Confessions of a Castleholic

Curious about what royals have swinging from their arms? Then you will feel right at home at the Museum of Bags and Purses in Amsterdam. Until February 26, 2017, they will have a special exhibition entitled "Royal Bags" on show. "For centuries the royal families set the fashion style. Sovereigns were trendsetters in this area. Bags carried by royals would even become iconic, like the Kelly-bag carried by Princess Grace. Sovereigns’ fashionable outfits and accessories still fire our imagination. Hendrikje Museum of Bags and Purses in Amsterdam displays an exhibition on the sensational bags of European royal families. Royal Bags includes bags of Queen Elizabeth, Empress Sisi, Princess Grace and the Dutch royal family [...] Especially for this exhibition, Queen Máxima selected three bags from former Queen Juliana’s personal collection. In Royal Bags subjects such as fashion, etiquette, travelling and the functions of the royal bag will be presented." All my pic...

Some of you may have noticed from Instagram or Twitter that I was in Amsterdam this past weekend. In the Dutch capital I met up with a few fellow royal watchers and together we went to the Hermitage Amsterdam to see the exhibition "Catherine, the Greatest - Self-polished Diamond of the Hermitage". In 2009, a Dutch branch of the famous museum of St. Petersberg was opened and naturally it often showcases the treasures of one of the oldest and largest museums in the world. As the name suggests, "Catherine, the Greatest - Self-polished Diamond of the Hermitage" focuses on the life and work of the woman who founded the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersberg in 1764. Born a Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst, Catherine became Empress of All the Russias two years prior following a coup d'état during which her husband, Peter III, was assassinated. The Imperial Crown of Russia, which was made for Catherine II's coronation, is the centre piece of the exhibition and no ma...

"I despise simplicity, it is the negation of all that is beautiful." (Norman Hartnell) And whoever likes to look at beautiful dresses will feel right at home in the British capital this year there being a number of exhibitions about royal clothing. One of them is "Fashion Rules Restyled" at Kensington Palace.  "Fashion Rules Restyled" sets out to "explore how three royal women, HM Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales navigated the fashion ‘rules’ defined by their royal duties in unique style and set their own rules, which in turn overtly lead fashion and taste." The exhibition includes some 18 couture dresses by various designers worn by Queen Elizabeth II, her sister Princess Margaret as well as her former daughter-in-law Princess Diana. This one above by Norman Hartnell certainly is the star of the show: You know you are at a royal exhibition when even the dresses sparkle ! On the left: A 1978 Ian T...

" The buzz for the crown doesn't end ", as Hereditary Prince Ernst August of Hanover expressed it. So good news for everyone who wanted to see the "Path to the Crown" exhibition at Schloss Marienburg but did not manage to do so in either 2014 or 2015: The exhibition focusing on the creation of the Kingdom of Hanover will remain open for another year until the end of 2016 due to high demand. In addition, there will be more concerts and other events at Schloss Marienburg than ever before.