Wednesday 29th July 2015

Last Friday was the Press Preview of the Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace which I attended on behalf of Dainty Lady TV. Royston King was also present and furious at my turquoise Prada mac and no tie for the Palace. He is recently an OBE and has arranged to be invested at Windsor by the Queen, who does few Investitures these days. They’re old friends and the Investiture can be guaranteed to go straight off the rails when they meet. With him was a rather fabulous young man from the top drawer of a certain rakish long-haired glamour. He could have been the hot one from Sense and Sensibility, not Colonel Brandon. ‘Which county?’ I said. He was plainly Landed Gentry, like me., although I’m also modern, of course. In the corridors of Buckingham Palace, Royston said that his family were slaves while we were being Landed Gentry in the 18th and 19th centuries. But now Royston is OBE. So we set off through the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace. It is a massively important interior, incredibly grand and sumptuous and really very un-English. I go every year as an ordinary member of the public, but never before privately when you can take pictures. Oh I’ve such pictures for you. I was thrilled to see again the Grand Staircase, with its exquisite balustrade of golden leaves. And the Green Drawing, although Royston was not pleased that I pointed out the view from it of bare asphalt which is the roof of the carriage entrance on the floor below. Behind the great gilt-wood sofa is an expanse of asphalt. The Green Drawing Room is a triumph of decoration. See graph below. I can’t begin to describe it. All the rooms are excellent, not dictator-baroque. No hint of pompous and although magnificent, on a pleasing small scale. One room leads into another. It’s really very cosy. The theme of this year’s summer opening is the hospitality of the Palace. They’ve got the Ballroom laid for a State Dinner. We can see Her place and beforehand there’s an exhibition of some of her recent evening dresses as well as jewellery (the actual diamonds) to go with. There are bolts of cloth on display of dresses yet to come. To be shown such a thing! Somehow I’d got wind that there were more dresses in later rooms. I had to hold back not to gulp down the treat all in one go. Royston and I looked at presents given by visiting Heads of State on State Visits – some innovative modern Sevrès from Giscard d’Estaing for instance. At last we came into the Music Room. This is where guests for the Garden Parties pass through so they’d put on stands, not even in glass cases and just inches from the viewer, three of her recent Garden Party outfits. You could have reached out and touched them. Would you ever be so near? I couldn’t believe it. Her fabrics and form so utterly near. I could have stayed for ever but we passed through the gorgeous White Drawing which is really yellow and out into the tea tent. Royston explained about the rakish young man as he sat with us enjoying a baguette at 20% off. Apparently he is less various as to ladies than previously. Also his hair was perhaps too long. The Royal Gardener joined us but I had to dash off. Royston said that She had been round the day before to make sure everything was all right for the Public for the Summer opening of the Palace while she is away for the summer.

A Corner of the Green Drawing Room: Indescribable Splendour and Art: Why don’t You Try to Have a Drawing Room like this?

The View of Asphalt from the Green Drawing Room

Stained Upholstery a Problem even at the Palace: How near the Throne One felt

The Stained Banquette in Situ in the Picture Gallery where a World-Class Collection Hangs

The Franz Hals at Buckingham Palace: This Artist has been Revived by Reggie Cresswell and is now Admired

A Recent Evening Frock

A Less Recent Evening Frock by Hardy Amies

Dresses Yet to Come!

Her Banquet Place

Her View of the Banquet

Another View of Her Place: Can One have Enough? Notice that the Pudding Spoon and Fork are Laid across the Top. Horrible Robin Smallmeal said This was Common but He was Wrong

Given by the President of Mexico: A Tree of Her Life

Her Blue Garden Party Outfit: That Close!

Her in the Blue Outift

The Pink Garden Party Outfit with Her Wearing It

The Yellow Garden Party Outfit: Something Gone a Bit Wrong with It on the Left Side – Seam Rucked?

The Couture Unpressed Hem of the Yellow Garden Party Outfit: a Little Pinched?

The View into the 1844 Room, Where She Gives Audiences: A New Feature of this Year’s Opening: You Can’t go In but you Can See in