and she could play any song on the piano by ear. She left the school at the age of 16 with several passes and credits. She then went to Miss Hubler’s finish school in Oxford while also continuing her passion for the piano. However, she failed to get into the Royal Academy of Music, which she called “my own fault, entirely.”2 Nevertheless, these years were among the happiest of her life.

Her brothers John and Oliver escorted her to parties and the theatre, and so Katharine came in contact with the eligible young men of the 1950s. She met Andrew Burnaby-Atkins – a dashing officer who was almost 30. It turned out to be a “great love affair.”3 However, Katharine had no idea what she wanted to do with her life, and her parents rented a flat in London for her during her “coming out.” She was eventually hired, despite her lack of qualifications, as a kindergarten helper at an exclusive nursery. Her mother wanted her to be married, and preferably it should be an amazing match. It’s unclear when exactly she ended her relationship with Andrew Burnaby-Atkins, but they remained friends.

In the summer of 1956, Katharine met the Duke of Kent, who had been posted nearby. Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, was three years younger than her, and he had succeeded his father as Duke in 1942 when he was killed in a plane crash. He had been invited to lunch at Hovingham Hall by her father, and afterwards, Katharine took him to see the oil paintings, including one of hers. He reportedly told her, “Ah, Miss Worsley, it doesn’t do you justice.”4 Katharine’s mother now her grand match in her sights.

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Edward became a frequent visitor to Hovingham Hall, and Katharine found herself receiving invitations from other members of the royal family. Edward’s mother, Princess Marina, was less than pleased with the match as she would have preferred some European princess for her son. The romance progressed quietly, and Katharine was the only outsider to be invited to Edward’s sister’s 21st birthday party. Shortly after Katharine’s 25th birthday, Edward told his mother that he wanted to marry her, but Princess Marina told him no. She worried that Katharine would not be up to royal life, and Katharine shared those worries. For now, the wedding plans were shelved as Prince Edward was set to go to Germany for two years. Princess Marina told them not to have any contact for at least a year to be sure that they wished to marry. But as Prince Edward went to Germany, media attention on Katharine intensified.

Part two coming soon.

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The murder of Aleid van Poelgeest

Aleid van Poelgeest was born circa 1370 as the daughter of Jan van Poelgeest and Aleid van Beest Gerbrandsdr. Her life isn’t easy to piece together. She was presumably born in Koudekerk, and her father was an important man at the court of John II, Count of Blois, who later also claimed the Duchy of Guelders. John was the godfather of one of Jan’s daughters – presumably Aleid.

Aleid was presumed to have been a lady-in-waiting to Margaret of Brieg, the first wife of Albert I, Duke of Bavaria. She probably caught Albert’s eye in 1386 when her father went into Albert’s service. The following year, Albert twice visited Koudekerk after having paid off his previous mistress with 150 guilders. As the visits to Aleid’s family became more frequent, Albert seemed to be paving the way for Aleid to become his next mistress.

In 1388, Aleid appeared in the records in The Hague, and it is presumed that she was living there at the time. On 12 June 1388, Aleid was given her own ladies-in-waiting, and on 24 June, Albert purchased a house for her in the city. She was also given an allowance and received her own rooms at court. Albert was known to visit Aleid in her home often, sometimes in the company of her son. Aleid was reportedly on good terms with his son.

Aleid accompanied Albert on his travels – such as his grand entries into Holland, Zeeland and Hainaut and was showered with gifts – such as a horse, rabbits and fur. However, she reportedly had to share the furs with another of Albert’s mistresses, who was pregnant at the time.

Aleid’s political influence over Albert is difficult to determine, though it was rumoured to have been great. Supposedly, he left the rule of the land to her. There were troubles between two political parties, the Hoeks (“Hooks”) and Kabeljauws (“Cods”), and Aleid was from a family that traditionally supported the Hoeks. They were in favour of maintaining the power of the nobility, while the Kabeljauws favoured greater powers for the cities and the local lords. There is no evidence that Aleid influenced matters either way, and power changes happened frequently while Aleid was at court. By 1391, Aleid began to lose Albert’s favour as her allowance was cut, and other mistresses were beginning to receive money again.

On 22 September 1392, Aleid was stabbed to death alongside a court dignitary called Willem Cuser. There are several theories for why she had been murdered. Was she simply at the wrong place at the wrong time? Was she murdered by a mob of angry Hoeks? Was Willem Cuser, who had been targeted before, the main target? Were they perhaps having an affair, and were they murdered in revenge? Unfortunately, we’ll probably never know.1 Albert made good use of the murder by settling several political scores.

Photo by Moniek Bloks

The city of The Hague placed this memorial marker for Aleid near the former residence of the Counts of Holland, now known as the Binnenhof, which now houses both houses of the States General of the Netherlands. The exact location of the murder has not been determined. Albert’s final resting place is in the court chapel of the Binnenhof, but Aleid’s final resting place is not known.

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The History of Queen Mary’s Crown

It has just been announced that Queen Mary’s Crown was removed from the Tower of London to allow for modification work to be done for Queen Camilla’s coronation.

Queen Mary’s Crown was made in 1911 by Garrad’s for the coronation of King George V and his wife, Queen Mary. The design was inspired by Queen Alexandra’s Crown, which had been created in 1902. The famous Koh-i-Noor diamond featured in both crowns, which is now in Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s Crown. It can be worn without the arches, making it a regal circlet. Queen Mary wrote this version for the coronation of her son, King George VI, in 1937.

Queen Mary wearing the Crown without arches (public domain)

The Crown has a silver frame lined with gold and set with 2,200 diamonds. When Queen Mary wore it for her coronation, it contained three large diamonds, the Koh-i-Noor and Cullinan III and IV. These were replaced with quartz crystal replicas after the coronation.1

Queen Alexandra’s Crown (public domain)Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s Crown (public domain)

Before Queen Adelaide, Queen Caroline (of Brunswick) was not allowed to attend her husband’s coronation. Her predecessors, Queen Charlotte (of Mecklenburg-Strelitz) and Queen Caroline (of Ansbach), were crowned with Queen Mary of Modena’s Crown. This was also used by the Queens regnant, Queen Anne and Queen Mary II. However, the jewels were reset for the coronations of Queen Mary II, Queen Anne and Queen Caroline.

Crown of Mary of Modena (public domain)

All of these crowns are (usually) on display at the Tower of London.

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Book News March 2023

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Charlene: In Search of a Princess 

Paperback – 5 January 2023 (UK) & 14 March 2023 (US)

Journalist Arlene Prinsloo sifts fact from fiction in this revealing unauthorised biography of Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene.

Prinsloo traces her life from humble beginnings in Zimbabwe, Johannesburg and Durban to the Olympic Games, her jet-set romance with the bachelor prince, the fairy-tale wedding and becoming a mother to twins. At its heart, it’s the story of a woman is search of happiness for herself and her family – and also of the beginning of Charlene defining her own space amid the royal protocol.

Founder, Fighter, Saxon Queen: Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians 

Paperback – 30 January 2023 (UK) & 30 March 2023 (US)

Alfred the Great’s daughter defied all expectations of a well-bred Saxon princess. The first Saxon woman ever to rule a kingdom, Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, led her army in battle against Viking invaders. She further broke with convention by arranging for her daughter to succeed her on the throne of Mercia. To protect her people and enable her kingdom in the Midlands to prosper, Aethelflaed rebuilt Chester and Gloucester, and built seven entirely new English towns. In so doing she helped shape our world today. This book brings Aethelflaed’s world to life, from her childhood in time of war to her remarkable work as ruler of Mercia. The final chapter traces her legend, from medieval paintings to novels and contemporary art, illustrating the impact of a legacy that continues to be felt to this day.

Henry VIII’s Imprisoned Women: The Women of the Tower 

Hardcover – 30 January 2023 (UK) & 30 March 2023 (US)

The stories of women, including Henry’s two queens, who were persecuted, condemned and ultimately executed will be explored in this book. Alice Tankerville, the first woman to escape the infamous Tower of London, albeit for a short while; Elizabeth Barton, The Nun of Kent and the only woman to be dealt the dishonour of having her head spiked on London Bridge; Queen Anne Boleyn, whose fall was as tragically spectacular as her rise to fame; Margaret Pole, the last living Plantagenet princess who was denounced as a traitor and met a merciless end in her twilight years; Queen Katheryn Howard, whose daring yet seemingly foolish decisions ultimately led to her downfall; and finally, Anne Askew, the brave Protestant who gained infamy as the only woman to be racked at the Tower. Through the lives of these women, we will get a glimpse into the reign of the capricious monarch who changed the face of England forever.

In Search of Amrit Kaur: A Lost Princess and Her Vanished World 

Hardcover – 14 March 2023 (US & UK)

As she builds her own life anew, an Italian writer embarks on an all-consuming search for the true story of the mysterious princess H. H. Amrit Kaur of Mandi.

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Royal Childhoods (Routledge Revivals)

Hardcover – 31 March 2023 (UK & US)

First published in 1986, Royal Childhoods shows how the early years of Britain’s kings and queen have coloured their later lives. Combining skills of a professional historian with a knowledge of psychology, the author links the study of childhood to known pattern of events. His book makes the distant figures of royalty more comprehensible as individuals. With great insight into the influence of childhood experience, he covers the whole span of British monarchy from William the Conqueror to the Prince of Wales. This book will be of interest to students of history, literature and psychology.

Royal Mistresses (Routledge Revivals) 

Hardcover – 31 March 2023 (UK & US)

First published in 1990, Royal Mistresses provides an innovative way of looking at the development of British monarchy, and at the same time investigates the relationship between sex and power. Charles Carlton focuses not so much on the amorous activities of the mistresses of British monarchs as on their influences on those monarchs and on society at large. Ranging from the early medieval period to the late 1990s, he shows that a monarch’s illicit sexual life sheds light on his character and reign. It is no coincidence that Henry I, Charles II, and Edward VII, who were successful with their mistresses were also successful in their reigns, while the divorced John and the lovelorn Edward VIII failed Not surprisingly, the affairs of the sovereign’s heart have very often become the affairs of state. This book will be of interest to students of history and literature.

The House of Dudley: A New History of Tudor England 

Paperback – 30 March 2023 (UK) 

With three generations of felled favourites, what was it that caused this family to keep rising so high and falling so low? Here, for the first time, is the story of England’s Borgias, a noble house competing for proximity to the throne through cunning, adultery and sheer audacity, revealing some of the period’s most talented, intelligent and cunning individuals.

Rasputin and his Russian Queen: The True Story of Grigory and Alexandra 

Hardcover – 30 March 2023 (UK) & 30 May 2023 (US)

Rasputin’s relationship with Russia’s last Tsarina, Alexandra, notorious from the famous Boney M song, has never been adequately addressed; biographies are always for one or the other, or simply Alexandra and her husband Nicholas. In this new work, Mickey Mayhew reimagines Alexandra for the #MeToo generation: ‘neurotic’; ‘hysterical’; ‘credulous’ and ‘fanatical’ are shunted aside in favour of a sympathetic reimagining of a reserved and pious woman tossed into the heart of Russian aristocracy, with the sole purpose of providing their patriarchal monarchy with an heir. When the son she prayed for turns out to be a haemophiliac, she forms a friendship with the one man capable of curing the child’s agonising attacks. Some say that between them, Grigori and Alexandra brought down 300 years of Romanov rule and ushered in the Russian Revolution, but theirs was simply the story of a mother fighting for the health of her son against a backdrop of bigotry, sexism and increasing secularism. Bubbling with his trademark bon mots, Mickey Mayhew’s new book breathes fresh life into two of history’s most fascinating – and polarising – figures. She liked to pray and he liked to party, but when they found themselves steering Russia into the First World War, her gender and his class meant that society simply had to crush them. This is the real story of Rasputin and his Russian queen, Alexandra.

Protect and Keep: The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II 

Paperback – 30 March 2023 (UK)

The summer of 2022 saw the celebration of the seventieth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, the first time in British history that a monarch has reached this remarkable milestone.

As the event was the first of its kind to be televised, images from the ceremony inside Westminster Abbey are instantly recognisable. Far less familiar are the scenes in the streets outside, where huge crowds assembled to see a procession of state coaches and historic regiments marching past public buildings festooned with patriotic banners and colourful grandstands erected outside many famous landmarks.

Using a private collection of more than 200 rare images of London’s West End, Protect and Keep looks back to the day that the Queen pledged herself to her country. It provides a unique and precious record of an historic occasion: the day of the Coronation as it was seen by ordinary members of the public.

Rasputin’s Killer and his Romanov Princess 

Hardcover – 15 March 2023 (UK) & 23 June 2023 (US)

When the Tsar’s eighteen-year-old niece Princess Irina Romanov announced her marriage to Prince Felix Youssoupov, heir to the richest fortune in Russia, the Imperial family were shocked. Prince Felix and his wife Princess Irina had it all. When they married in St Petersburg in 1914 immense wealth and social standing were theirs. But fate had other ideas. In 1916 Felix was involved in one of the most famous crimes of the twentieth century – the murder of Gregory Rasputin, evil genius of Empress Alexandra. It was Irina’s royal blood that ensured Felix was never prosecuted for what many saw as a patriotic act. The following year revolution swept the country and in 1919 Felix and Irina were forced into exile for the rest of their lives. How did they survive in the real world when the money began to run out? Why did they live their lives in the shadow of Rasputin? How did Rasputin save them? And how did Felix redeem himself for Rasputin’s murder? No joint biography of Irina and Felix has ever been written. This book utilises little-known Russian sources, as well as documents recently purchased at auction to reveal new facts, throwing fresh light on the couple’s lives, their relationship and how they never quite escaped from the shadow of Rasputin.

Katherine Parr: Opportunist, Queen, Reformer: A Theological Perspective

Paperback – 15 March 2023 (UK) & 13 June 2023 (US)

Don Matzat here provides a new perspective on the life of Katherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of the infamous Henry VIII. While most biographers suggest that Katherine chose to marry the obese, irascible monarch in order to further some reformation or obey a divine imperative, the author goes against the tide and concludes that Katherine was an opportunist who married the king in order to enjoy the comforts of being the Queen of England, proven by her sumptuous lifestyle. But everything changed for Katherine when she had a dramatic conversion experience, embracing the primary tenets of the Protestant Reformation as described in her seminal work, The Lamentation of a Sinner. Her newly found belief placed her in a precarious position, not only with her husband but with the heresy hunters who, with the king’s blessing, beheaded those who held such beliefs. Yet Katherine had the courage to discuss her faith with her dangerous husband during the final months of his life. The life of Katherine Parr was one of drama, intrigue, danger, deceit, clandestine romance, scandal, tragedy and mystery. She came to a tragic end, and for three hundred years her burial site remained unknown. Katherine ruled England while Henry went to war against France. She was the first woman published in England under her own name. Her Lamentation of a Sinner is a little-known gem of the Protestant Reformation. Her influence upon the children of Henry, the future monarchs Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I, would affect English history for many years to come.

The Windsors at War: The Nazi Threat to the Crown 

Hardcover – 9 March 2023 (UK) & 18 April 2023 (US)

The Windsors at War tells the story of the turbulent and seismic decade in between 1937 and 1947, including the bombing of Buckingham Palace in May 1940, the Duke of Windsor’s ill-advised visit to Germany in October 1937 and the death of the Duke of Kent in a plane crash in August 1942. It answers a simple question: how did this squabbling, dysfunctional family manage to put their differences aside and unite to help win the greatest conflict of their lifetimes?

The Dark Queens: A gripping tale of power, ambition and murderous rivalry in early medieval France 

Paperback – 2 March 2023 (UK)

From the tangled primary evidence of Merovingian sources, award-winning writer Shelley Puhak weaves a gripping and intricate tale, its characters driven by ambition, lust and jealousy to acts of treachery and murderous violence. The Dark Queens resurrects these two women in all their complexity, painting a richly detailed portrait of a shadowy era and dispelling some of the stubbornest myths about female power.

The House of Jaipur: The Inside Story of India’s Most Glamorous Royal Family 

Paperback – 2 March 2023 (UK)

The House of Jaipur charts a dynasty’s determination to remain relevant in a democracy set on crushing its privileges. Against the odds, they secured their place at the height of Indian society; but Ayesha would pay for her criticism of Indira Gandhi during the Emergency.

From the polo field and politics to imprisonment and personal tragedy, the Jaipurs’ extraordinary journey of transformation mirrors the story of a rapidly changing country.

Kings and Queens of England and Scotland 

Paperback – 25 April 2023 (US) & 9 March 2023 (UK)

From the Saxons to the Windsors, Britain’s royal lineage is brought to life in the pages of this visual guide. Confused about which Henry had six wives and which was crowned at the age of eight? Kings and Queens of England and Scotland documents the public and private lives of the royal dynasties.

Queens of a Fallen World: The Lost Women of Augustine’s Confessions 

Hardcover – 30 March 2023 (UK & US)

Vividly written and drawing on extensive new research, Queens of a Fallen World is essential reading for those looking for a new understanding not only of Augustine, but also of the women who shaped his life with consequences that were to change Christianity for centuries to come.

Anne Boleyn, An Illustrated Life of Henry VIII’s Queen 

Hardcover – 28 February 2023 (UK) & 9 March 2023 (US)

‘If you remember my love in your prayers as strongly as I adore you, I shall hardly be forgotten, for I am yours,’ – Henry Rex, forever Written by King Henry VIII to his sweetheart, the seductive and vivacious Anne Boleyn, his passion for her would be so great that Henry would make Anne his queen, and change the course of English history. But the woman whom Henry had promised to love for all time would go from palace to prison, charged with heinous crimes. Her life ended on a bloody scaffold in the Tower of London. Explore the incredible story of Anne Boleyn, the most famous and controversial of Henry VIII’s six wives, in this exciting new account of her life told in words and pictures.

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