Ros Knight

Ros ensures that all our information is accurate, well-written, fair, and easy to find on the internet.

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Royal Weddings, Winston Churchill and me

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A plate of cupcakes with brightly coloured icing and decorations, including a picture of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for the royal wedding

© Sunlight Photography/istock

The British Red Cross has played a special part in many Royal Weddings. The celebrations for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are no exception. As we get ready for 19 May, peek down the aisle back to the 1960s and hear from the people who were there…

TV’s first Royal Wedding: 1960

The first Royal Wedding to be televised was in May 1960. More than 20 million people tuned in to watch the black and white images of Princess Margaret marrying Antony Armstrong-Jones.

The Red Cross’s Mrs S.H. McFadyen had a ringside seat in Westminster Abbey. She described the vivid colours of the ceremony for a Red Cross magazine.

“H.M. The Queen’s long dress was of vivid blue, that of the Queen Mother was gold lace with a mass of fawn ospreys on her hat.”

Princess Margaret “was in every meaning of the word a Fairy Tale bride, her dress so simple, and her veil off her face. The Duke of Edinburgh talked to her all the way up the aisle.”

Guests included Sir Winston Churchill, who “looked frail, but he was there.”

Mrs McFadyen also described the striking outfits on display in the abbey.

“Some of the hats of the guests had to be seen to be believed, and it was a wonderful sight to see the most gorgeous sari, from India, and the gay costumes worn by representatives of distant lands.”

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First aid and fairytales: 92 years with Queen Elizabeth II

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The Queen visits a TB patient

As our Patron Her Majesty the Queen celebrates her 92nd birthday, take a peek at some of the quirky moments we’ve shared.

At a meeting on 11 June 1926, the British Red Cross council sent “hearty congratulations to the Chairman [Duke of York] on the birth of a Royal Princess.”

That little princess, Elizabeth, would grow up to have a long connection to the British Red Cross.

On 20 November 1947, Red Cross first aid teams helped the crowds during the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Volunteers lined the route from St James’s Palace to Buckingham Palace, treating 324 casualties. More

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The record-breaking teenager who was the ‘Little Wimbledon Wonder’

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Black and white photo of Lottie Dod in a cricket cap

Lottie Dod © National Portrait Gallery, London

This is a story of sporty siblings, a tennis court and a formidable Wimbledon champion. But we’re not talking about Serena and Venus, or Andy and Jamie. We’re talking about the youngest person to win a Wimbledon singles title – ever. We’re talking about British Red Cross volunteer Lottie Dod. More

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Jelly and cake: let’s revive a 1940s Christmas tradition

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“I know what we had for tea will make you envious: tinned peaches, red and orange jelly, pink and chocolate blancmange followed by iced cake and cream cakes and as much tea as you liked – with sugar in it.”

Meet British teenager John Wilkins, who wrote about his experience of a fantastic afternoon tea during the Second World War. More

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Let Twm, the Red Cross therapy dog, brighten your day

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Twm the therapy dog from the British Red Cross

All animal lovers know that pets make us feel happier. Whether it’s cuddling a cat or petting a pooch, time with your favourite furry-friend is good for you. It has been scientifically proven to reduce blood pressure and generally leave you feeling more relaxed.

That’s why we’ve recruited Twm, an adorable eight-year-old Kelpie Collie. More

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Celebrating nurses through the ages

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First World War Red Cross nurse lights a cigarette for a patient

It’s International Nurses’ Day: let’s celebrate the fantastic nurses who helped us treat Ebola, malaria – and flirty WW1 patients.

Florence Nightingale: no gossip

Florence Nightingale rose to fame after her work during the Crimean War. Like the British Red Cross today, she believed that every sick and injured person deserves help, no matter who they are or where they are from.

“A really good nurse must needs be of the highest class of character,” she wrote in 1881. More

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