EUROPE

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Finland Is Doing Away With Distinguishing Between Maternity and Paternity Leave

New prime minister Sanna Marin is hoping to encourage gender equality and a better work-life balance.

The Teenage Girl Gang That Seduced and Killed Nazis

In the 1940s, sisters Freddie and Truus Oversteegen used their unassuming profile as teenagers to ambush and kill Nazis in the Netherlands.

We’re Lovin’ the McSki, Sweden’s Ski-Thru McDonald’s

The McSki offers everything on a regular McDonald’s menu, though we can’t promise their McFlurry machine is working.

The Netherlands Is Asking the World Not to Call It “Holland” Anymore—Here’s Why

It’s part of a tourism campaign to take the heat off clogged vacation spots like Amsterdam and other popular cities.

Allan warren, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Why a King’s Wife Is the Queen, But a Queen’s Husband Isn’t the King

At 133 words long, Prince Philip’s full title included the words 'duke,' 'earl,' 'baron,' 'royal knight,' and just about every other noble designation you can think of. But the highest and perhaps most obvious moniker that was conspicuously missing: king.

12 Fascinating Facts About Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria was born fifth in line to the throne, which made her an unlikely ruler. But she ended up becoming the second longest-reigning British monarch.

From "Papiers à la Mode," Isabelle de Borchgrave's first series of paper sculptures.

Meet Isabelle de Borchgrave, the Belgian Artist Who Recreates Historical Fashion Using Paper

You can see everything from Queen Elizabeth I’s court dresses to the Medicis’ extravagant attire at Atlanta’s SCAD FASH now through mid-January.

David Hasselhoff's Strange Connection to the Fall of the Berlin Wall

In the late 1980s, David Hasselhoff enjoyed an unlikely career as a pop musician in Germany. Did the 'Baywatch' star help bring about the fall of the Berlin Wall?

Le Double Fond Just Became France’s First Official School For Magicians

By night, Le Double Fond’s patrons eat, drink, and enjoy magic shows. By day, it’s a school for aspiring magicians.

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A 120-Year-Old Denmark Lighthouse Rides Away From Coastal Erosion on Rollerblades

When it was built in 1899, more than 650 feet of land separated it from the water. By the 2000s, that number had dwindled to 20.

This Is How Much the Queen’s Coronation Crown Is Worth

St. Edward’s Crown, the crown jewel of the Crown Jewels, is bedazzled with sapphires, topaz, amethysts, and more.

Elisabeth Demidoff's tomb in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris

The Russian Countess Who Supposedly Wanted Company in Her Tomb

Did the Russian aristocrat Elisabeth Demidoff really offer the family fortune to anyone who would spend a year and a day in her tomb?

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16 Grand Facts About Princess Margaret

There’s more to the story of Queen Elizabeth II’s younger sister than what you’ve seen on Netflix’s ‘The Crown.’

This Company Will Pay an “Island-Hopping Instagrammer” to Document a Greek Vacation

If your dream vacation includes sunset sailing in Santorini and a private tour of the Acropolis, this job is for you.

German Court Rules Hangovers Are a Legitimate Illness

The next time you take a sick day to nurse a wicked hangover, let this article be your justification.

Buckingham Palace Used to Have a Bar For Its Staff—Until They Started Getting Really Drunk

Were the famously stoic Buckingham Palace guards among the guilty? We’ll probably never know for sure.

New Research Shows That the Word Leprechaun Has Latin Roots

The name for the classic St. Patrick’s Day tricksters comes from a very weird ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia.

A Picturesque Region of Southern Italy Wants to Pay People $770 a Month to Move There

You’ll also have to open a business, which can be anything from a quaint seaside inn to an artisanal pet rock shop.

McDonald’s Is Testing Out Plastic-Free Restaurants in Germany and Canada

Sustainability innovations include grass-made burger wrappings, edible waffle cups as condiment containers, and more.

The Queen Is Looking for a New Housekeeper—And the Gig Could Come With a Room at Buckingham Palace

Your dream of meeting Harry, Meghan, and the rest of the royal family could come true—as long as you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty.

A Signed Copy of Edward VIII’s Abdication Speech Is Hitting the Auction Block

The collection being auctioned includes a signed copy of Edward VIII's abdication speech, one of Wallis Simpson's gloves, and photographs of the scandalous couple.

The Definition of Museum Could Be Changing

The International Council of Museums is entrenched in a bitter battle over what exactly a museum should be.

© Historic Royal Palaces Courtesy of St. Faith's Church, Bacton

Fabric Allegedly From Queen Elizabeth I’s Only Surviving Piece of Clothing Is Going on Display

The cloth, hidden in plain sight for centuries, matches part of the dress that the Virgin Queen wore in the Rainbow Portrait of 1602. It will soon be displayed at Hampton Court Palace.

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Warning: Sitting Down on Rome’s Spanish Steps Could Now Cost You $450

With Rome’s new preservation rules, Audrey Hepburn would’ve had to take her ice cream elsewhere in ‘Roman Holiday.’

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