In 1924, at Windsor Castle a miniature Palace was unveiled. For a century, it has delighted visitors as they prepare to tour the famous fortress begun in the time of William the Conqueror.
The famous dollhouse is found near the Visitor Entrance to the Castle in an area specially designed for its display. The viewer will want to linger for a long time to see all the astonishing furnishings and bibelots in every room, not that one could ever absorb it all at once. Please click on the small photos for larger versions.
Above left, the first section showing the entrance hall at the bottom and the lobby above it; right, the entrance hall closer up. To quote from a guide-book"...(it) is not a dolls' house in the usual sense of the words--that is as a children's toy. It is instead a glorified and fully furnished architectural model, created by the great British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944), and intended to be a historical record of the ideal early twentieth-century English house...also a source of fun."
Below left, the Dining Room; right, the Saloon.
Below left, the Dining Room; right, the Saloon.
Above, left, the King's Bedroom; right, the Queen's Bedroom, both shown with the hand of a curator to illustrate the 1/12th size of the objects. More than 1,500 artists and craftsmen worked on the contents. Princess Marie Louise (1872-1956),
a granddaughter of Queen Victoria and cousin of King George V, was responsible for the creation of the dollhouse as a tribute to the royal family "for their steadfast leadership during the war."
Below, left, Princess Marie Louise, portrait by Josefine Swoboda; right, Architect Sir Edwin Lutyens by William Rothenstein, NPG.
a granddaughter of Queen Victoria and cousin of King George V, was responsible for the creation of the dollhouse as a tribute to the royal family "for their steadfast leadership during the war."
Below, left, Princess Marie Louise, portrait by Josefine Swoboda; right, Architect Sir Edwin Lutyens by William Rothenstein, NPG.
Above, left, a view of the kitchen; right; the garage.
Below, left and right, my favorite room, the library.
Below, left and right, my favorite room, the library.
Above, the miniature King's Dispatch Box. Right, a book specially written by Vita Sackville-West for the library in 1922.
To celebrate the centenary of Queen Mary's Dollhouse, Queen Camilla wrote one of twenty new books for the library.
Below, left, the Queen holds her tiny book, accompanied by Glenn Bartley, of the Royal Bindery; Right, More of the new additions to the library. The books are 1.8 inches in length.
To celebrate the centenary of Queen Mary's Dollhouse, Queen Camilla wrote one of twenty new books for the library.
Below, left, the Queen holds her tiny book, accompanied by Glenn Bartley, of the Royal Bindery; Right, More of the new additions to the library. The books are 1.8 inches in length.
Above, left, the book by Queen Camilla; right, the dollhouse garden, designed by famed landscaper Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932).
Several videos of Queen Mary's Dollhouse can be found at the Royal Collection Trust website and on youtube.
Several videos of Queen Mary's Dollhouse can be found at the Royal Collection Trust website and on youtube.
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