iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

The Victorians apparently cleaned up various Christmas carols. I have to see the original carols now!

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

And the Jack the Ripper debate continues ...

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Always nice to see a library expanding!

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Here's a weird history question about the Knights Templar that never crossed my mind until now ...

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

LOL. I'm sure returning Napoleon III's body to France is on everyone's minds in Britain.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Could the scandals surrounding the new queen consort of Norway and her son doom King Haakon VIII's reign, or even the monarchy itself? www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/9208...

hellomagazine.com

Marius Borg Høiby leaves house arrest to carry King Harald's bier with Norwegian royal family

Queen Mette-Marit's son is currently under house arrest while he appeals sentencing for rape

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

One of the most fascinating royal "what ifs" ever!

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

I didn't know there was one Cruise of Kings, much less two!

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Liechtenstein becomes the latest country to change its succession rules to allow first-born daughters to ascend the throne. It won't change anything immediately, but the new rule could affect the next generation of royals. www.yahoo.com/news/world/a...

yahoo.com

Liechtenstein changes succession rule to allow women to ascend the throne

The declaration was made on the national day of the central European country, which has a population of just 44,000.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

There's apparently an island in Europe that swaps nationalities every 6 months. I wonder how that works from an administrative standpoint.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Conspiracy theory history! I'm definitely going to listen to this podcast episode.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Unsubstantiated stories are a huge part of royal history ...

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Several of the seven men who graduated in 1776 from the College of Philadelphia, now the University of Pennsylvania, made their mark on history. Here's my story about them for The Pennsylvania Gazette: thepenngazette.com/semiquincent...

thepenngazette.com

Semiquincentennial Sampler

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

"Would you use a movie to explain real history?" Great question!

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Now this is an intriguing medieval topic. Any recommendations?

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Denmark's Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine are one of the few sets of royal twins in Europe today. I rewrote about them all for Mental Floss: www.mentalfloss.com/posts/europe...

mentalfloss.com

4 Royal European Families Have Twins—But Only One Set Includes a Future Ruler

With more twins being born than ever, it should be no surprise that a handful have royal blood.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Wow. That's a whole lot of audacity.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Only five British queen consorts have been named Catherine so far. Three of them were married to Henry VIII. (Kate will be the sixth.)

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Now I want to see the rest of the deck!

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Just how bored where the knights looking for the Holy Grail? @scottmanning.com has an estimate.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Sounds like a very cool course.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

I'm going to be that history writer and point out that the AP's story on the heist at the Louvre suprisingly failed to note which Napoleon's crown jewels were stolen.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

I'd love to see a miniseries or movie about the feud between the Queen Mother and Wallis Simpson.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

Did Queen Victoria have a secret love child? And is an American woman a descendant of that child?

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

Gotta love a good medieval assassination story!

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

Vive la France! Every country should do this.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 16/06/2025

The executioners were pretty busy during Henry VIII's reign, but I didn't think the body count (head count?) was so high.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 16/06/2025

How great is it that three of Europe's future queens regnant have a group chat? I'd love to know what they talk about, but that bit of privacy must be priceless to them. www.tatler.com/article/insi...

tatler.com

Europe's Princesses: Inside one of the most exclusive royal WhatsApp groups

Meet the royal confidants forging their own digital dynasty

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

As someone who loves browsing family trees, this story amazes me.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

Here's the history of a whole 'lotta popes named Leo.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

Library stamp history - an area of history I didn't know I needed to learn more about!

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

What an interesting premise for a book.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

This book couldn't be more timely.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

Another book for my reading list ...

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Good. I hope more publications follow suit and that people read these articles.

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Samantha Drake @sjvdrake.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Here's the first 2025 photo of what may be the Loch Ness monster. nypost.com/2025/03/04/l... Check out my article for The Washington Post about the first photo ever taken of what may or may not be Nessie. I don't think either photo is convincing, do you? www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023...

nypost.com

‘Fantastic’ Loch Ness Monster sighting reported — the first in 2025: ‘Committed to uncovering the truth’

It’s a Nessie business.

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