Most of royal history is filled with bizarre moments and events that reveal a wealth of knowledge of the society at the time, most notably European royal history. From the United Kingdom to France, every royal family has their own unique quirks, with some more disturbing than others. Here are 50 of the most interesting royal facts.
1. Marie Antoinette’s daughter, Marie Therese, was queen for about 20 minutes
2. Over 2000 gowns were recorded in Queen Elizabeth I’s wardrobe
3. Queen Victoria’s funeral was a military funeral
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4. Queen Elizabeth I often wore bright orange wigs to hide her damaged, natural hair
5. William the Conqueror’s stomach supposedly exploded during his funeral
6. When Queen Alexandra developed a limp due to childbirth, many women began to mimic it as it was seen as fashionable, with even special shoes made to cause a limp
7. Queen Elizabeth I had such rotten teeth that people used to paint their teeth black to appear wealthier
8. After the death of her husband, Queen Victoria wore black every day for 40 years until her death
9. Queen Elizabeth I’s Reign was called “The Golden Age” and she was also given the name “Gloriana”
10. King Henry VIII executed 57-72,000 people in his reign
11. Eleanor of Aquitaine was crowned Queen of France AND queen of England
12. King Henry VII had a pet monkey
13. 25% of Tudor children didn’t make it to the age of 5
14. Princess Charlotte of Wales’ wedding dress is the oldest surviving royal wedding dress
15. The Tower of London is the most haunted place in London. Many believe the ghosts of Anne Boylen and Lady Jane Grey reside in the tower
16. In 1784, Mary Rose Tudor had a snippet of her hair taken from her resting place
17. King Henry VIII and all six of his wives were related through a common ancestor, King Edward I of England
18. White lead and vinegar were mixed to make a pale complexion foundation for Queen Elizabeth I
19. Katherine Howard’s remains have still not been found to this day
20. King Henry VIII owned the first stair lift which servants would use ropes to pull after his knee injury
21. Mary I owned a pet parrot
22. Jane Seymor married Henry VIII only 11 days after Anne Boylen’s execution
23. Mary Rose Tudor was considered as one of the most beautiful princesses in Europe
24. Catherine of Aragon spoke several languages including Castillian Spanish and Latin, French, Greek, and English
25. Anne of Cleves outlived all of Henry VIII’s wives
26. King Louis XIV of France was only 4 years old when he became the king of France
27. A cast of Marie Antoinette’s head was made exactly as it was the day of her execution
28. The original British Crown Jewels were broken up and sold
29. King Henry III had a polar bear that swam in the Thames, including other wild animals
30. Empress Sisi had such a fear of ageing that once she reached 31, she refused to be photographed and often wore veils or fans to cover her face
31. Queen Elizabeth I had an extreme obsession over gloves and in pictures, you can see that her fingers were scarily long
32. After Anne Boylen’s execution, the King ordered to have everything associated with Anne destroyed. However, Henry and Anne’s initials are still carved into the ceiling of Hampton Court Palace
33. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark illustrated artwork for the Danish edition of “The Lord of the Rings”
34. Queen Mary of Scots used to wash her face with wine
35. Queen Victoria survived several assassination attempts
36. King Henry VIII became the first English monarch to be called “Your Majesty”
37. King Charles III gets his shoelaces ironed and has a personal toothpaste squeezer
38. Queen Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis in her lifetime
39. Princess Anne competed in the Olympics
40. The monarch is the only person in the U.K. who can drive without a license or plates on their car
41. Queen Elizabeth II traveled with her own supply of blood in case there was blood transfusion needed
42. The Royal Palace of Madrid was destroyed in a fire
43. Our everyday Bluetooth technology is named after the Viking King Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson
44. King Henry VIII had people kiss his bed linen every morning to make sure it was not covered in poison
45. King Henry VIII’s body exploded in his coffin
46. Some of the board games the Tudors played are still enjoyed today, such as chess, backgammon, and card games
47. King Edward III once attended a Christmas fancy dress banquet dressed as a pheasant. He even wore a pair of wings
48. King Henry VII was the first English monarch to have a fully realized portrait stamped onto his coins
49. In 1520, King Henry VIII challenged the King of France, Francis I, to a wrestling match. Henry lost
50. King James I kept an elephant in St. James’s Park. It was given a gallon of wine to drink every morning during the winter
If you have a favorite fact, let us know in the comments below!
