A 16th century letter written by Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, to Queen Elizabeth I, on view during a preview of the Love Letters exhibition at the National Archives in London on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, shows two dots written above the word poor, a reference to the monarch's nickname for Dudley: Eyes. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Historic love letters from royals, rogues and romantics go on show at Britain’s National Archives
Love is, famously, a many-splendored thing. It can encompass longing, loneliness, pain, jealousy, grief — and, sometimes, joy. As Valentine’s Day approaches, the many facets of passion are going on display in “Love Letters,” a public exhibition at Britain’s National Archives that covers five centuries. Curator Victoria Iglikowski-Broad said that the documents recount “legendary romances from British […]
JAN. 21, 2026
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