emma wilhelmina
Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont

Queen Wilhelmina – Happy Princess’s day!

These days the Netherlands celebrates King’s Day but the traditional birthday celebrations for the monarch actually began (again) with Queen Wilhelmina, when she was just a Princess. Princess Wilhelmina’s father King William III was not quite the popular monarch he perhaps hoped to be, but his adorable four-year-old daughter and future Queen was very popular. [read more]

wilhelmina emma
Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont

Queen Wilhelmina – The birth of Wilhelmina

In early 1880 the new Queen Emma of the Netherlands realised she was expecting. By March, rumours were circulating around the country. In the evening of 30 August 1880, Emma went into labour at Noordeinde Palace and her husband was by her side throughout. A Princess was born the following day at six o’clock in [read more]

China

Queen Jiangshi – The Kingmaker

Queen Jiangshi was one of the most virtuous women in ancient China. She has been lauded as a successful kingmaker and for taking decisive actions.[1] When her husband Chong’er, an exiled prince, was reluctant to reclaim his rightful throne, Queen Jiangshi took decisive action in his stead. She even attempted to kidnap him where he [read more]