LONDON - Does The Queen wear her crown in bed and who walks the corgis when she’s busy? Which flags fly over Buckingham Palace to determine if the Queen is home or away ? In addition to some curious collector members of ARTKABINETT social network, children everywhere really want to know about life at Buckingham Palace.
Inspired by the many questions that children have asked her, Marion McAuley, a former Head of Education at the Royal Collection, decided to provide the answers in the Royal Household’s first children’s book about The Queen’s London home.
In this 32-page book, illustrated by Katy Sleight, a footman guides two children around the Palace, showing them some of its rooms and explaining The Queen’s most important duties – and what you should do if you meet her.
The children find crowns all over the Palace – on picture frames, on ceilings and even on uniforms worn by staff. They discover which crown The Queen wears on stamps – and that it has 1,333 diamonds in it.
They throw balls for some of The Queen’s dogs, which are walked by footmen when she is hard at work, and find out what their names are. They also have tea in the Palace garden, where they discover that 45,000 sandwiches are eaten at summer Garden Parties.
Mrs. McAuley said, ‘The inspiration for the title and indeed much of the content comes from the real questions we are asked by children. We hope the book will help them understand better how Buckingham Palace functions as a home, an office and a palace.’
Jemima Rellie, Director of Publishing and New Media at the Royal Collection, said, ‘Children perhaps more than any other age group are fascinated by kings and queens, but most of the information that is readily available to them is fiction. We hope this book will complement these other offerings by showing children what the real Queen does today.’
Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain’s sovereigns since 1837 and today is the administrative headquarters of the Monarchy. Its hundreds of rooms include 19 State Rooms, 52 royal and guest rooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. The building is 108 metres long across the front, 120 metres deep and 24 metres high.
Although used for the many official events and receptions held by The Queen and members of the Royal Family, the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are open to visitors every year.
Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837 and today is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch. Although in use for the many official events and receptions held by The Queen, the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are open to visitors every year. For visitor information, visit the Royal Collection website at : www.royalcollection.org.uk/
Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. In measurements, the building is 108 metres long across the front, 120 metres deep (including the central quadrangle) and 24 metres high.
The Palace is very much a working building and the centerpiece of Britain's constitutional monarchy. It houses the offices of those who support the day-to-day activities and duties of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh and their immediate family. The Palace is also the venue for great Royal ceremonies, State Visits and Investitures, all of which are organized by the Royal Household.
Although Buckingham Palace is furnished and decorated with priceless works of art that form part of the Royal Collection, one of the major art collections in the world today. It is not an art gallery and nor is it a museum.
