Royal History

The House of Wessex: The Dawn of English Royalty

The origins of the English monarchy begin with Alfred the Great, who ruled Wessex, one of the seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms that later formed modern England.
Crowned in 886 AD, Alfred established a legacy of unity and defence that shaped the future of the English crown. His son, Edward the Elder, continued his reign for 24 years, followed by several successors from the same house.

In 1013, the Danish King Sweyn Forkbeard invaded England, marking the beginning of a decades-long power struggle between the Houses of Wessex and Denmark. The Wessex line was restored in 1042 under Edward the Confessor, the last monarch of that dynasty.

The House of Normandy: Conquest and Change

The Battle of Hastings (1066) transformed English history forever. William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, defeated Harold Godwinson and established the House of Normandy.
This dynasty ruled from 1066 to 1135, with William I’s son, Henry I, dying without a direct heir. His daughter, Empress Matilda, and his nephew, Stephen of Blois, fought bitterly for the crown. Though Matilda briefly claimed the throne—making her arguably England’s first queen – the conflict ultimately gave rise to the House of Anjou (Plantagenet).

The War of the Roses: A Battle for the English Crown

Few royal conflicts are as well known as the War of the Roses, fought between the House of York (white rose) and the House of Lancaster (red rose).
For decades, the crown passed back and forth between these rival factions. The war ended in 1485 when Henry Tudor (a Lancastrian claimant) defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth. As Henry VII, he married Elizabeth of York, uniting the warring houses and founding the Tudor dynasty.

The Tudors: Power, Reformation, and the Unification of Crowns

The Tudor period is one of the most iconic eras in British history.
Henry VIII, famous for his six wives and the formation of the Church of England, produced three heirs: Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I.
After Elizabeth I’s death without an heir, the throne passed to her cousin James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England, uniting the Scottish and English crowns in 1603.

The English Civil War: Revolution and Restoration

The English Civil War (1642–1651) brought the monarchy to a temporary end. King Charles I was executed, and Oliver Cromwell ruled as Lord Protector during the Commonwealth period.
The monarchy was restored in 1660 under Charles II, followed by his brother James II. Due to his Catholic faith, James was replaced by his Protestant daughter Mary II and her husband, William of Orange, in the Glorious Revolution.

Queen Anne, the last of the Stuart monarchs, reigned for 12 years and oversaw the Acts of Union (1707), officially uniting England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain.

The House of Hanover and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha: Empire and Evolution

Following Queen Anne’s death, the crown passed to George I, beginning the House of Hanover.
Perhaps the most famous Hanoverian monarch was King George III, known both for his mental health struggles and for losing the American colonies. His granddaughter, Queen Victoria, became one of Britain’s longest-reigning and most influential monarchs, dubbed the “Grandmother of Europe” for her many royal descendants across the continent.

During World War I, due to anti-German sentiment, the royal family changed its name from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the more British-sounding House of Windsor.

The House of Windsor: The Modern British Monarchy

The House of Windsor remains Britain’s royal house today.
After Edward VIII abdicated in 1938 to marry Wallis Simpson, his brother became King George VI. His daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, ascended the throne in 1952 and reigned for an astonishing 70 years, becoming the longest-serving British monarch.

Following her death in 2022, her son King Charles III became the reigning monarch, continuing a royal tradition that has defined the United Kingdom’s heritage for centuries.

Explore Royal Britain

From ancient castles and cathedrals to royal palaces like Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Hampton Court, visitors can trace the footsteps of kings and queens who shaped Britain’s past.
Discover the stories, battles, and alliances that built a kingdom and experience the enduring legacy of the British monarchy firsthand.