Exclusive 66 Inside Prince Charles& Australia to greet The Weekly ’s Juliet Rieden, when shewas The Prince ofWales selected Clarence Housefor aprivate invited thegates behind of The Australian Women’s Weekly treasured mementoes of tour oftheroyal home. B y Royal By invitation |

AUGUST 2019 PHOTOGRAPHY S currently theLondon homeofPrinceCharles, his wife, inside foraprivileged privatetourofthehouse andgardens, the currentmonikerforgates , Highness’s finalbirthdayattheageof101. Thecustom resultedin the royalfamilyandstarted in 1970, peculiarly Britishritualswhich underlinedthepublicaffectionfor to receivebirthdaywishesfrom thepeople. Itwasoneofthose Elizabeth whowouldstepoutside herfrontdooron August 4 by Camilla’s Londonhome HUGO BURNAND Stable Yard Road, hopingtogreettheformerQueen gathering everyyearoutsidethesebigblackgatesin As achildgrowingupinEngland, it’s impossiblenottoberemindedoftheQueenMother. tanding outsidethe “Birthday Gates” ofClarenceHouse, andasTheWeekly iswelcomed continuinguntilHerRoyal Iremembercrowds E AU S H T R T CLARENCE A L

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PICTURE CREDITS TO GO HERE PLEASE hangs intheMorningRoom. Michael Noakes in1973 and was finished by artist Majesty Queen Elizabeth II This painting of Her

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here with her mother. There were glittering cocktail parties and picnics on the lawns, and the Queen Mother was a huge patron of contemporary art, much of which hangs on the walls. Then, following the Queen Mother’s death in 2002, Prince Charles moved back in with his sons, and in 2005 was joined by his wife Camilla. Today the residence, which is one of the last remaining aristocratic town houses in , is not just the Heir’s London home, which he and his wife live in for around 70 days a year. It’s also the brains trust for his court, with offices for the Prince’s household. The Prince and Duchess Above: A bronzed have private rooms upstairs, while the plaster bust of the downstairs living areas are used to Queen as the Duchess of York, by Louis entertain heads of state, foreign Frederick Roslyn, royalty and guests from all walks of Clockwise: The sits with treasured life. Here the recently Garden Room; photos of Princes hosted President Trump, and past photos of the William and Harry visitors read like a who’s who of family sit on the as young men and an world figures, including the Dalai grand piano; the ornate clock. Among Lama, who calls the Prince, “very Horse Corridor the artefacts in the features paintings close, best of friends” and wandered grand entrance hall of royal horses. is a 1600 Brussels hand in hand with HRH around the “garden” tapestry, gardens. The magnolia spectrum purchased in 1950, an that the Dalai Lama planted in antique black figure 2008 still holds pride of place. vase dated from Part of the appeal for dignitaries, 330-310 B.C., and 12 I suspect, is the homeliness of walnut dining chairs from the 18th-century. , for even though it is filled with intriguing historic artefacts, Duchess of Cornwall, and a privileged of . His mother furniture and paintings, and is the swarm of London’s bee population, was no longer a princess, but Queen home of the future King of the United I can’t help but notice reminiscences Elizabeth II, at just 25. Kingdom, you really do feel you are of the Queen Mother everywhere. It must have been quite a shock, being invited into a family sanctum. Clarence House, nestled in a perfect for even though Clarence House is There are family photographs oasis of calm just behind The Mall, is an historic royal residence next to everywhere, especially of His Royal a unique royal residence which I suspect St James’s Palace, the one-time principal Highness’s sons and grandchildren, holds a special place in the hearts of residence of the monarch, it has the and behind every book, every object, all the family who have lived here. It warmth and aura of a family home, is a story that is very personal. was built in the 1820s for the Duke which for a time Princess Elizabeth, I start my tour through the main of Clarence, who later became King The and their two front door into the entrance hall, where William IV, and has been altered and children enjoyed immensely. It’s easy there are wooden toys that Prince refurbished over the centuries for to imagine Prince Charles learning Charles and Princess Anne played seven very different royal occupants. to walk here, toddling along the with, including an old-fashioned Prince Charles became Heir Apparent corridors and into the gardens with baker’s trolley and a wheelbarrow. to the British throne at the tender the corgis scampering through. But I can’t take my eyes off an age of three when he was living at His grandmother, the Queen extraordinary pedestal clock. This Clarence House, and all of a sudden Mother, lived here for 49 years after magnificent eighteenth-century piece his childhood was turned upside her daughter became Queen, and for with three painted dials plays tunes down. Together with his sister Anne, some of that time Princess Margaret and features hands with crowns on their cosy world moved across – before the Princess married and their tips. It was a wedding gift to to the vast corridors moved to Palace – lived Prince Charles’ grandparents – the →

68 The Australian Women’s Weekly | AUGUST 2019 AUGUST 2019 | The Australian Women’s Weekly 69 suite isby Georgian cabinet-maker Thomas Chippendale. hangs above atableof family photos; theMorningRoom lounge Elizabeth; Princess Elizabeth, painted by deLászló Philip in1933, Australian flowers, below Augustus John’s painting of HM Queen Clockwise from above: The diningroom table, set with native 70 The Australian Women’s Weekly |

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PICTURE CREDITS TO GO HERE PLEASE The Weekly readerstoseeavery Prince wasparticularlykeenfor to Australia isdeep-seated, then giftedanothertwo. among themthesefour. NormaBull and QueenElizabethboughtnine, was anexhibitionofBull’s paintings bombed outstreets. “In 1947there Blitz, stayed inLondonthroughoutthe Elizabeth, particularly poignantforQueen household tellsme. These were saw,” a memberoftheroyal and literallydrawpaintwhatshe would justwalkoutafterbombings unofficial warartistinLondonand in1939. “She wasan artist NormaBull, visit. The paintingsarebyMelbourne Buckingham Palace, today fromtheRoyalCollectionor has kindlybroughtintothehouse right –andotheritemsPrinceCharles Lancaster Room–firstroomonthe display Australia. Somearepermanentlyon filled withgiftsandmanyarefrom Glasgow inScotland. Bowes-Lyon –fromthecitizensof King George VI andLadyElizabeth then Dukeof York whobecame The royalfamily’s connection As Isoondiscover, thehouse is personallyvisitingthecapital’s , likethefourpaintingsin whowiththeKingdefiantly whocameto especiallyformy ” andthe Australians inLondon. Bowes-Lyon, George VI) onhismarriagetoLady gift, wine coolerseithersideareawedding with eucalyptus. Suitably, thesilver the diningroom, display of Australian nativeflorain Quartz fromBallarat29.4.27”. has alsobeensaved: “Gold Bearing grandmother’s handwrittennote nuggets ofgold. The Prince’s a smallrockstuddedwithgleaming and sandareexquisite. 1927. They’remadefromshells, velvet when HerRoyalHighnesstouredin in Victoria Indigenous Australians then theDuchessof and presentedtohisgrandmother, for hismotherwhenshewasbaby Buckingham Palace. They weremade usually sitinthenurserycorridor special pairofbooties, painting isby Augustus Johnandis fireplace whichislitinwinter. The young queenthathangsabovethe painting ofhisgrandmotherasa he alsolikestofacethestunning table sohecantalktoeveryone, and middle ratherthanattheheadof here, In honourofmyvisitthereisa Another souvenirfromthatvisitis When PrinceCharleshostsdinners

“to theDukeof York (laterKing Iamtoldhelikestositinthe April 26, 1923, from andtheairisrich York, by which ”

AUGUST 2019 She absolutelylovedit.” who waslaunchingashipforthem. the QueenMotherasshewasthen, Line boughtthepaintingasagiftfor his workandtheNorthernShipping 1960s, it backtohisstudio. Then inthe artist rolledupthecanvasandtook because itwastoodangerous. The that theywouldfinishthesittings When theBlitzstarted, down, play nextdoortotrycalmhim a drinkandevenhadstringquartet on thedress. They providedhimwith Majesty intheface, hencethedetail was overcomeandcouldn’t lookHer Palace topaintQueenElizabethhe he wasaskedtocomeBuckingham actually anunfinishedwork. “When butitreallywasn’t working. therewasaretrospectiveof

| The Australian Women’s Weekly entrance (far hall left). children’s toy sits inthe daffodils. Avintage wooden and Welsh symbols, including Prince of Wales feathers, design incorporates The . The harp’s a position established by for use by theroyal harpist, the Victor Foundation Salvi harp (left) was agift from Room. The Prince of Wales’ hallway from theMorning above thedoor to the Graham Sutherland hangs of theQueen Mother by A preparatory sketch (above) theydecided Exclusive

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71 Exclusive 72 Elizabeth, has written, “To HerMajestyQueen legendary playwrightandcomposer one ofhissongbooks, visitor toClarenceHouse. Ontopis on thispianoandwasafrequent play. NoëlCowardregularlyplayed Elizabeth andMargaretlearnedto Windsor andonwhichPrincesses used tobeintheRoyalLodge and aSteinwaygrandpianowhich which isplayedbytheroyalharpist, especially forthePrinceof Wales instruments –agoldenharpmade the garden. were openedtoletthecorgisruninto windows inthisroom, There aresmalldoorsbeneaththe Victoria byEmperorNapoleonIII. a finewalltapestrygiventoQueen Garden Roomechothecoloursin the richreds, goldsandgreensofthe Queen Mother’s racingcolours, blues oftheMorningRoomreflect its ownuniquepersonality. The pale many throughoutthehouse. the finishedwork, often tohavemorevibrancythan preparatory sketches, memory ofhisgrandmother Charles, have beenremodelledbyPrince and peopleofNSWinFebruary1958. the QueenMotherbygovernment bushland, of Australian painting byJamesRanalphJackson of thewood, into thisroomthereisarichsmell from the Australian people. As Iwalk Queen andtheDukeofEdinburgh in jarrahwood, aweddinggifttothe called “The QuietRoom”,panelled special significancefor Australia. Itis see isonthethirdfloorandholds glass stainontheopeningpage! the sortofpartiesheldhereisawine Noël Coward”, andanindicationof been topiaried intotheshapeof in theformalpart ofthegardenhave of TraditionalSchool Arts. by membersof The Prince’s Foundation to HisRoyalHighness’s owndesign But mostnotablearetwomusical Each ofthedownstairsroomshas The QueenMotherwasafanof The gardensatClarenceHouse One roomwhichveryfewvisitors The Australian Women’s Weekly addingaformalareain theQueenMother andonthewallisa andthereare findingthem inwhichthe whichI’mtold presentedto The trees , laidout , | from

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Australian Armoured Corps. and Duchess from theRoyal wedding gift to thePrince placeglass settings, a Australian jarrah wood; wall madefrom panelling Room; The Quiet Room, with intheLancasterNorma Bull by Australian artist Paintings of London during Clockwise from above; Princess Elizabeth, andgoldfrom Ballarat. Trust. slippers Right: for Aboriginal baby Charles for The Queen’s Silver Jubilee Above: Aboomerang presented to Prince somewhere to be warm,” explains they finditquite difficulttofind of themaresolitaryandinthe winter but notallbeesareincolonies, alot the wall. “Bee hivesareforcolonies collection ofbambootubesfixed to There isalsoabeehotel, acurious the hivesatClarenceHouseonce ayear bee hives, and lettuceburstthroughthesoil. carrots, broadbeans, runnerbeans, leeks On myvisitcropsofkale, spinach, a vegiepatch, long grasswherewildorchidsgr elsewhere, thePrincehasintroduced Queen Mother’ In 2017thePrinceinstalledtwo 1947 1977 and honeyisharvestedfrom whichservesthehouse. s parasol. From From While ow and Australia .

the household. of thishouse,” saysamemberof event thatreallysumsupthe joy Christmas tree. “It isalovely to decoratetheClarenceHouse children froma’ late brotherMarkShand. set upbytheDuchessofCornwall’s ball toraisefundsforthefoundation, including theElephantFamilymasked medal ceremoniesandparties, to shelterandhaveahome.” and cranniesforbeesinsects hotel hasbambooshootswithnooks a householdspokesperson. “The bee And everyyeartheDuchess invites The gardensarealsousedfor 1927

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PICTURE CREDITS TO GO HERE PLEASE Dalai Lama.Dalai was agift from the magnolia spectrum vegetable patch; the beehives; theorganic The Prince’s prized perfect spot to relax; flanked by lionsisthe grandmother; abench in memoryof his the Prince of Wales garden, created by Rosicrucian formal wildflowers seed; the left to grow so the lawnof longgrass, Wisteria inbloom over Clockwise from above:

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