This is the final installment in my 3-part series on the Kent family.

Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christabel was born Christmas Day in 1936. She was the second child and only daughter of Prince George and Princess Marina, the Duke and Duchess of Kent.

Princess Alexandra spent most of her childhood at her family’s country house in Iver, Buckinghamshire. During World War II the princess lived with her grandmother Queen Mary, the widow of George V, at her temporary country home Badminton.

Alexandra and her siblings were dealt the devastating loss of their father during the war. The Duke of Kent was killed in a mysterious airplane crash near Caithness, Scotland in August 1942 while serving in the Royal Air Force. Her elder brother Edward became the new Duke of Kent at barely seven years of age….

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• GASP! Princess Letizia Steps Out In Flats (PHOTOS) http://ow.ly/1CE1D #
• I posted 2 photos on Facebook in the album "Member Photos" http://fb.me/uKLouGAW #
• Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Garter: http://ow.ly/1CyjB #
• I'm grateful for HM The Queen #imgrateful4 #
• Madeleine and Jonas break up! :( They looked so good together… http://ow.ly/1CBsj #
• For what it's worth, I care about the U.K. ::proud:: #
• LOL! RT @ProjectBritain: On this day in history: the greatest security breach in history – the first Trojan horse! http://bit.ly/6p5diS #

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Coming soon: The Coburg Conspiracy: Victoria and Albert – Royal Plots and Manoeuvres

At the dawn of the nineteenth century, the Duchy of Coburg, ruled by the Saxe-Coburg-Saalfield (later Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) family, was a small, impoverished German fiefdom with no political influence, and little prospect of improving its lot. Less than fifty years later, the family had transformed its position. Just how did they achieve this astonishing turnaround?

With Queen Victoria’s marriage to the Duchy’s Prince Albert, the formerly insignificant dukedom became intrinsically linked with the most powerful empire on earth. Victoria and Albert’s children were matched by Queen and Prince to the most eligible and politically viable royals throughout Europe. But who orchestrated Victoria and Albert’s marriage? Did those responsible realize what a royal powerhouse their matchingmaking would create?

Author Richard Sotnick was inspired to discover just that after a 1975 meeting with Lord Mountbatten. Sotnick studied German at the Goethe Institute and with a personal tutor so that he could understand crucial documents for his research for ‘The Coburg Conspiracy’. He will see the culmination of his work published May 20th.

Majesty Magazine says: ‘A fascinating, riveting tale based on ground-breaking research’.

Sarah Bradford, noted biographer of Queen Elizabeth II, writes: ‘Richard Sotnick’s book is an important addition to Victorian studies: illuminating the darker side of Prince Albert’s impoverished and ambitious family which Queen Victoria regarded as her own with the tragic tale of his rejected mother and the sexual intrigues of the Coburg court. Deploying new material from the Coburg archives, Sotnick convincingly explores the evidence for and against Albert’s illegitimacy. A fascinating book.’

Join me here for my review in May or early June.

“The Coburg Conspiracy” will also be reviewed by… http://ow.ly/1wJ8R

Sweden’s Princess Madeleine has called off her wedding plans.

Amid the preparation for elder sister Victoria’s wedding this June, Madeleine, 27, has been dealing with numerous issues in her relationship. Madeleine had been engaged to lawyer Jonas Bergstrom since August 2009, but recently rumors cropped up over his alleged infidelity. Her mother, Queen Silvia, even made a public statement of support to try and quell speculation but to no avail – the engagement was called off, a rare thing for royalty.

The princess said in her engagement interview that she and Bergstrom became engaged during their holiday to Capri in early June 2009. On August 11th, the pair officially announced the engagement during a formal photo call in front of the royal family’s summer home Solliden. Madeleine showed off her ring to the media, and Jonas lovingly held his arm around her. The news of a broken engagement, therefore, comes as a surprise to many.

The Royal Court issued a statement: “After careful consideration, Princess Madeleine and Jonas Bergström jointly decided to go their separate ways.”

I wish Madeleine the best and hope that she finds her “Prince Charming” one day soon.

I wish I was walking the grounds of Westminster Abbey again. Today would be a beautiful day for it! Ah, memories…

Inspired by a recent (early) birthday present, I have created a new section of links.

Entitled The Aristocracy, this section will contain the links to the finest aristo sites and people in the world.

I’m as pleased as punch and chuffed as chips to help encourage the world of Audrey fforbes-Hamilton and Bertie Wooster here at The Royal Representative!