不论是政治意义还是社会意义，“皇室”一直是一个牵动人心，牵动历史的词语。在金碧辉煌的宫殿里，既有生死存亡的明争暗斗，也有令人动容的爱情故事。今天，我们就来回顾一下，那些在历史中被人们口口相传的爱情。
Mark Antony & Cleopatra
这是历史上最有名的悲剧情侣之一。Cleopatra（克利奥帕特拉七世）是古埃及托勒密王朝的最后一位女法老，俗称埃及艳后。她既是凯撒的情妇，也和凯撒手下重要军事指挥官Mark·Antony（马克·安东尼）相爱着。
公元前32年，凯撒的合法继承人Octavian（屋大维）入侵埃及，克利奥帕特拉故意让毒蛇咬伤手臂昏迷而死，在临死之前向屋大维提出最后的要求：和安东尼埋葬在一起。安东尼听闻爱人的死讯便相继自杀。
- Perennial: 常年的，多年的
Mark Antony and Cleopatra are possibly the best-known tragic couple in the history of everything. A perennial Halloween-costume favorite, the doomed pair are best known for their double suicide.
- Heiress: 女继承人
- Relinquish: 放弃，让渡
Cleopatra, the heiress and ruler of a declining empire, possibly off’d herself via poisonous snakebite, to avoid relinquishing her throne to Octavian’s invading armies. Mark Antony, the (married) man Cleopatra had seduced and borne twins, stabbed himself upon hearing of Cleopatra’s death.
Emperor Justinian I & Empress Theodora
拜占庭皇帝Emperor Justinian I（查士丁尼一世）和皇后Theodora（西奥多拉）也是历史上著名的皇室夫妇。第一次相见时，查士丁尼一世就被西奥多拉的美貌和聪慧深深吸引。西奥多拉不仅是帝国的皇后，还是皇帝最亲近的谋士，最后甚至掌握着拜占庭帝国的实权。
- Mistress: 情妇
Upon meeting her, Justinian fell crazy in love with Theodora’s beauty and intellect, making her first his mistress; then his wife; and then his co-ruler upon ascending the throne.
- Rein: 统治
- Figure head: 挂名首脑
Theodora became Justinian’s closest, most beloved advisor, and it became common knowledge that Theodora actually held the reins to the Empire, while Justinian remained mostly a figure head.
Sir Lancelot & Queen Guinevere
Lancelot（兰斯洛特）是亚瑟王传说中的伟大圆桌骑士，虽然他仰慕亚瑟王王后Guinevere（桂妮维亚），也奋力维护王后的名誉，但是他们之间的精神恋爱还是成为了有名的皇室丑闻。这位骑士原本是亚瑟王最信任的臣子，也是最忠诚的朋友，最后由于他和王后的恋情，不仅伤害了亚瑟王，也导致了圆桌骑士的崩溃解体。
- Prototype: 原型，模范
- Confidant: 知己，密友
The Lancelot/Guinevere/Arthurlove triangle is the definitive prototype for the wife/best friend cheating scandal. According to Arthurian Legend, Sir Lancelot was King Arthur’s most loyal servant and confidant.
- Ethereal: 超凡的
But not even Sir Lancelot, a literal knight in shining armor, was perfect: he harbored a serious crush on King Arthur’s ethereal wife Guinevere. Their forbidden love was doomed, of course.
Shah Jahan & Mumtaz Mahal
印度古迹泰姬陵也是一段皇室爱情的见证。穆塔兹玛哈尔原本是集市上的小贩，年轻的沙贾汗王子仰慕这位貌美无比的波斯女子，将其娶回皇宫。两人先后生育了十四个孩子，但穆塔兹马哈尔却在最后一次生产时不幸去世，相传沙贾汗伤心欲绝，一夜白了头。最后为了满足心上人的遗愿，沙贾汗皇帝耗尽国库，每天动用两亿劳工，聘请世界最好的建筑师和工匠，修筑了这一世界奇迹。
- Infatuated: 迷恋的
Although Mumtaz Mahal would become one of many of Shah Jahan’s wives, these two were a real love match: she became her husband’s trusted advisor, eventually wielding power in her own right; plus, she requested that the Shah not have children with his other wives, an order which the infatuated Emperor heeded.
- Mausoleum: 陵墓
- Testament: 证据，证明
Though Mumtaz Mahal died tragically, Shah Jahan's mausoleum gifted us future generations with a remarkable testament his immense love for his favorite wife.
Queen Victoria & Prince Albert
维多利亚女王或许是最有名的英国皇室成员，纵使在一百多年后的今天，人们仍然常常谈起她。和名声显赫的妻子相比，她的丈夫Albert就显得低调很多。但对于女王来说，Albert却是不可或缺的另一半。丈夫因病去世后，女王陷入了很长的低迷期。虽然在外是铁腕女王，但在日记中写起丈夫，却兴奋地像个热恋的小姑娘。
- Dour: 阴沉的，不爱说话的
- Prude: 据守礼仪的，故作正经的
- Newlywed: 新婚夫妇
The couple: Victoria endures as a dour prude, but an excerpt from her personal diary, written on her wedding night, reveals that even "the grandmother of Europe" was once a lovesick newlywed:
I NEVER, NEVER spent such an evening!!! MY DEAREST DEAREST DEAR Albert ... his excessive love & affection gave me feelings of heavenly love & happiness I never could have hoped to have felt before! He clasped me in his arms, & we kissed each other again &again! His beauty, his sweetness & gentleness – really how can I ever be thankful enough to have such a Husband!
