Young Princess Elizabeth with Her Father

Three year old Princess Elizabeth cuddling up to to her father George VI. I adore this photo. via

HRH Princess Elizabeth + Corgi 1937

I love seeing vintage childhood photos of her. via

Queen Elizabeth's Eating Habits

She's not a foodie. She's pretty indifferent to food. She only cares about horses and dogs. Read more about her eating habits in an interesting article in Food and Wine Magazine. She HATES garlic and it has been banned from all her residences. Queen Victoria's pots and pans from the 1800s are still in active use. 

William with George and Charlotte

The Duke of Cambridge with his children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Soon there will be another baby. This photo is so charming. via

Black Bunnies

Have you ever seen a black rabbit? I have not. The  portrait of the two Black Otter Rex Rabbits was found on Google Images. They certainly are beautiful, aren't they? I have always heard rabbits make good house pets and their only bad habit is chewing on the electric cords and that always scared me. I guess you have to keep them contained, especially if you are raising them for show competitions. This pen looks soft and cozy.

The Queen on Horseback

This must be a happy time for her because she can leave her purse behind. (smile) via

Queen Elizabeth loses Best Friend

A little over a week ago, The Queen lost her oldest and best friend, Margaret Rhodes. Read the article here with many archival photos. I enjoyed seeing her during the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations this summer. 

Dog Portrait by Reuben Ward Binks

The mastermind behind this canine work of art is British artist Reuben Ward Binks. In his youth in the late 1800s, Binks showed artistic promise and verve, and won a competition at the tender age of 10 for his flower paintings. He found his calling, however, in canine portraits.

The artist was soon painting Royal dogs left and right, from the Prince of Wales’ Cairn Terriers, to the Duke of York’s Labrador Retriever and even the Clumber Spaniels owned by King George V himself.

Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge, the alleged ‘favorite niece’ of J.D. Rockefeller, had a soft spot for pooches as a dog show judge and a breeder of championship canines with big dog shows just up the street from my cottage. Years later her estate auctioned off 150 of her pup-friendly works to help benefit the Saint Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison, NJ. I did not attend this auction but I know people who did. As expected, the best paintings stayed in the area and helped raise some serious money for this worthy dog rescue charity. Read more here.

The Queen Mother's Decorating Style

The Queen Mother’s collection of Vanity Fair caricature prints at Birkhall in Scotland. Often called SPY prints in the trade as this was the signature of the artist on many. Love the tartan carpet on the stairs! via

Princess Charlotte Waves from The Palace Balcony

She's a natural, isn't she? Prince George looks puzzled. What a beautiful family!

Something's funny here. Wish I knew the inside joke. It was quite a day in England with The Queen's 3-day 90th birthday celebration and Prince Philip's 95th birthday today. It was also Princess Charlotte's first public appearance from the Palace Balcony to an adoring audience. Both photos from Vanity Fair. Read more here.

History of Queen Elizabeth's Eight-Decade Love of Corgis

Ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth and her corgi Dookie at 145 Piccadilly, her childhood home in London, 1936. By Lisa Sheridan/Studio Lisa/Getty Images.

The Queen has kept corgis even longer than she has known her husband of 69 years, Prince Philip. In 1933, her parents, the future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later known as the Queen Mum), acquired the royal family’s first corgi, named Dookie. On her 18th birthday, in 1944, Princess Elizabeth received a corgi of her own, named Susan, who tagged along on her honeymoon, three years later.
There is a delightful slideshow and more corgi history at Vanity Fair. I was quite surprised to learn that nobody else inherited her love for this breed. Others find them annoying to say the least.

Queen Elizabeth II, Her Inner Majesty

I can't wait to read this article! Doesn't Queen Elizabeth II look beautiful surrounded by her favorite dogs? About those corgis: on the cover, the Queen poses with Holly (held) and, from left, Willow, Vulcan, and Candy. (The latter two are both dorgis—the crossbreed the Queen engineered when one of her corgis mated with a dachshund that belonged to her sister, Princess Margaret.) Photo for Vanity Fair by Annie Leibovitz. Full article here.

Winnie the Pooh and The Queen

The Queen isn't the only one having a 90th birthday this year. She's sharing it with Winnie the Pooh who was also born in 1926 and a brand new tale is being released to mark the occasion. Prince George and Princess Charlotte will be happy about that! via People Magazine.

The Queen with her Grands

Taken by renowned American photographer Annie Leibovitz at Windsor Castle last month, these remarkable pictures have been released to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday today. This photo shows Her Majesty surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Another photo on The Daily Mail identifies the children. Read all about the 90th Birthday of our favorite Queen here and view more photos too. Doesn't she look great? Love her.

Dowager Duchess of Devonshire's Home

Click here to view the 13-photo slideshow

I have a feeling this March 2nd auction at Sotheby's in London will be mobbed. Be sure to expand the description beside each photo in the slideshow by clicking "See More". You will then be able to read wonderful things about her like this: “If second childhood means going back to first loves in old age then I am deep in it.”

Sotheby's: Collection of Deborah, The Duchess of Devonshire

She loved horses

and chickens

and Elvis ! ! !

See more of her collection here. 

She really was "One of a Kind" Read a wonderful article here.

So many lovely things! Read more here. Let's go!

A Little School Fit for A King

Westacre Montessori School UK

First day of Kindergarten for Prince George.

He's only the royal family's second generation to attend a real school. His father was the first at his mother's insistence he mingle with other children. His grandfather, Prince Charles, was educated in a room at the palace with a desk, a chalkboard, and a tutor. Sounds lonely, doesn't it?

I have been reading a lot about the Montessori history and it's absolutely fascinating! Maria Montessori is my new hero. 

Google Images

The Young English Royal Family

I haven't seen this photo before, have you? Love it. William and Catherine must be having a blast getting ready for Christmas this year! via

Prince Charles Sees A Big Bird

Charles and Camilla don't think much of our American Eagle, do they? This made me smile. The original caption was "How Europe sees America." via

Portrait: Proud Royal Grandparents 1987

Isn't this a lovely portrait at Balmoral Castle of the Queen and Prince Philip with their four grandchildren at that time? The youngsters are Prince William, Prince Harry, Peter Phillips and Zara Phillips, Christmas 1987. I've never seen Prince Philip looking more relaxed and handsome. Love the tartan outfits too. via