290 Items Tagged

Royalty

London, England

Floris Perfumery

A storied London perfume shop that supplies scents for royalty has been operating out of this storefront for nearly 300 years.

This detail from the 12th-century Aberdeen Bestiary shows a dragon wrestling an elephant.

That Time Portugal’s King Gifted an Elephant to the Pope

Hanno the elephant suffered much at the hands of power-hungry Europeans.

Devon Field August 21, 2024

Isle of Wight, England

The Durbar Room

This elaborate banquet hall in Queen Victoria's summer residence is an homage to Indian architecture, including miniature models of palaces in India.

Kamakura, Japan

Prince Morinaga's Dungeon

The alleged site of the months-long imprisonment of a Japanese prince.

Ipswich, England

Alexander Obolensky Statue

A bronze and stone statue made to recognize the life and career of a Russian aristocrat turned English rugby player.

Troy Hartman surfs the skies as his cameraman flies by his side.

5 Wild Tales of Riding the Waves

Surf’s up from Hawaii to the Great Lakes to the troposphere.

April White May 31, 2024

Roman emperors threw opulent feasts and parties to demonstrate their wealth and power.

Inside Roman Emperors’ Outrageously Lavish Dinner Parties

From Nero's revolving dining room to Augustus’s rigged lottery.

Guy de la Bédoyère May 21, 2024

Leicester, England

King Richard III's Car Park

More than 500 years after his death, a medieval ruler's remains were found buried under a parking lot.

King Gustav Vasa Knife Incident Plaque

This bronze marker acknowledges an embarrassing royal blunder.

A fresco from a mansion, or haveli, depicting the sharing of a drink. In Rajput culture, the munawwar piyala meaning "cup of request" is liquor offered to guests during gatherings, especially marriages.

The Resurrection of Rajasthan’s Royal Liquors

After fading away post-Independence, Heritage Liquors are back and, this time, everyone can sip them.

N.C. Stevens April 19, 2024

Aranjuez, Spain

Museo de Falúas Reales (Royal Barges Museum)

A collection of riverboats of the Spanish royal family in a quaint museum.

Detail of a courtyard in the palace at Ninevah during the Assyrian Empire, illustration by Sir Austen Henry Layard, 1853.

In Mesopotamia, Being 'King for a Day' Could be Deadly

Total solar eclipses were an omen of death for rulers of the Assyrian Empire. The fix? Install a fake king and then kill him.

Rebecca Boyle March 13, 2024

Jacksonville, Florida

Grave of Laura Adorkor Kofi

The final resting place of "Mother Kofi," a Black minister who was assassinated in the middle of a sermon.

Farnham, England

Victoria Garden

A former Victorian swimming pool is now a tranquil and secluded park.

Dyrehaven, Denmark

Eremitageslottet (Hermitage Hunting Lodge)

The castle used by the Danish Royal Family as a hunting retreat.

Kazichene, Bulgaria

Royal Station Kazichene

The Bulgarian royal family exclusively used this ornate, now-abandoned train station.

Podcast: Stone of Destiny

An unassuming rock in a Scottish bar may have quite a royal history.

The Podcast Team February 21, 2024

Taken in 1917 at Tsarskoye Selo, outside St. Petersburg, this is the only known color photo of the original Amber Room.

The Enduring Mystery of the Amber Room, Coveted by Tsars, Nazis, and Treasure Hunters

Crafted from amber and gold, it enthralled all who saw it. Then, near the end of World War II, it disappeared.

Stefan Bachmann and April Genevieve Tucholke February 14, 2024