Erupted the final crisis. The situation had become unbearable, ministers and courtesans decided to render the king incapable of causing harm. They went to find his uncle, the prince Leopold. They persuaded him that, were his nephew not deposed, and were he not to accept the regency, monarchy would collapse. Leopold agreed. Not due to…
“It was not a dream. No, in truth, it was not. I had gone to bed and could not find sleep, even though darkness engulfed my room, even though everything in the garden outside was calm and silent… “And so I remained laying during those solitary hours, overcome by thoughts, images and memories. And suddenly,…
Emperor Franz Joseph leaving his train. Mary Vetsera, beloved of the Archduke Rudolf, who died with him at Mayerling. Archduke Rudolf with his wife, Stephanie of Belgium. Archduke Rudolf of Austria, who would die tragically at Mayerling. The Austrian imperial dynasty. From left to right: Emperor Franz Joseph, his brother-in-law Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, his…
My grandmother Queen Olga of Greece in exile in Italy. Immediately behind her is my father, Christopher, and next to him, his sister Maria. Behind her is her brother Andrew, father of the Duke of Edinburgh. King Georges II of Greece and his brother, the heir to the throne Paul of Greece, visiting the…
The wedding of William Leeds with Princess Xenia of Russia. He was the son of my father’s first wife, Princess Anastasia of Greece. She was the daughter of my father’s sister. In the photo we can see my father, Christopher, his wife Anastasia, and the married couple. Next to the bride is her mother, Maria…
Princess Mary of Cambridge: known as “Fat Mary” within the family. She was the mother of Queen Mary. Queen Alexandra of England on the day of her coronation with page-boys carrying her train. Queen Alexandra of England taking a photograph with her Kodak of my father, Christopher, with Marie Bonaparte, the Grand Duke Dimitri with…
Alexandra of Denmark, Princess of Wales, future Queen of England. Queen Alexandra of England with her daughter, Princess Victoria. Behind her is her great friend Hélène of Orléans, the Duchess of Aosta. Several of Queen Victoria’s grandchildren. Around the eldest, Princess Alice, the future Grand Duchess of Hesse. Opening of paliament…
My number one hero is a man called Guy Fawkes. He was an Englishman who, at the start of the 17th century, quite simply wanted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London, along with all the members and the king, present for the opening session. Alas, he failed, because the plot was revealed…
No historic monument in Britain is more visited than the Tower of London. Millions of tourists flock there to see the Crown Jewels, the Yeomen, or « Beefeaters », in their unique renaissance uniforms, and the famous ravens who, as legend would have it, have witnessed so many historical events throughout the centuries.Before becoming a museum, the…
In the 17th century, powerful kingdoms appeared in the north-western part of India, arising out of the decadence of the Great Moghul Empire. Resourceful men had carved out these states which they governed with great efficiency. And so it was that the Kingdom of Indore came into being. A century later, the ruling Maharajah decided to…