Category Archives: kings and queens

William Strickland, the Man Who Introduced Turkeys to England

Tomorrow in the U.S., we will be all about the turkey and fixings and football and preparing for Black Friday sales, but in the U.K., turkeys are a more traditional dish for Christmas. Why might you ask? We can blame … Continue reading

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, Christmas, Church of England, customs and tradiitons, England, history, holidays, kings and queens, legends, Living in the UK, real life tales, religion, Thanksgiving | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The “Skinny” on Abdicating a Title During the Regency Era

Many times in Regency-based novels we have the situation where for one reason or another, the hero refused the title he has inherited and “abdicates” his new peerage. The question is whether this is a viable plot line.  The answer … Continue reading

Posted in Black Opal Books, British history, Church of England, customs and tradiitons, estates, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, history, Inheritance, kings and queens, legacy, peerage, real life tales, Regency era, research, titles of aristocracy, tradtions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Babington Plot to Kill Queen Elizabeth I

Anthony Babington, the third child and eldest son of Henry Babington, was born into a wealthy Catholic family in Dethick, Derbyshire, in October 1561. The bells of the church announced his birth to the world; yet, his plotting would destroy his family. … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Elizabeth I, England, history, kings and queens, real life tales, religion, research, Scotland | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Babington Plot to Kill Queen Elizabeth I

Anthony William Hall, the Man Who Would Be King

In 1931, a former Shropshire police inspector claimed to the rightful heir to the British throne. He was determined to be King Anthony and to displace King George V. His declaration provoked panic at the palace when two doctors refused … Continue reading

Posted in British history, kings and queens | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Provisions of Oxford

Most people know something of Oxford, England, through Oxford University, the home of England’s first university. However, Oxford is also known for the “Provisions of Oxford,” which in 1258 placed the king under a Council of Fifteen. All this began … Continue reading

Posted in British history, England, Great Britain, history, kings and queens, medieval, political stance, real life tales, world history | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

His Majesty “Farmer George”

If one were to search history books, he would learn that King George III was King of England during the American Revolutionary War. He might also discover that the same King George “went mad” in his later years. Hopefully, the … Continue reading

Posted in British history, buildings and structures, family, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, kings and queens, Living in the Regency, real life tales, Regency era, royalty, science | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Black Monday Tragedy

 Black Monday was the Monday after Easter on 13 April 1360, during the Hundred Years’ War (1337 – 1360). The Hundred Years’ War began in 1337; by 1359, King Edward III of England was actively attempting to conquer France. In October, … Continue reading

Posted in British history, Edward III, kings and queens, military | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Mudeford, an English Spa Favored by King George III + an Excerpt from “The Mysterious Death of Mr. Darcy”

With the onset of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, the idea of a European Grand Tour for English aristocratic class lost its appeal. Instead, English men and women turned their sights on popular British destinations, such as Brighton, … Continue reading

Posted in Austen Authors, book excerpts, book release, books, British history, buildings and structures, Dorset, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, historical fiction, history, kings and queens, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, medicine, mystery, Pride and Prejudice, real life tales, Regency era, romance, royalty, spooky tales, suspense | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

24 July 1817: The Burial of Jane Austen at Winchester Cathedral, a Guest Post from Collins Hemingway

 Today, I have chosen to repeat one of Collins Hemingway’s beautiful pieces speaking to the burial of Jane Austen at Winchester Cathedral.  July 18, 2017, marked the 200th anniversary of the death of Jane Austen. With that date, the official … Continue reading

Posted in British currency, British history, Georgian England, Guest Post, Jane Austen, kings and queens, Regency era, Regency personalities, research | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Queenborough Castle and Well + the Release of “Losing Lizzy: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary” + a Giveaway

Sheppey Castle [or Queenborough Castle] is located on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England. King Edward III ordered the castle and the town surrounding it built in honor of his wife, Queen Philippa. The original land came from the manor … Continue reading

Posted in book excerpts, book release, British history, British Navy, buildings and structures, eBooks, giveaway, Jane Austen, kings and queens, medieval, Pride and Prejudice, research, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments