Pets by Royal Appointment

Auteur

Brian Hoey has been a writer and broadcaster for over forty years and was one of BBC television's first newscasters. He secured the first ever TV interview with the Queen's daughter, Princess Anne, and has subsequently covered many royal events over the years, including the weddings of Charles and Diana in 1981 and Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1986. He was also a commentator at Princess Diana's funeral. Hoey has written more than twenty-five books, many of them about the British royal family. He is the official biographer of Princess Anne.

Texte du rabat

The royal family say they can do without many things, but not their animals. For countless monarchs and their consorts, dogs, cats, horses and even the occasional parrot have acted as constant, faithful companions, unquestioning allies and surrogate children.

With intimate anecdotes and fascinating detail, royal expert Brian Hoey describes the mini palaces provided for the Queen's pampered corgis; Princess Anne's badly behaved bull terriers; the wild animals - including crocodiles, hippopotami and an elephant - presented to princes and princesses; a regal passion for all things equine; and the pigeon awarded a military medal for its efforts in the Second World War.

Résumé
A warm and light-hearted take on the British royal family and their love of animals.

Contenu

Acknowledgements vii

Prologue ix

1. Princesses and their Pets 1

2. Family Favourites 13

3. Rewards for Royalty 41

4. Corgis Rule OK? 53

5. The Corgi Dynasty 69

6. All the Queen's Horses 87

7. The Sport of Queens 121

8. Polo for Princes 143

9. Anyone for Hunting? 153

10. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert 161

11. King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra 181

12. King George V and Queen Mary 199

13. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor 209

14. Royal Working Dogs 219

15. Bereavement 249

16. Feathered Friends 263

Epilogue 273

Appendices 279

Select Bibliography 299

Appendices as follows:

Appendix I: Royal Animal Patronages.

Appendix 2: List of Pembrokeshire corgis originally owned by the Queen and registered with the Kennel club.

Appendix 3: List of retrievers (Labradors) originally owned by the Queen and registered with the Kennel Club.

Appendix 4: List of English spaniels owned by the Queen and bred at Sandringham kennels.