Unusual facts about monarchs which you must know
The British royal family’s private life intrigues and fascinates many people. But there are some beautiful and unusual facts hidden behind this curtain of secrecy that you wouldn’t believe. These unusual facts about monarchs are attention grabbing.
Intrigued? Learn about the Queen’s two birthdays, how she invented a new breed of dog, and other fascinating oddities about the royal family.
The British Royal Family has long been a subject of interest and awe for people all around the world. There are so many fascinating facts about the Royals that it can be difficult to keep track of them all, from their lavish weddings and majestic residences to their humanitarian endeavours and dedication to public service. Let’s examine a few of the most fascinating Royal Family facts.
Queen’s two birthdays: unusual facts
IMAGE CREDITS: Unsplash.com
Of course, even monarchs only have one birth each lifetime. The Queen nevertheless celebrated two birthdays despite this. On her real birthday, April 21st, she wanted to spend time with her family. Her “official” (not actual) birthday, which can vary around the commonwealth, was typically celebrated with parades in the Capital on the second Monday of June.
Why did Her Majesty celebrate two birthdays? the lovely weather in Britain. King George II, who was born in October, decided to celebrate both his birthday and the annual military march in the summer of 1748. Every king since has done the same.
Touching a royal member is forbidden
Nobody other than a royal is permitted to make personal contact with a member of the royal family, especially the Monarch. However, in modern times, this rule is frequently broken. The Queen was famously hugged by Michelle Obama in 2009 at Buckingham Palace. That’s typically a big no-no, but the Queen seemed to welcome it—some even claim she started it.
Marrying doesn’t ensure a throne: unusual facts
IMAGE CREDITS: istockphoto.com
Planning to wed a royal in the hopes of orchestrating a coup to seize the throne is pointless. Royal marriages prevent anyone from ever rising to the top. Your title would be either queen- or king-consort if you married a monarch.
King sets tone for dinner: unusual facts
Guests may perceive eating with kings and queens as a bit of a race because they are required to put their forks and knives down as soon as the monarch finishes eating. Naturally, royal dinners are quite expensive, but you’d better keep up if you don’t want anything to be wasted.
Monarchs make their own money
Many people think the royals exclusively receive their wealth from the tax payer, but in reality, they receive money from a variety of sources. Their main source of income is the Duchy of Lancaster, a collection of residential, commercial, and agricultural holdings. And of course, many visitors travel to London just to see royal residences like Clarence House and Kensington Palace.
A king needs no passport: unusual facts
IMAGE CREDITS: istockphoto.com
Although it’s a little-known truth, the fact that all UK passports are issued in His Majesty’s name makes sense when you think about it. Why would His Majesty require his own consent before travelling abroad? King Charles III is among the few people in the world who can go abroad without a passport.
Royal family can’t play monopoly
Royal family members aren’t supposed to play Monopoly, which may seem strange. Even monarchy appears to be susceptible to the inevitable rifts and infighting, just like the rest of us. The Duke of York disclosed in 2008 that the Mountbatten-Windsor family’s annual Christmas game sometimes devolves into violence.
Burials at Abbey: unusual facts
IMAGE CREDITS: Unsplash.com
Westminster Abbey has hosted royal weddings, coronations, and even deaths. Within its grounds are the graves of seventeen British kings and queens, with King Edward being the first in the 13th century. Except for Henry III, all of the Tudor kings are present. On an abbey tour, pay your respects by going to the Royal Tombs.
Queen’s invention of dog breed: unusual facts
Famous for her love of corgis, the Queen gave birth to the new mixed-breed Dorgi species of dog when she had one of her corgis’ mates with a Dachshund. Nearly all Dorgis are regarded as being as lovely and caring as they are cute, thanks to their loyalty, intelligence, and friendliness.
- Monarchs own a lot of property
- The estimated $14 billion value of the Crown Estate’s properties span the whole UK and include a variety of specialized areas, such as: Royal palaces
- Agriculture and farming Forests and parks
- Minerals for commercial and domestic use, including gold and silver, plus a lot more. Additionally, they own the rights to commercial malls and racetracks like Royal Ascot.
Monarchs should stay away from politics: unusual facts
It is forbidden for members of the Royal Family to declare their support for a specific political party. Although having the legal right to vote, they choose not to do so in order to avoid appearing to have a particular political stance.
Queen Anne and pregnancy
IMAGE CREDITS: Unsplash.com
One cannot but feel bad for poor old Queen Anne. She not only went through seventeen pregnancies, but none of her kids made it through labor or infancy. Elizabeth was also denigrated as a useless monarch throughout her reign and for many years after. Most things about her that people could say were that she was overweight, pregnant, foolish, and not very smart. According to contemporaneous accounts like those of Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, Anne’s adversary, who depicted the monarch as “extremely ignorant, very timid, with very little judgement,” this false depiction endured.
Charles I softness for thieves: unusual facts
Once Charles ascended to the throne, Colonel Thomas Blood, a military commander in the English Civil War, emigrated to Ireland. Blood finally made his way back to England, where he lived as a parson while using a false name. He made friends with Talbot Edwards, the Tower of London’s keeper of the Crown Jewels. Blood won Edwards’ confidence and convinced the Keeper to show the gems to him and a few of his friends.
USEFUL LINKS:
Click here to keep on hovering on Royal Family
Visit this site to know some wealthiest monarchs in the world
Learn about most powerful empires here
