The royal family tried to keep these photos a secret

The Royal Family has tried to maintain a squeaky clean image since the 1900’s. This feat, however, would prove to be more difficult than they imagined. Over the years, the British Monarch has changed the world for the better while battling their own personal issues behind castle doors. Attempted kidnappings, love affairs and disapproval from the Church of England has made its way into the fibers of the dynasty. Regardless of the hungry media, the Royal Family has, without a doubt, managed to tackle every obstacle and political juncture with class and dignity.

In the years following her death, The Diana Award Charity announced and currently promotes National Kindness Day, which was moved to Friday, March 31st in 2017 to commemorate the anniversary of the Princess of Wales’ death. On National Kindness Day, The Diana Award Charity records 20,000 acts of kindness and posts it to a specialized site.

Within the first 5 years of their marriage, Princess Diana and Prince Charles were experiencing marital problems. There issues as a couple were often attributed to their 13 year age gap but soon enough, documented evidence of each partner’s infidelity surfaced. In 1992, transcripts of a phone conversation between Di and her lover, James Gilbey, were printed in The Sun. Later that year, recorded transcripts of Prince Charles and his mistress’ (Camilla Parker Bowles) conversations were also published.

Diana of Wales and Prince Charles met for the first time in 1977 but it wasn’t until the summer of 1980 that the Prince of Wales decided to date her and eventually, wed her. They royal couple were married in 1981, just a few short months after a secret engagement. Their eldest son, William, was born in 1982. William was the first Prince born to England since 1905 and is currently second in line to the throne, behind his father.

Following the tape leaks, Prince Charles went public with his extra-marital affair. He confessed in an on-air interview that he had been involved with Camilla since 1986, after the “breakdown” of his marriage to Diana, and that it was a rekindled romance between him and his mistress. In 1993, the Lady Di announced her removal from the public eye and chose to distance herself from her husband and the Royal Family.

Much speculation surrounded the Princess’ mental health issues in the early 90’s. Diana was a self-confessed bulimic who struggled with depression and at one point, was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. In 1993, Princess Diana made a speech regarding the awareness of eating disorders and how to understand them better at a conference in West London.

Before her death in 1997, Princess Diana had found the road to recovery, as well as happiness, as she embarked on her new life and enjoyed the taste of freedom. Her final vacation was spent in the South of France with her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed. Di had decided to go with Dodi to France, and ultimately Paris, over a trip to Thailand earlier that year. She had also arranged a trip to the Hamptons wirth her sons before France but security prohibited them from going.

When Kate Middleton first met Prince William, she was dating another university student at the time. It wasn’t until a fashion show fundraiser in 2002 when the lovebirds were both available and interested in pursuing a relationship. Their affair was kept private until 2004, when British media managed to catch the young lovers on a romantic getaway in Klosters, Switzerland. In 2007, Kate and William split up temporarily due to commitment issues…

After 4 years of dating, William broke up with Kate over the phone (ouch). For the next few months, the media had more fun than any other public outlet in the world. Kate and William reportedly broke up because of the Prince’s inability to commit, as he was second-guessing his future and whether or not his 25-year-old girlfriend could handle the pressures of becoming a royal. The press cruelly nicknamed Kate “Waity Katie,” which implied that the newly single girl was waiting for her Prince to return. The breakup didn’t last long and in 2010, Kate and William announced their engagement.

On the day of their wedding, Princess Diana wore an antique-style dress with a 25 ft train following down and greatly surpassing her backside. The 1981 design was estimated to have cost 9,000 Euros – in today’s American dollars, this is equivalent of $115,000. Since her death in 1997, the famous dress has toured the world in an exhibition entitled “Diana: A Celebration.” In 2014, ownership of the gown was transferred back to her sons, as she wished that they would inherit all of her belongings after they each turned 30.

While she was 3 months pregnant, Princess Di threw herself down the stairs in a state of distress. The marriage between Diana and Charles had reached an all-time low and sources close to ex-royal couple claimed that the blonde beauty was “miserable.” Diana had developed an eating disorder but despite her mental health, she carried William to full term and he was born after 16 hours of labor. William and his mother became as close as the general public could have imagined and she nicknamed her son “wombat.”

Prince William, born in 1982, is a walking recollection of his mother and father. His public image is as tame and adored as his mother’s was and although the Prince isn’t as wild as his father once was, he still has a few skeletons in his closet. William has been known to get down at a bachelor party here and there but he’s also been open about his qualms with monogamy. When she was alive, though, Princess Diana remained close to her first boy and intended on raising him to be a 1 woman man.

It’s no secret that Prince Harry and his mother had a loving relationship before her passing. At the age of 12, Harry attended Di’s funeral and walked with his father and brother in front of a crowd of 2 million people. Today, Harry is finally opening up about his emotional trauma. He told the dailymail, “I can safely say that losing my mum at the age of 12, and therefore shutting down all my emotions for the past 20 years, has had a quite serious effect on not only my personal life, but my work as well.”

As a young child, William noticed the media circus that plagued his household. The fixation on his mother and his parents’ marriage, became increasingly obvious throughout his childhood years. When he was a little boy, William wanted to become a police officer so he could protect his mother. To this statement, his younger Harry would reply, “Oh, no you can’t. You’ve got to be King.”

In the wake of her divorce, Princess Diana proudly exclaimed to the press “I’d rather be the Queen of people’s hearts.” This, of course, was alluding to her former status as the future Queen of England. The Princess of Wales was an AIDS advocate who believed in charitable giving and moral support – she was always the people’s Queens whether she’s was reigning over their hearts or even, their souls. In 1991, Diana was famously photographed while shaking the hand of an AIDS patient without gloves on.

In 1991, Prince William made his first public appearance in Cardiff, Wales. The young Prince was on a scheduled visit with his parents and on that very day, the public learned something special about William. Upon signing the visitor’s book at Llandaff Cathedral, William exposed himself as a lefty! This would be the first headline the Prince would ever make…

The polarizing image of Prince Harry and William as a pair is captivating. On one hand, the royal brothers are best friends who are staunchly involved in countless charity efforts and pride themselves on protecting or serving the nation of England. On the other hand, both men have a discrete “party boy” persona, that has gotten them into trouble in the past. Regardless of their celebratory antics or their possible angel wings, they’re still best friends at the end of each passing day.

In 1996, the divorce between Prince Charles and Princess Diana was finalized. 1 year earlier, Diana had made a collection of bold statements on BBC to journalist Martin Bashir; “Yes, I adored him. Yes, I was in love with him. But I was very let down by him.” She continued to imply that she was deterred from her marriage by Charles’ affair, stating “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.” In August of 1997, Princess Di passed away in a fatal car wreck.

Princess Diana perished in a fatal car accident in 1997 while fleeing from paparazzi in Paris, France. There were 4 passengers in the car – Diana, her boyfriend Dodi Fayed, the driver Henri Paul, and Diana’s bodyguard (the only survivor) Trevor Rees-Jones. Conspiracy theories have alleged that the Royal Family was behind the crash. The driver of the vehicle was reportedly intoxicated.

In 1993, following the separation of Diana and Charles, Princess Margaret looked through her sister’s belongings and ordered the destruction of private letters that took place between the Princess of Wales and the Queen Mother. According to Margaret, the letters were too personal and contained inappropriate details regarding the Royal Family and her nephew, Prince Charles.

In 1982, a child who would become the future Queen of England was born as Catherine Middleton. While it’s true that Kate was a “commoner,” not born to a royal bloodline, she experienced life outside of England. During her childhood, Kate and Pippa lived in Jordan with their parents; at the time, Kate’s father was working for British Airways. The eventual Duchess of Cambridge attended school at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where she lived in the same residence hall as the future King of England…

With Princess Diana’s blue sapphire engagement ring on her left hand, Kate Middleton wed Prince William in 2011. The Royal Wedding was internationally broadcasted and the special occasion was marked as a public holiday in the United Kingdom. Kate’s wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton and believe it or not, the Duchess of Cambridge did her own makeup before the ceremony.

Old habits die hard, as it would appear. Kate and William’s first private getaway was at a secluded skiing location in Switzerland. More than 10 years later, the now married couple (with 2 children!) is still sneaking away on family vacations to go – yup, you guessed it – skiing. In 2016, their last snowy getaway was in the French Alpines.

Girl power truly came together in 1997, when the Queen dodged backstage to meet the Spice Girls after their performance at the London Palladium. During the 90’s, the Spice Girls were an international sensation and proud patriots who were strong representatives of Elizabeth ll’s nation. In the photo below, Victoria Beckham (formerly known as Posh Spice) can be seen shaking the Queen’s hand.

Today, Queen Elizabeth ll has been nicknamed “Busy Lizzie” for her traveling efforts and a recorded 341 official engagements (a record once held by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria). According to sources who have known the Queen for literally forever, the word “abdicate” is not in her vocabulary. It’s been speculated that Charles has been waiting for his mother to retire but as we can see, Busy Lizzie has a different set of plans to intends to follow through on.

Born under the title of Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, this miniature royal in the making would one day become The Queen Mother. Pictured below, is a photo taken in 1909 when Elizabeth was 1 year old. She had 9 brothers and sisters, of which she was the youngest girl and 9th in line. Later in life, after the death of her husband George Vl, she changed her own title to the Queen Mother; a name, which admittedly, Elizabeth despised and called “horrible.”

Before Elizabeth would agree to marry George Vl in 1932, the future Queen Mother rejected his marriage proposals 3 times. Elizabeth may have loved her Prince but she had no intention of becoming a member of the Royal Family. The mother of George Vl, Queen Mary, had publicly expressed her desire for the 2 to marry and referred to Elizabeth as “the one girl who could make Bertie happy.” After reconsidering his proposals (all 3 of them!), Elizabeth married George Vl on April 26th, 1923 at the traditional Westminster Abbey.

Princess Elizabeth ll was born in 1926, 3 years after her parents were married. The infant Princess was born as the Duchess of York and 4 years later, welcomed a younger sister named Princess Margaret Rose. The Queen Mother had a problem that most young mothers encounter – the fear of leaving their children for the first time following birth. Shortly after the birth of Elizabeth ll, the Queen Mother and King George Vl were set to embark on a journey to Australia and the new parents, particularly Elizabeth, were more than hesitant to leave their new daughter.

Elizabeth was raised as a commoner, not of royal descent or responsibility. Because of this family root, the Queen Mother made sure that her daughters not only performed but understood the importance behind domestic stability and independence. Regardless of their royal lifestyle, Elizabeth ll and Margaret Rose were taught to clean up after themselves and at one point, taught the family’s butler a thing or two about cleaning. By the time she was 5 years old, Elizabeth ll already excelled at reading.

Elizabeth ll was never supposed to be Queen. It wasn’t until 1936, when the course of her life would change forever, that her father was crowned the King of England. George VI was the second eldest son of King George V; his older brother, Elizabeth ll’s uncle, was initially supposed to claim the crown. When the time came, her coronation took over 14 months plan and she would already have a 3-year-old son in attendance. Queen Mary prepared for the crowning of Elizabeth ll before her death, urging that it continue as planned if she were to pass before the ceremony.

During World War ll, both the Queen Mother and Elizabeth ll felt a moral obligation to their country. The Queen Mother was urged by the palace to take her children and seek safety in America but she chose to stay, citing her reasons as – “The children will not leave unless I do. I shall not leave unless their father does, and the King will not leave the country in any circumstances whatsoever.” Elizabeth ll began a radio broadcast that touched the lives of British citizens witnessing the war erupt daily. She would tell them over her live broadcast, “in the end, all will be well; for God will care for us and give us victory and peace.”

Following World War ll, Margaret Rose fell in love with a soldier named Group Captain Peter Townsend. Captain Townsend was married at the time but chose to divorce his wife and proposed to Margaret. The Church of England refused to bless the marriage between the Princess and a divorced suitor, therefore, the 2 never married. After her relationship with Townsend ended, Margaret married a photographer named Antony Armstrong-Jones. The couple was married for 18 years before divorcing in 1978.

Margaret Rose and Elizabeth were closer than anyone could imagine. The royal pair of sisters were inseparable and were known for using affectionate nicknames with one another. Margaret, for example, called Elizabeth “Lilibet.” When both girls grew into women and began living in separate homes, they had a direct line connected to in their houses so they could call one another privately, without interruption.

It was Elizabeth ll’s turn to find love and find love she did! The only catch was that the profound love of her life, Prince Phillip, was a second cousin of the royal family. The couple became infatuated with one another when Elizabeth ll was just 13 years old and engaged in consistent correspondence since their first official meeting in 1939. When Elizabeth ll turned 21, the Royal Family announced the young couple’s engagement. Opposition from the Church arose following the announcement; Phillip was a Prince with no material assets and his sisters married German Noblemen with Nazi ties. Nevertheless, the marriage moved forward despite public opinion.

To appease the Church of England, as well as the Royal Court, Prince Phillip renounced his Greek and Danis titles and converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism. Marion Crawford, the governess to Elizabeth ll and Margaret Rose, stated “Some of the King’s advisors did not think him good enough for her. He was a prince without a home or kingdom. Some of the papers played long and loud tunes on the string of Philip’s foreign origin.” The Queen Mother, at first, did not approve of the union and nicknamed Phillip “The Hun.”

Pictured below is a young Elizabeth ll, who was pregnant with Princess Anne in 1950. 2 years prior, she had given birth to her eldest son, Prince Charles. Elizabeth wasn’t the average royal mother; while pregnant and after giving birth, she continued to pursue foreign language study and host palace events alongside her husband and parents. Today, Elizabeth ll is fluent in French and was the last royal family member to be traditionally tutored in constitutional history privately.

In 1951, Elizabeth ll and Phillip began preparing themselves to ascend their respective thrones. The reigning King, George Vl, was slowly declining into a poor state of health and Elizabeth ll began filling in for him at public events. While the new parents were traveling to Kenya in 1952, they were informed that the King had passed away in his sleep at the age of 56. George Vl’s cause of death was listed as a coronary thrombosis. As soon as Elizabeth ll and Phillip returned to England, they moved into Buckingham Palace with Prince Charles and Princess Anne.

Following their entrance to Buckingham Palace, Elizabeth ll and Prince Phillip were urged to take the last name of “Windsor” at the advance of Queen Mary and Winston Churchill. Phillip was outraged by the idea of abandoning his surname and conforming to the House of Windsor. He outwardly expressed his thoughts on the name change, stating “I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children.” Winston Churchill penned a diary entry, which was discovered years later, documenting his personal opinion on Phillip’s behavior at the time – “What upsets is the Prince’s almost brutal attitude to the Queen over all this.”

After the death of Queen Mary in 1953 and Winston Churchill’s resignation in 1955, Phillip decided to take advantage of the opportunity to give his children his surname. By 1960, the children of The Queen Mother and Prince Phillip were given the complete surname of Mountbatten-Windsor. Male descendants of the family who were of not royal responsibility or title, were the only ones allowed to strictly adhere to the name Mountbatten.

Elizabeth ll, and the former Queen Mother, enlisted the help of Catherine Peebles to work as a governess with Prince Charles. Catherine educated young Charles until he left for prep school at the age of 8. Pictured below, is Elizabeth ll holding new baby Anne and her mother playing with Charles. Elizabeth ll, along with her sister Margaret Rose, were raised by one of the most famous royal family governesses, Marion Crawford.

Prince Charles (who also became titled as the Duke of Cornwall) experienced more than most people do in a lifetime. Charles was there for the death of his grandfather, King George Vl, saw his mum’s coronation (at Westminster Abbey), and would unleash a royal public scandal in the years to follow. During his childhood, he attended a prep school for boys in Berkshire, followed by an education stay in Scotland. Princess Anne, on the other hand, was somewhat of an overachiever. As a child she completed private schooling in a matter of 6 years, is a silver medalist equestrian, and inspired the Holy Trinity Brompton Brownie Pack reform at Buckingham Palace when she was a young girl.

When Elizabeth ll was 25 years old, she was crowned the Queen of England. She wasn’t, however, coronated until a year after her father’s death. The new Queen felt that it would be inappropriate to celebrate during a period of mourning for the Royal Family, as well as the United Kingdom. Elizabeth ll quickly rose to popularity as the new Queen. She was known for her diplomatic demeanor, extensive overseas touring, and at the same time, was a dedicated, extensive mother.

As we mentioned previously, Elizabeth ll’s took place 1 year after her father’s death and was prepared over the course of 14 months. Her eldest child Charles was at the present at the coronation but her daughter, Anna, was still an infant at the time of her crowning – therefore, she wasn’t present for the ceremony. Before he passed away, Elizabeth ll’s father, King George Vl, issued a letters patent that would secure the use of the titles Prince and Princess for Charles and Anne even though their father was not of royal descent.

Elizabeth ll’s influence on Anne was one that has lasted a lifetime. Because of her close relationship with her mother, Anne became an entrepreneur and traveler. She did, however, encounter a scandal of her own. In 1992, within months of finalizing her divorce from Captain Mark Phillips, Anne wed Sir Timothy Laurence – a man she had become acquainted with in the late 80’s.

Elizabeth ll has always been the “people’s Queen.” In 1969, she proved that her commoner roots were a key component to her success and launched an entirely new route within the London Underground station. The Queen decided to name the route Victoria, honoring the memory of her great-great grandmother. Upon opening the underground line, Elizabeth ll became the first member of the Royal Family to ride on public transportation. In 2018, a route named Queen Elizabeth ll is expected to debut in her honor.

In 1974, a round of shots was fired outside a Buckingham Palace in an attempt to kidnap Princess Anne. At the time, the only daughter of Elizabeth ll was 23 years old. The kidnapper said to Anne while trying to get a hold of her – “I want you to come with me for a day or two, because I want two million. Will you get out of the car?” Princess Anne quickly replied, “Not bloody likely!” Following the attack, royal security was increased and the assailant received life imprisonment.

Elizabeth ll has always known how to strike the fancy of both opposing and allied political powers. In 1981, the Queen (plus, Margaret Thatcher) invited President Ronald Reagan to visit England. While there, the U.S. President was elected to stay at Windsor Castle for 2 months, one of the Queen’s many residencies, but surprisingly declined the offer. At the time, Reagan was expected to speak at the House of Parliament but his appearance was rescheduled and set in the Royal Gallery instead. This caused a temporary rift between the White House and the Royal Family until amends were made and Reagan agreed to speak at the new location.

The Queen knew how to make and keep friends both inside and outside of the United Kingdom. Pictured below is Elizabeth ll in 1979, visiting the Emir of Bahrain. At the time, the Queen was the first member of the Royal Family to visit the Middle East.

Traveling was in Elizabeth ll’s blood. Her parents, the Queen Mother and King George Vl, were suckers for diplomacy and wanted to instill the worldly habit of political touring in their children from a young age. In 1947, Elizabeth ll and Margaret Rose joined the parents on a state visit to South Africa. During this 3 month visit, Elizabeth ll became enamored with the region and announced that she would dedicate her life to the efforts of bettering Swaziland.

In 1961, Queen Elizabeth ll and her husband, Prince Phillip, became responsible for the new wave of British Monarchs who have chosen to spend time in India. Elizabeth ll and Phillip were the first members of the Royal Family to visit India after the state claimed its independence. The royal couple was the guests of honor during India’s Republic Day Parade. Today, Kate Middleton and Prince William have become frequent tourists of the exotic country.

Before Queen Elizabeth ll in 1980, no member of the British Monarch had stepped foot in the Vatican. For the Queen, meeting with Pope was the first step to reconciliation and pleasantries between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church. Following their visit, Elizabeth ll invited Pope John Paul II to England and he took her up on this offer almost 2 years later. While engaged in private discussion, the Queen offered the Pope a book about Windsor Castle and in return, the Pope offered the Queen a manuscript of Dante’s Divine Comedy.

In 1953, the British Monarch’s royal yacht officially set off for the high seas. The luxury yacht was in use for 45 years and was the perfect replacement for air travel, which happened to be less common during the time of the yacht’s use. The yacht was dubbed The Royal Britannia and after it was retired in 1957, it became a popular tourist attraction. The royal yacht is permanently docked at Leith, Edinburgh and can be reserved for exclusive dinner events.

Balmoral Castle was originally purchased by Queen Victoria in 1852. The 50,000-acre property is located in Scotland and until this very day, is Elizabeth ll’s favorite vacation spot. At the time of Princess Diana’s death in 1997, Queen Elizabeth was enjoying a stay in Balmoral at her castle away from home.

Throughout her reign as Queen, Elizabeth ll has owned more than 30 corgis. Each corgi that she’s adopted was placed on the best diet that suits their breed and visits a veterinary specialist that helps improve their quality and length of life. Corgis have been the British Monarch’s dog of choice for 8 decades running. The pets of Queen Elizabeth ll are, in fact, so famous that there are statue replicas of them installed around the world.

Elizabeth ll’s love of corgis didn’t just blossom one beautiful, British Spring. When she was a young girl, the Queen Mother and King George Vl brought home a little corgi named Dookie for she and Margaret. On Elizabeth ll’s 18th birthday, her parents gave her a corgi of her own, named Susan. This childhood love of the dog breed has transcended time and today, she has collected a dynasty of dogs that date back further than her own marriage!

The Queen achieved another first in 1986, after touring China with Prince Phillip as the only royal couple to ever do so. The royal couple were invited for a special walk along The Great Wall of China, attended a state banquet in Beijing, and of course, hosted meetings with the largest political powers of the nation.

Christmas traditions in the Royal Family are similar to their love of corgis and by that, we mean they’ve been around for countless decades. Queen Elizabeth ll has a few traditions of her own, however, that she has cultivated over the years. On Christmas Eve, the Royal Family attends afternoon tea and decorates the tree. The Christmas meal menu is always written in French, movie night takes place in the ballroom, and last but certainly not least, Elizabeth ll and Phillip keep celebrating until February.

The Queen Mother passed away in 2002 with her daughter, the reigning Queen, at her bedside. For last 4 months of her life, she had been suffering from a chronic head cold. At the time of her death, she was 101 years old and was the oldest living member of the British Monarch.

Like Kate Middleton, Princess Diana was born a “commoner” before her entry into the Royal Family. She was born Diana Spencer and grew up as an upper-middle class child who also had her own governess. Following her parent’s divorce, Diana’s father married the Duchess of Dartmouth and inherited the title of Earl Spencer. At this point in time, the future Princess of Wales would be temporarily known as Lady Diana Spencer.

In 2005, Prince Charles married his “longtime” girlfriend, Camilla Parker Bowles, in a civil ceremony; this was the first time in Monarch history that a member of the Royal Family wed in a civil ceremony. The union finalized a public affair that had been accelerating since the passing of Diana, although, Camilla was known to the British public as Prince Charles’ “other woman.” Queen Elizabeth ll and Prince Phillip did not attend the ceremony but did attend the Service of Prayer and Dedication.

The relationship between Prince Harry, Prince William, and Prince Charles has been questioned throughout the years. It has also, however, remained as strong as it was since the boys were born in the 80’s. Regardless of his marriage woes, Charles has always been credited with treating his children like they were adults – you know, humans with minds of their own. Harry and William’s adolescence were devastating and even bizarre to a certain degree but because of their relationship with Charles, they’ve managed to grow into well-rounded individuals.

Queen Elizabeth ll and Prince Phillip has been married for over 65 years. Despite the fact that they’re second cousins, the royal couple still maintains that their relationship has been the longstanding result of love at first sight. Of her husband, Queen Elizabeth ll has stated, “He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments. But he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I and his whole family, in this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim or we shall ever know.”

Now, the future King and Queen of England have two children, Charlotte and George. George is now third in line to succeeding the throne, behind his father and his grandfather, Charles. Elizabeth ll has reigned longer than 60 years and at 90 years old, doesn’t appear to be going anywhere, anytime soon.