Monday, September 22, 2008

Richard of Gloucester and the Danish princesses



I was looking through a folder of uncatalogued photos - and discovered this sweet photo. It is a press photo that I bought some years ago (and it is now out of copyright). The photo does not include a lot of information apart from a handwritten note in French (Richard of Gloucester and the Danish princesses).

This photo was taken in 1952 at Battersea Park in London. King Frederik IX had gone to Greenland on the royal yacht, and Ingrid decided to take their three daughters to England. They "borrowed" the American-born Lady (Nancy) Astor's home on Hill Street in London. Princess Benedikte talks about the visit in the book, Princess Benedikte of Denmark Campfires and Curtsies by Randi Buchwaldt. The three princesses were taken to Buckingham Palace for tea with Queen Elizabeth II and also with Queen Mary. Benedikte noticed a TV set in one of Mary's sitting rooms: "something we had never seen before." The Queen Mother -- Benedikte's godmother -- joined the family for dinner at Hill Street. Ingrid and the three princesses also stayed for one night with Great Aunt Patsy, who was Queen Ingrid's aunt.
 
The family spent sixteen days in England, visiting Lady Astor at her country home, Cliveden, the London Zoo, Battersea Park (accompanied by Prince Richard of Gloucester), Windsor, Westminster Abbey, Harrods, the Underground, and riding double-decker buses.

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