York has close associations with the monarchy, stretching back to Anglo-Saxon times. Perhaps the most obvious link is the title ‘Duke of York’.
The current Duke of York, Prince Andrew
Duke of York
The position of Duke of York is usually held by the sovereign’s second eldest son. The current Duke of York is Prince Andrew, second son of Elizabeth II. Along with Gloucester it is the oldest Dukedom in England. The title “Duke of York” was first created in the Peerage of England for Edmund of Langley, son of Edward III (who was also one of the characters in Shakespeare’s Richard II).
The fifth Duke of York was James Stuart (son of Charles I). It was he that the city and state of New York was named after in the 17th century, after the area was captured from the Dutch.
Whilst the Duke of York is a prestigious title, the owner of the title has not always been treated well by the city. Richard, the “Rebel” Duke of York, was accused of being a traitor and executed. And as with all traitors at that time, his head was removed, put on a spike and displayed on top of Mickelgate Bar for all to see!
War of the Roses
Another Duke of York, Richard Plantagenet, started the infamous War of the Roses, which was a battle between the House of York (the white rose of Yorkshire) and the House of Lancaster (the red rose of Lancashire). Richard felt aggrieved that he was 
given no influence in the court of Henry VI, so aimed to oust his Lancastrian political opponents. This conflict saw some of the bloodiest battles ever seen on English soil, in particular the Battle of Towton (1461), which saw the Lancastrian army virtually wiped out. Once Edward IV became king of England, the last Lancastrian male (Henry VI) was murdered in the Tower of London in 1471. The heir to Edward IV was King Richard III* who had many enemies. They rallied behind the House of Lancaster, resulting in the Battle of Bosworth (1485). Many of Richard’s supporters deserted him, and Richard himself was killed in battle – the last King of England to die in battle. Henry Tudor became King and united the Houses of York and Lancaster by marrying Elizabeth of York, thereby ending the War of the Roses and starting the Tudor dynasty that was to last until the death of Elizabeth I in 1603. Find more information about the War of the Roses in the York Castle Museum.
Richard III
Richard III
* History regards Richard III unfavorably as a brutal murderer, but in York this view is seen as being unfair, and he is still held in high esteem as a courageous leader. You can find a commemorative plaque to Richard III in Dean’s Park. A Requiem Mass is held for Richard almost every year in York Minster, and the Society of Friends of Richard III promotes Richard’s life in York. Find further information about his life at the Richard III museum in Monkbar gatehouse.
The term ‘War of the Roses’ is still commonly used today, to represent the fierce rivalry between neighbouring counties Yorkshire and Lancashire, now revisited annually on the cricket field!
Grand Old Duke of York
The Duke of York is also subject to a well-known nursery rhyme:
The grand old Duke of York,
He had ten thousand men;
He marched them up to the top of the hill,
And he marched them down again.
And when they were up, they were up,
And when they were down, they were down,
And when they were only half-way up,
They were neither up nor down.
Royals in York
The Kings Manor in Exhibition Square has been closely associated with royalty over the last few centuries. Henry VIII stayed there with his 5th wife, Catherine Howard. James VI of Scotland stopped there on his way down to London to be crowned James I of England. Kings Manor then became the site of the Council of the North under King Charles I, officially making York the ‘Capital of the North’. You can still see Charles’ coat of arms above the doorway.
The Royal Crest, Kings Manor
Sir Thomas Fairfax, saviour of York
During the Civil War, York was a royalist stronghold. In 1644, for the first and only time, York became a city under siege. The Parliamentary and Scottish forces combined to surround the city. York was pounded by cannon fire and muskets – you can still see evidence of musket shot damage on Walmgate Barbican today. Eventually, another Royalist army rod
e to the rescue of York – upon hearing news of their arrival, the allies abandoned the siege and gathered just outside York at Marston Moor for what became the decisive action of the Civil War. The Royalists were soundly defeated and the Parliamentarians took control of the city of York. Fortunately, thanks to Sir Thomas Fairfax, York was not ransacked and much of the fine architecture
remained intact. A plaque in memory of Fairfax has recently been erected by York Civic Trust just outside Micklegate Bar. He is buried in Bilborough Parish Church, just south of the city. Unfortunately, the end of the civil war saw York’s influence decline as the capital of the north and military headquarters of the north, after more than 1500 years of national importance.
Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria only ever visited York once, in 1854, and her visit did not go smoothly! She stopped off at the old Railway Station, located inside the City Walls near the new station. She had intended it to be a private visit, as a rest-break on the way to her summer residence in Balmoral, Scotland. Unfortunately to her majesty’s displeasure the city decided to lay on a full welcoming ceremony. To make matters worse, it is rumoured that when she luncheoned at the Royal Station Hotel she was presented with the bill to pay! This experience discouraged her from ever returning to the city and allegedly every time her Royal Train passed through York she ordered the blinds to be drawn!
Modern Day Royals
Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother was the Duchess of York in the 1920’s, and soon became one of York’s most popular visitors. She came to the city many times throughout her lifetime, opening several buildings, such as the Guildhall and the WWI memorial.
York Minster was the venue of the royal wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Kent. Queen Elizabeth II has also visited the city on numerous occasions. The walkway around the north of the minster is named “the Queens Path” after her 1972 visit.
York was also proud to provide the venue for Royal Ascot in 2005, whilst Ascot racecourse was being redeveloped. The Queen resided near York every day that week, and made the traditional horse-drawn carriage journey to the course from Bishopthorpe Palace to the Knavesmire.
If you are interested in finding out more information about “Royal York”, why not try Yorkwalk’s themed guided tours around the city? This walk includes the Richard III trail and a tour of Kings Manor. The walks start from Museum Gardens gate – refer to www.yorkwalk.co.uk for more details.
