5 strange facts about British monarchs

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1. George V had a large tattoo on his right arm of a red and blue dragon; he got it while working as a sailor in Japan.

2. King Henry I wins the prize for most illegitimate children, he had at least 22 of them.

3. Buckingham Palace, one of the world’s most famous royal palaces was not actually made for the monarchy. The grand building was purchased by George III 50 years after it was built for his wife. It cost the mad king just £21,000, that’s about three million pounds in today’s money.

4. British monarchs have received some unusual gifts through the years – George III received a cheetah from India and his son was given a giraffe from Egypt. This strange gift-giving hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down; Elizabeth II has been given a pair of cowboy boots, 12 tins of tuna, 7 kilograms of prawns and even an elephant.

5. The British monarch who has had the most portrayals on screen is Elizabeth I, closely followed by her father Henry VIII.

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