Previously at the Palace: Rudolph's Tragic End

In this series, we capture the biographical and major news posts from this date in previous years so that you can "catch up" on your favorites or reflect on some topics you might have missed. One paragraph is included here; click the title to see the full post.

By Atelier Adele

via Wikimedia Commons

2010: Rudolph's Final Moment
"Rudolph sat stone still on the edge of the bed, tormented by what his life had become, terrified of the next step he must take. Beside him, his teenage mistress lay cloaked by her beautiful hair, her youth forever frozen by the jagged bullet wound behind her ear. Dawn was coming too slowly, too quickly. Crown Prince Rudolph, heir to the dual thrones of Austria and Hungary, knew he had to complete his plan. It had all seemed so simple, why was he hesitating?" READ MORE

A Dollhouse Fit for a Queen

Many little girls long for a dollhouse. My sister and I used to make furniture and clothes for our dolls who had both a house and houseboat! We even made food for them out of Play Doh, but nothing we did could compare to the ultimate dollhouse.

Created in the 1920s for the Queen Mary, consort of King George V, Queen Mary's Dolls' House was conceived by one of Queen Victoria's granddaughters, Princess Marie Louise. The princess engaged an architect and even had her artist friends and craftsmen create items for the house. The house also includes all of the modern conveniences of the day, like electricity, flushing toilets, and a working elevator. The lowest level has a garage filled with model classic cars with working engines. It is really amazing!

Embed from Getty Images


The house is included as part of the Royal Collection and is displayed at Windsor Castle, where members of the public can view it as part of their tour admission. (Rates for 2017 are £20.50 for adults with discounts children, seniors, disabled people, and families.)

You can also take a virtual tour of Queen Mary's Dolls' House online: Click Here

Spanish Royals on Holiday

The King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain recently welcomed photographers to their home at Marivent for a photocall with them and their daughters Leonor Princess of Asturias and Infanta Sofia. It's appears from these photos that little sis Sofia, aged 10, is currently taller than Leonor, nearly 12. As they head into their teens it will be interesting to see if Sofia continues to outgrow her sister. Since their father is six and half feet tall, either one of them could hit a growth spurt that takes them well beyond average height! More importantly, we can see a happy and relaxed family in these photos. It is quite clear that the King adores all of his ladies.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images