Edward VII swept away the cobwebs of mid-Victorian style, Queen Mary had passion for all things small and the Queen Mother bought rather avant-garde art. In a forthcoming talk, Tim Knox, director of the Royal Collection, charts a century of regal taste

I n 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. That, at least, is what the famous rhyme tells us. Memorising such dates is a common experience of being taught history – a cliché superbly lampooned by the w

In the 17th century, the great maritime nations were vying to solve a puzzle that had confounded philosophers for many centuries: how to determine exact positions on the Earth’s surface. And in Britai

Charles II visited Norfolk in September 1671, accompanied by other members of the royal family and a large retinue of gentlemen and servants. Royal visits were a great rarity in the 17th century, as w

Lovers of interesting and unusual trains and, indeed, of tradition, will be disappointed by the announcement from Buckingham Palace that, from 2027, the royal train will be taken out of service, becau

Cultural Crusader