History Tea Time

Catherine, Princess of Wales is one of the best known, best liked and best dressed women in the world. But she’s far from the only future queen with a fairytale love story, who’s now busy greeting diplomats, supporting charities, raising little royals and looking fabulous! Of the 10 surviving hereditary monarchies in Europe, 5 have heirs who are still young and as yet unmarried. We can look forwar...

Through most of history, monarchs wielded unlimited political and military power, while their Queens and consorts were in charge of producing heirs and ruling the hearts of the people. Since the fall of feudalism, the 10 remaining hereditary monarchs of Europe have lost their unchecked authority. But their spouses’ so called ‘soft powers’ of hosting diplomats, supporting charities and greeting the...

Correction: JFK was assasinated on 11/22/1963 Ever since the United States rejected hereditary Monarchy, Americans have had a fascination with political dynasties. The Adamses, the Roosevelts, and the Bushes have all become pseudo-royal families with multiple generations in high office. But no clan has embodied this more than the Kennedys. They achieved the American dream, going from penniless Iri...

Lady Diana Spencer was the daughter of an Earl and was hand picked at 19 to become the bride of heir to the throne, Charles, Prince of Wales. But he was already in love with another woman and the fairytale marriage soon devolved into a messy divorce splashed across the tabloids. Though she would never get to be Queen, Diana’s glamor, likability and compassionate charity work made her the Queen of...

Caroline was born into old money, and married into the richest new money family in the world. She became the ultimate Queen bee, determining who was and was NOT part of the illustrious 400, the high society of gilded age New York. A coveted invitation to one of her balls was the ultimate achievement for social climbers. Those left off the list might as well catch the next train to Toledo. Like her...

Sexuality and gender politics have differed from culture to culture and age to age throughout history. The concept of homosexuality as an identity only emerged in the 20th century. Prior to that gay and lesbian relationships and activities were commonplace but were thought of as something one did rather than part of one’s identity. There have been many historic figures who are noted to have prefer...

The Queens and Consorts of the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and later the Windsor Dynasty reined over the United Kingdom and the British Empire. They sometimes spurred on and sometimes resisted the modernization of the world. They inspired their people and even fought during two world Wars. The modern Queens consort and male consorts were: Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Alexandra of Denmark Mary of Teck...

The German Hanoverian Queens of Great Britain and later the United Kingdom had some of the most epic royal matrimonial brawls in history. One brought enlightenment thinking to court. One was dear friends with Marie Antoinette and endured her husband’s decades of madness. And one got locked out of her husband’s coronation. The Hanoverian Queens consort were: Sophia Dorothea of Celle (not technicall...

The Stuart Queens and consorts of England and later Great Britain indulged in art, theater and culture. One lost her crown when her husband lost his head. And most had to look the other way while their spouses carried on with their many lovers. The Stuart Queens consort and male consort were: Anne of Denmark Henrietta Maria of France Catherine of Braganza Mary of Modena George of Denmark The lives...

The first Tudor Queen of England helped to end the Wars of the Roses. Her son, Henry VIII took six Queens during his reign and beheaded two of them. Lady Jane Grey and Mary I both had husbands who claimed the title of King while Elizabeth I avoided the whole matrimonial mess. The Tudor Queens consort and male consorts were: Elizabeth of York Catherine of Aragon Anne Boleyn Jane Seymour Anne of Cle...

The Queens of England who were tangled in the brambles of the Wars of the Roses fought tooth and nail for their rights and the rights of their families. The Queens consort of the Wars of the Roses were: Anne of Bohemia Isabella of Valois Joan of Navarre Catherine of Valois Margaret of Anjou Elizabeth Woodville Anne Neville The lives of the many Kings and handful of Queens Regnant who have held dom...

The Plantagenet Queens of England reigned over the middle ages. Some went on crusade, some marched to battle alongside their kings and one overthrew her husband and took control of England herself. The Plantagenet Queens consort were: Berengaria of Navarre Isabella of Angoulême Eleanor of Provence Eleanor of Castile Margaret of France Isabella of France Philippa of Hainault The lives of the many K...

The Norman Queens of England who came to power after the invasion of William the Conqueror brought continental sophistication to the island kingdom. They fought fiercely for their rights and the rights of their children. One even went to wara against her husband. The Norman Queens consort and England’s first male consort were: Matilda of Flanders Matilda of Scotland Adeliza of Louvain Matilda of B...

The first Anglo-Saxon Queens of England before the Norman conquest are shrouded in the mists of history. Their stories read like fairytales and in fact one of them inspired the evil stepmother. The Anglo-Saxon Queen Consorts were: Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury Æthelflæd of Damerham Ælfgifu Ælfthryth of Devon Ælfgifu of York Emma of Normandy Ealdgyth Edith of Wessex Ealdgyth of Mercia The lives of the man...

On the night of April 14, 1912, 2,224 people faced doom in the middle of the fridge north Atlantic. The luxury liner hailed as unsinkable was about to do just that and disappear beneath the waves. The tragedy has long captured the public imagination with heroic tales of millionaire John Jacob Astor going down with the ship like a gentleman and fictionalized romances about people who weren’t really...

Charles II, King of England, Scotland & Ireland from 1660 to 1685 is one of the most notorious lotharios in history. He loved the ladies and took both noble women and commoner actresses to bed, sometimes multiple times a day. And the ladies were certainly up for it. In addition to enjoying the charming sovereign’s company, they also enjoyed the gifts, estates, and noble titles he lavished upon the...

Charles II, King of England, Scotland & Ireland from 1660 to 1685 is one of the most notorious lotharios in history. The swarthy sovereign started early and continued making love, sometimes multiple times a day, until the week he died at 54. His court was famous for it’s flagrant hedonism and he took both noble ladies and commoner actresses to bed. The women were certainly up for it. They took adv...

I have been enchanted by Disney since childhood. And as an adult, whenever I’m watching any movie or TV show, I can’t help but play “Where do I know that actor from?” Thank you, IMDB for making my adult life that little bit easier. One of my first forays into content creation, way back in 2014 was a series I made called “Disney Doppelgangers” where I compare two or more famous animated Disney char...

I have been enchanted by Disney since childhood. And as an adult, whenever I’m watching any movie or TV show, I can’t help but play “Where do I know that actor from?” Thank you, IMDB for making my adult life that little bit easier. One of my first forays into content creation, way back in 2014 was a series I made called “Disney Doppelgangers” where I compare two or more famous animated Disney char...

Gráinne Ní Mháille known as Grace O’Malley in English was raised aboard her father’s ships. Her charisma then won her the loyalty of her husband’s men. Together they traded and marauded the rouged west coast of Ireland. They feuded with other clans until the English came to take over the nation. Gráinne and her English nemesis nearly destroyed each other until she went over his head and met direct...

When Queen Elizabeth II and her family went on vacation, they didn’t fly coach or take a carnival cruise. They traveled in style aboard Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia. The Queen designed the ship herself the year of her coronation. This was her favorite place to be, where she could truly unwind. I recently had the opportunity to tour this historic yacht in Edinburgh, Scotland. And to talk with the...

Leeds Castle has been called the loveliest castle in England and it certainly lives up to the name. The elegant stone keep, towers, and crenelated battlements surrounded by a tranquil moat, beautiful gardens and lush parkland are exactly what you would picture as an idealized medieval castle. Across the centuries, it has often been strong women who have owned, enjoyed, renovated and defended Leeds...

In the last episode we met 7 living former monarchs who chose to retire, hand their thrones to their children and enjoy their golden years. But not all living former monarchs chose to get off the throne, some were pushed off. In the 20th century, 28 national-level monarchies across the world were abolished. Their former sovereigns were downgraded, exiled or even executed. As the majority of these...

Queen Elizabeth II considered abdication to be a dirty word. She remained on the throne until her death at 96, and left her son Charles to waiting 73 years to take the job he was born to. But abdication is not so despised in other countries. In recent decades more monarchs have elected to retire and pass the throne on to the next generation. Thus allowing them to spend their golden years relaxing...

Yaa Asantewaa rose to become a Queen mother in the Asante Kingdom in what is modern day Ghana. But when the King was captured and exiled by the British, she refused to hand over the sacred golden stool. She gave a powerful speech inspiring women and men to rise up and fight the British colonizers and was appointed head of the Asante army. First, let’s set the stage with a brief history of the Asan...