infanta margarita
Margarita of Spain

Infanta Margarita at 85

Infanta Margarita of Spain was born on 6 March 1939 as the third child and second daughter of Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona. She was born blind. Just a few days after her birth, she was baptised in the Spanish National Church of Santiago and Montserrat [read more]

kate mosse warrior queens
Book News

Book News Week 10 2024

*contains affiliate links* Book News week 10 – 4 March – 10 March 2024 Royal Audience: 70 Years, 13 Presidents–One Queen’s Special Relationship with America  Hardcover – 5 March 2024 (UK & US) Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries  Paperback – 5 March 2024 (UK) The Queen: 70 Chapters in the Life of Elizabeth II Paperback – [read more]

joanna la belteneja
Joanna of Castile (1462 – 1530)

The Year of Isabella I of Castile – The rivalry with Joanna la Beltraneja (Part two)

Read part one here. The War of the Castilian succession would continue for four years. After the Battle of Toro in March 1476, Joanna and Afonso left Castile in June. However, troops remained stationed in Castile. Most of the time, Joanna was left in Portugal, and she often went long periods without seeing her husband. However, [read more]

queen mary's fringe tiara
Royal Jewels

Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara

Queen Mary’s Fringe Tiara is “formed from 47 graduated brilliant- and rose-set tapering bars, divided by 46 narrow spikes, set lozenge-fashion with nine graduated brilliants at the centre, diminishing to five at either side; de-mountable for use as a necklace.” The Fringe Tiara was made in 1919 for Queen Mary in the then-fashionable Russian kokoshnik [read more]