We're a charity caring for the #RoyalCollection & looking after visitors to #BuckinghamPalace #KingsGallery #WindsorCastle #HolyroodPalace #RoyalMews
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'I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service'
Princess Elizabeth delivered a radio address on her 21st birthday, recorded in the garden of Government House in Cape Town.
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Queen Elizabeth II wearing the uniform of the Welsh Guards and taking the salute during #TroopingTheColour at Horse Guards Parade in 1965. bit.ly/3J7ZJHC
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This photograph was taken in 1948 after the christening of Queen Elizabeth II's infant son, now the new King Charles III. Four generations of the Royal Family are pictured here, with Queen Mary, her son, King George VI, the then Princess Elizabeth and Prince Charles.
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#HappyBirthdayYourMajesty. Queen Elizabeth II was born on this day in 1926. Here are five photographs of moments from Her Majesty’s life. First, the infant Princess Elizabeth with her grandmother, Queen Mary, in 1927.
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Princess Elizabeth becoming the first female member of the Royal Family to join the Armed Services as a full-time active member. During her time in the Auxiliary Territorial Services (ATS), the Princess learnt to drive and to maintain vehicles. This photograph was taken in 1945.
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Tonight The King will host a State Banquet for the Emperor of Japan. Learn about the traditions of a State Banquet. bit.ly/3VDFNSt
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Remembering Queen Elizabeth II, 1926-2022.
This portrait was taken to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s 80th birthday in 2006 and was later used in 2022 to announce The late Queen’s death.
© Jane Bown Estate
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#OnThisDay 70 years ago, 26 Feb 1952, the first official portraits of The Queen were taken by photographer Dorothy Wilding, which formed the basis of The Queen's image on postage stamps.
See the portraits this summer at #BuckinghamPalace from 22 Jul: bit.ly/3Hfyfft
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King George VI and Queen Elizabeth’s #Coronation took place in May 1937. We’re featuring a very special memory of the day - these pages are an account by the eleven-year-old Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II (1/3)
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Queen Elizabeth II's accession took place #OTD in 1952. This photo by Dorothy Wilding was taken a few weeks later. The late Queen is shown in a black taffeta evening dress designed by Norman Hartnell and the Nizam of Hyderabad Necklace. bit.ly/3JHGQwk
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The King, when a young Prince Charles, together with his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, and aunt, Princess Margaret returning to Buckingham Palace after #TroopingTheColour in 1951. bit.ly/45VZFVh
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Today is #FathersDay. Cecil Beaton took this photo of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with his son Prince Charles (now The King) in 1960, when the Prince was 12 years old. bit.ly/3X16QHC
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#OnThisDay 66 years ago, in 1953, The Queen's #coronation took place. St Edward's Crown was made for Charles II in 1661. The original was thought to date back to the 11th-century royal saint, Edward the Confessor. bit.ly/2EFJbFV
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With just a few days until the first #Coronation for almost 70 years, we’re sharing an iconic image of Queen Elizabeth II taken on her Coronation Day, 2 June 1953. The young Queen is wearing an embroidered & beaded dress by Norman Hartnell and her purple velvet Coronation Robe.
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One day to go until the #Coronation!
The Imperial State Crown, or Crown of State, is worn by the Monarch at the end of the #Coronation Service as they leave Westminster Abbey. Watch our short film to find out more about its history. bit.ly/3HcQEMI
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This afternoon the Gold State Coach will appear in the #PlatinumJubileePageant. Find out more about it in our thread...
#PlatinumJubilee
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Today we’re exploring Queen Elizabeth II’s relationship with her people throughout her reign. These images show a small selection of the thousands of cards, often home-made, that The Queen received each year.
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This photograph shows crowds around the Queen Victoria Monument outside Buckingham Palace celebrating the announcement of the end of World War I in 1918. It comes from a photograph album compiled by Queen Mary. #ArmisticeDay 1918 bit.ly/3o5IKup
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Tomorrow, 6 February, marks 70 years since Queen Elizabeth II became Queen. This summer we’ll be celebrating with a special exhibition at #BuckinghamPalace which focuses on the accession. #PlatinumJubilee bit.ly/3Ho1SMu
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This photograph of Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles and Princess Anne on HMY Britannia @britanniayacht was taken around 1956.
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The Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross and The Sovereign’s Orb have important symbolic roles within the #Coronation ceremony. Watch our film to find out their significance. bit.ly/3HcQEMI
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The Red Arrows flypast at #BuckinghamPalace. #Coronation
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Today, we are remembering Queen Elizabeth II in her role as a sister, wife, daughter and grandmother with a selection of photographs taken throughout her life.
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It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent.
The King and Queen and all Members of The Royal Family join The Duke of Kent, his children and grandchildren in mourning their loss.
ALT Image credit: Norman Parkinson / Iconic Images
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This touching photo captures the bond between King George VI and his 3-year-old grandson, Prince Charles, who sit together on a sofa in Buckingham Palace, enjoying a conversation. #HappyBirthdayHRH @clarencehouse bit.ly/3bTn0vS
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Happy birthday to The Duke of Cambridge! This photograph of the young Prince William with his father, The Prince of Wales, was taken in the grounds of Kensington Palace in June 1984. #PrinceWilliamAt40
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St Edward's Crown is used at the moment of #Coronation. As it is placed on the Sovereign’s head, the congregation in the Abbey shout the words ‘God Save The King’.
Find out more about the history of the Crown in our film.
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#CorgiDay The first corgis joined the Royal Family in 1933 when the future King George VI acquired two for his daughters Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. bit.ly/43nkTtk
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Queen Elizabeth II was born on this day in 1926. This image of the then Princess Elizabeth, taken in 1942, will be part of our new Royal Portraits exhibition opening at The King’s Gallery, London on 17 May. bit.ly/3TZ3zrd
ALT Photograph of Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, half length, seated, facing the camera and smiling. Her right arms rests on top of the chair in which she sits, and she holds her hands together in front of her chest. She wears a blazer and a matching cap. A bow and a pin of a fired grenade is attached to the centre of the cap. Pinned to the blazer's lapel is a brooch depicting the Regimental cypher. Princess Elizabeth poses against a backdrop depicting a nature scene.
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King George V laying a wreath at the foot of the Cenotaph on #ArmisticeDay in 1924. This photograph was mounted by Queen Mary in a series of albums she created documenting private and public events in her life.
bit.ly/3WGnI67
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Happy birthday to His Majesty The King. Born on this day in 1948, this photo shows the then Princess Elizabeth with the young Prince Charles on her lap.
ALT Black and white photograph of Queen Elizabeth II when Princess Elizabeth, holding on her lap Prince Charles as a baby.
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#OTD in 1923 Prince Albert, Duke of York married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. The royal couple later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
bit.ly/3ODDdYf
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Happy birthday to the new Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward. In this photo the Prince, then aged 5 is meeting the American Astronaut Neil Armstrong.
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Happy birthday to King Charles III! This photograph from 1951 shows the then Prince Charles kissing the hand of his sister, Princess Anne.
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Today is The King’s first #StateOpeningOfParliament as Sovereign.
His Majesty will wear the Imperial State Crown, which is traditionally worn by the monarch for ceremonial occasions such as this. You might also recognise it from the Coronation in May.
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Our display of portraits of Holocaust survivors opens today at The Queen’s Gallery, London. bit.ly/3qTVtTo #HolocaustMemorialDay #HMD2022
ALT Helen Aronson by Paul Benney
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Are you having a street party or #CoronationBigLunch with your friends and neighbours today?
These photos show a few of the scenes around the country 70 years ago, including a young woman, playing the 'Queen', about to be crowned by the local vicar.
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A #RoyalWedding exhibition at #WindsorCastle opens today. See The Duke & Duchess of Sussex's outfits. bit.ly/2EJstru
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#OTD in 1953 The Queen's coronation took place. Her Majesty is shown with The Duke of Edinburgh waving to the crowds from #BuckinghamPalace after the Coronation Ceremony. She is wearing the Imperial State Crown & other coronation regalia. bit.ly/2J2Cpdr
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#HappyBirthdayHRH The Duke of Edinburgh! As it's also #MothersDay we're sharing Cecil Beaton’s photo of Queen Elizabeth II with the young Prince Edward in 1964. It will be part of our Royal Portraits exhibition at The King’s Gallery, London from May bit.ly/3SUwhsN
ALT Black and white photography of Queen Elizabeth II holding Prince Edward as a baby.
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We're excited to announce the outfits worn by The Duke & Duchess of Sussex for their #RoyalWedding will go on display at #WindsorCastle from 26 Oct 2018 to 6 Jan 2019. bit.ly/2wlFK2Z
📷 (c) PA
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In medieval times, Edward III set up the Order of the Garter. Nearly 700 years later, the Order of the Garter is the oldest & most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain. On #GarterDay The Queen & the Knights process in grand velvet robes, glistening insignia & plumed hats.
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To celebrate #MothersDay in the UK, we’re sharing this photo from 1931 of The Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother), with her two young daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.
bit.ly/3upfQsj
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We’re reopening! This summer we’re opening #BuckinghamPalace garden for visitors to explore. Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to picnic on the Palace lawns. rct.uk/buckinghampalace
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We're looking forward to tonight's #PlatinumPartyAtThePalace. This photograph, taken almost 100 years ago, shows #BuckinghamPalace lit up in celebration for the Silver Jubilee of King George V, The Queen's grandfather.
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Special displays at #WindsorCastle and #HolyroodPalace this summer will commemorate the remarkable life and legacy of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Britain’s longest-serving consort. bit.ly/2T5oVaC
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During the Coronation, the monarch is presented with the Sword of Offering, first used at the Coronation of King George IV. It was made in 1820 and set with jewels, which form a rose, a thistle, a shamrock, oak leaves, acorns, and lion heads.
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#WorldPhotographyDay Dorothy Wilding (1893–1976) produced portraits that were at once modern & classically sophisticated, promoting the elegance & beauty of the sitter. She took the first official portraits of Queen Elizabeth II as the new sovereign. bit.ly/2HepMge
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If you’re attending #PlatinumPartyAtThePalace later (or even watching on TV) you may be curious about what is at the centre. The Victoria Memorial is part of King Edward VII’s tribute to his mother. The monument is 25m high & made from 2,300 tonnes of Carrara marble.
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#OTD in 1952 the first official photographic sitting with The Queen after her accession was granted to society photographer Dorothy Wilding. As the first official portrait of The Queen it was sent to every British Embassy in the world. bit.ly/38Vlars
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Happy #MothersDay. Here we can see Queen Elizabeth with her younger daughter, Princess Margaret as a baby.
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Our new #PlatinumJubilee display at Windsor Castle has just opened. See The Queen’s Coronation Dress and jewellery. bit.ly/3nFOfA2
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Tonight, The King and Queen will host a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace as part of the State Visit for The President of the Republic of Korea. Find out more about the history of State Banquets: bit.ly/46myCkP
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Happy birthday to Her Majesty The Queen, 94 today! On her fourth birthday Princess Elizabeth was given a Shetland pony by her grandfather, King George V. She took riding lessons in Windsor Great Park and was able to ride on her own by the age of six. bit.ly/2zbeOXM
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Coronation outfits worn by King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be on display as part of the Summer Opening of the State Rooms at #BuckinghamPalace between 14 July and 24 September 2023. bit.ly/41SqpCK
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The first official photographic sitting with The Queen after her accession was granted to society photographer Dorothy Wilding #OTD in 1952, 20 days after she became Queen. The photos were used as the basis for The Queen's image on stamps from 1953-1971 bit.ly/2U8EY3g
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#HappyBirthday to #QueenVictoria. This silk fan was a 39th birthday gift from #PrinceAlbert.
The decoration includes rose, shamrock & thistle – with swags of lily of the valley (the birth-flower for May) & ribbons. bit.ly/2KGr2YQ
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Watch as the five large cut-glass chandeliers are given a final check and polish in preparation for the Waterloo Chamber at #WindorCastle's reopening to visitors on Saturday, 9 April following renovation works.
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#HappyBirthday to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, born #otd in 1921. This engagement photograph with The Queen, when HRH Princess Elizabeth, was taken at Buckingham Palace on the day that the royal engagement was made public, 10 July 1947. bit.ly/2A9a325
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St Edward's Crown is the crown used at the moment of #Coronation. The Crown was made for King Charles II in 1661, as a replacement for the medieval crown which had been melted down in 1649. bit.ly/3HcQEMI
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The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh wave from a balcony of Parliament House, Nassau, where the Queen opened the Bahamian Parliament for the first time in 1977. @KensingtonRoyal
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Happy #FathersDay. This photo of Prince Philip with his son, the young Prince Charles, was taken in 1960 by Cecil Beaton. It’s now on display in our Royal Portraits exhibition at The King’s Gallery, London bit.ly/3V1ZxzZ
ALT Black and white photograph of two individuals seated in profile. The adult (Prince Philip) on the left is perched on the edge of an ornate wooden sofa, wearing a suit and looking to the left with a serious expression. The younger individual (his son, Prince Charles) on the right is seated more fully on the bench, wearing a dark jacket and lighter-coloured trousers, also looking to the left. The background is plain and light-colored, emphasizing the subjects.
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#OTD in 2011 Prince William & Miss Catherine Middleton were married at Westminster Abbey. The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Mr and Mrs Middleton travelled back to Buckingham Palace after in the Australian State Coach.
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#OTD in 1945, the Allied victory in Europe was confirmed & huge crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace to celebrate. This photo of King George VI & Queen Elizabeth, Princesses Elizabeth & Margaret shows one of their eight balcony appearances that day. bit.ly/3cclYJU
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This afternoon HRH Princess Beatrice visited the special display of her wedding dress in the State Dining Room at #WindsorCastle, in advance of its opening to visitors tomorrow (24 Sept 2020). Find out more ▶️ bit.ly/35Vvzom #royalwedding.
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#TroopingTheColour, the military parade that marks the Sovereign’s official birthday dates back to 1748. This photo from June 1919 shows King George V at the first Trooping the Colour held following the outbreak of WW1. #PlatinumJubilee
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See The Queen’s Coronation Dress on display at #WindsorCastle this summer. bit.ly/385UybL
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Are you getting ready for the #PlatinumJubilee weekend? Not long to go now! Visit our Platinum Jubilee hub to find out how you can keep the celebration going all summer: bit.ly/35o5pMw #HM70
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#RoyalAscot is taking place this week. Did you know that in 1961 The Queen rode a grey horse named Surprise on the racecourse before the racing started? bit.ly/2IlRVTN
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The ensembles worn by The Queen for her two appearances on the Buckingham Palace balcony during the Platinum Jubilee weekend will go on public display for the first time from this Sunday (3 July) at #HolyroodPalace. Find out more: bit.ly/3OCIwa4
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#OTD in 1952, photographer Dorothy Wilding took the first official portraits of Queen Elizabeth II after her accession.
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King #GeorgeVI was born #otd in 1895. This photograph, by the prolific studio photographer Alice Hughes, shows the very young prince with his mother Queen Mary when she was Duchess of York. bit.ly/3rMjfl7
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#OTD in 1911 George V & Queen Mary's coronation took place at Westminster Abbey. Queen Mary's coronation dress was embroidered with actual gold thread that would have reflected the light beautifully during the coronation ceremony. @WornOnThisDay
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Look out for our longer film tomorrow to learn more about the important symbolic role of the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross within the #Coronation ceremony. bit.ly/3HcQEMI
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The King and The Queen will travel to Westminster Abbey in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach. This is the newest coach at the #RoyalMews and was first used in 2014. The coach is over 5m long, weighs over 3 tonnes & is drawn by six Windsor Greys. bit.ly/42aLsS8 #Coronation
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Happy #StPatricksDay. This Star of the Order of St Patrick features an emerald shamrock & ruby cross of St Patrick. It was made for Queen Victoria in 1838. Because it was to be worn by a queen rather than a knight, it is smaller than the usual stars created for the Order.
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Did you remember to put your clock forward an hour this morning? We recently filmed one of our horologists winding the clocks at #WindsorCastle. #clockchange #bst #clocksgoforward
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There are over 1,600 timepieces in the Royal Collection that will need to be changed as the #clocksgoback this weekend, including this barometrical clock in the Throne Room at #BuckinghamPalace that belonged to George III, & a mantel clock in the Silk Tapestry Room. #clockchange
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The King & Queen are on #RoyalVisitKenya for a State Visit. His Majesty has made 3 official visits to Kenya, including in 1971. This photo shows him shaking hands with Jomo Kenyatta – Kenya’s first President following its independence in 1963 – in Gatundu, near Nairobi.
ALT Black and white photograph of the Prince of Wales (now The King) on the left, shaking the hand of Jomo Kenyatta – Kenya’s first President.
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HRH Princess Beatrice of York’s wedding dress will go on display at #WindsorCastle from 24 September - 22 November 2020. #royalwedding bit.ly/3jUypOg
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Tag a friend you’d like to visit #WindsorCastle with 😀
Find out more: bit.ly/385UybL
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Princess Margaret was born on this day in 1930. This photograph was taken by Cecil Beaton in 1949 to mark her 19th birthday.
Now on display in Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography at The King's Gallery, London.
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King George V was born #OTD in 1865. This photograph of Prince George with his mother Queen Alexandra, then Princess of Wales, was taken the day after his christening at Windsor Castle, by John Henry Saunders of Hills & Saunders. bit.ly/42hidw4
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During the First World War, Queen Mary paid her respects in 1916 at local memorial shrines in East London. The ‘Roll of Honour’ (seen in the second photograph) listed over 100 men from around this street in Hackney who had enlisted. #RemembranceDay
bit.ly/40p3TT4
ALT A photograph of Queen Mary placing flowers on a display of plants, at a War or Street Shrine, in Hackney. Queen Mary is surrounded by many children and a vicar.
ALT A photograph of Queen Mary visiting a war or street shrine, with framed photographs, flags and decorations on the wall of a row of houses on Palace Road, Hackney.
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Today is #GarterDay, held in recognition of the Order that was established by Edward III in 1348. New Companions of the Order are invested by the Sovereign, then attend a service in St George’s Chapel at #WindsorCastle. Here, Queen Elizabeth II is pictured on Garter Day in 1998.
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Royal corgi Dookie, was officially named Rozavel Golden Eagle. He acquired his nickname when the staff training him for the household of the Duke of York, began to refer to him as 'Dookie'. Find out more about Royal Pets: bit.ly/2wlTtpK
#NationalDogDay
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Happy wedding anniversary to The Prince and Princess of Wales @KensingtonRoyal! To mark the occasion, why not trying to make one of their wedding cakes? This delicious chocolate biscuit cake is really easy and requires no baking. bit.ly/3NceSum
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The allied invasion of France – known as D-Day - took place on 6 June 1944 – 80 years ago today.
King George VI recorded the day in detail in his diary.
He visited the Normandy beaches soon after D-Day, pictured here with and General Bernard Montgomery on 16 June 1944. #DDay
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Happy Birthday Queen Camilla, born #OTD in 1947. This photo was part of a ‘Vogue’ shoot to mark Her Majesty’s 75th birthday. bit.ly/3S8YbBT
Image © Jamie Hawkesworth
ALT Queen Camilla seated in an armchair, reading a book. She wears glasses and a blue dress.
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Horologists return clocks from the Royal Collection to the East Wing of Buckingham Palace following Reservicing Works.
This weekend, horological conservators will change clocks across the official residences of His Majesty The King as #BritishSummerTime begins.
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#WindsorCastle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, will reopen on 17 May. rct.uk/visit/windsor-castle
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The Imperial State Crown was worn by The Queen to leave Westminster Abbey after the coronation #OTD in 1953. Learn more about the #crownjewels: bit.ly/2Lb48sO
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Happy Birthday to The Princess Royal. This photo was taken by Norman Parkinson to mark The Princess’s 21st birthday.
Now on display in Royal Portraits at The King’s Gallery, London. bit.ly/3V1ZxzZ
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The Service of Thanksgiving – taking place today @StPaulsLondon to mark The Queen’s #PlatinumJubilee - follows a long royal tradition. In 1897 a Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving Service for #QueenVictoria took place. bit.ly/3a6fPD2
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#BuckinghamPalace opens tomorrow for 10 weeks. Come and see the State Rooms and a special display of The King and Queen's Coronation outfits. For more info and to book a ticket visit our website - bit.ly/3DENcpV
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