The Queen's January

January is always a low key month for the Queen. She stays at Sandringham throughout the month and we mostly get to see her as she heads out to church. But while the public appearances have been as restrained as usual, Elizabeth II has found herself hovering close to the headlines in what's proved to be a busy month for the monarch.

The Queen, in all her guises

So this is kind of cool. Trawling around on the internet, as you do when you're waiting for the baked potatoes to finish cooking, I came across this rather clever graphic of the Queen growing older, on banknotes.

Royal Brides: Princess Astrid of Norway

Princess Astrid of Noreway on her wedding day with her father and husband

(photo kongehuset.no)

If you're expecting a great big train and endless veil, look away now. The marriage of Princess Astrid of Norway was a relatively simple affair with a relatively simple dress which ended up being converted into a gala gown by the thrifty bride. But while there's no eighteen feet of tulle following this royal bride up the aisle, there is a very pretty dress that's very of its time and all the more standout because it's so different from many that we've seen before and since.

16 royal birthdays for January 2018

Here's hoping you stocked up on birthday cards in the sales because January is a bumper month for royal celebrations. There are kings, queens, consorts, heirs, spares and twins on the list of birthday royals for January with just about every week of the month already packed with cake and candles featuring regal monograms. Get the stamps ready, here are sixteen royal birthdays for January.

January's Royal Brides

January. Not really the month you think of when someone says ''wedding''. But there are plenty who choose to say 'I do' as the new year gets under way and three modern royal brides are among them. And they're all sisters of sovereigns. As the wind bites and the chill sets in, get warmed up and loved up with these three January royal brides....