Moniek Bloks, Author at History of Royal Women

Marie Antoinette is moved to the Conciergerie

Wednesday, 2 August 2023, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Marie Antoinette had been separated from her son in early July 1793 while the family was still imprisoned in the Temple. She remained with her sister-in-law Madame Élisabeth and her daughter Marie Thérèse until she was moved to the Conciergerie in the early hours of 2 August 1793. The security around the move had been [read more]

The Nassaus of Breda Exhibition

Saturday, 29 July 2023, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

The city of Breda has a deep connection to the Dutch Royal Family due to the marriage of the 11-year-old heiress Johanna van Polanen, the only child of John III, Lord of Polanen and the Lord of Breda, and Engelbert I, Count of Nassau. They were the great-great-grandparents of William I, Prince of Orange and [read more]

Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Necklace

Friday, 28 July 2023, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Queen Alexandra’s Wedding Necklace consists of “eight pearl and diamond clusters, all detachable and all with spiral back clasps for attachments, the three at the centre with detachable brilliant and pavé-set baroque pearl pendants, linked by festoons of brilliant in open-back and cut-down silver collets.” Embed from Getty Images The necklace was part of a [read more]

Françoise de Choiseul – A guillotined Monegasque Princess

Thursday, 27 July 2023, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Françoise de Choiseul was born on 8 December 1766 as the daughter of Jacques Philippe de Choiseul, Duke of Stainville and Marshal of France, and Thérèse de Clermont. She was described as a “delicate girl, fair-skinned, with pale hair set off by violet eyes, and had a charming manner.” On 6 April 1782, she married [read more]

Book News August 2023

Saturday, 22 July 2023, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

*contains affiliate links* Embroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power Paperback – 22 August 2023 (US) & 19 January 2023 (UK) In sixteenth-century Europe women’s voices were suppressed and silenced. Even for a queen like Mary, her prime duty was to bear sons. In an age when textiles expressed power, [read more]

Queen Alexandra’s Collet Necklace

Friday, 21 July 2023, 6:00 Moniek Bloks 0

Queen Alexandra’s Collet Necklace consists of “31 graduated brilliants (five detachable) in cut-down collet settings.” The necklace and a matching pair of earrings made of large old-cut Golconda diamonds were given to the then Princess Alexandra of Denmark upon her marriage to the future King Edward VII by the City of London. Alexandra wore the [read more]