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Oliver Cromwell is best known as the man who overthrew King Charles I and disrupted the long-held belief in the divine right of kings to rule England as ‘God’s representative on Earth’. He was a deeply religious Puritan who sought to reform the Church of England and change the way the country was ruled. Yet despite being buried in Westminster Abbey, his beginnings were far more humble. Here are some interesting Oliver Cromwell facts about England’s first – and last Lord Protector.   1- Early life in Cambridge Oliver Cromwell was born on 25 April 1599 in Huntingdon in Cambridge. One...

  Think of French history, and one of the first names that is bound to crop up is Napoleon Bonaparte. Born in Corsica, he rose to lead the French empire in a fascinating story that is told in multiple books, films and documentaries about his eventful reign as Emperor of France, his military career and his two separate exiles on the islands of Elba and St Helena. In fact, a new film is being released towards the end of November 2023 – answering the question: who was Napoleon? – and starring Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte and Vanessa Kirby as...

King George II reigned between 1727 and 1760. He succeeded his father, George I, King of Great Britain and Ireland and was the last British monarch to be born outside the country. A great linguist, he was born in Germany but spoke only French until the age of four. Later in his childhood, he learned German, English and Italian.  So, what else do we know about this popular monarch, who was known for his performance on the battle fields as much as his activities at Court? Here are ten interesting facts about King George II, the second Hanoverian King of...

The reign of Queen Anne was brought vividly to life in the popular 2018 film, The Favourite. Olivia Colman earned herself an Oscar for playing the last Stuart monarch in a story that focused on Queen Anne’s close relationships with two influential female courtiers, as they vied for her favours and attention. Queen Anne has not always received such rapt attention from students of British royal history. However, she is a fascinating subject to learn about for a number of surprising reasons: 1- Queen Anne reigned after William III and Mary II – Britain’s only joint ruling monarchs Queen Anne was...

Following the very sad passing of Queen Elizabeth the Second in September 2022, the country has entered into a new era with King Charles the Third now sitting at the regal helm. The change is and will continue to be monumental for a population, of which the clear majority will have only known one monarch on the throne all their lives.