WHO GIVES A FUTURE QUEEN AND HER HUBBY A HOOVER!!

On another note, that's the Throne Room of St. James' Palace. The period photos that you found, Sabba, are glo-ri-ous! Seeing the woman there dressed in her very finest, with mink coat, and the girl behind her, in her Guides' uniform, really takes you back in time.

I love black-and-white photos, don't get me wrong. But after posting the "Lilibet in Colour" thread, it's evident how much we are missing historically, by not having the same photos in colour.

I agree. Color is always so refreshing.
I haven't noticed the Hoover at first sight, haha.

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They were given a washing machine

Nellie, that's better than the bath sponge, I swear.

What gets into people's heads to give a royal couple a WASHING MACHINE? I know. I know. Post-war, and all that. But still.

Did you hear about Queen Mary being given a tour of the wedding presents at St. James' by Prince Philip, when she was overheard muttering complainingly about Mahatma Gandhi's present?

He had woven (he himself!) a loin-cloth for the royal couple, similar to the ones he wore.



When Queen Mary got to the display, she said out loud, "What is THIS?" -- it was quietly explained to her. She then said something about the inappropriateness of receiving a gift of such a nature from a man who was against the British Empire.

Whereupon Prince Philip rose to Gandhi's defence and loudly rebutted, "HE'S A GREAT MAN".

The Queen took her umbrella, and walked away, without saying a word.

However, next time she took the tour, when Princess Margaret was with her, the Princess saw the loin-cloth and hurriedly went ahead to hide it from her grandmother's view.

Great story...!!
QM was likely the only human against the Mahatma...
First and foremost, Britain.

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With the gossipppps in that thread, Royal Faux-Pas, in mind one can imagine just why Queen Mary was opposed to having Prince Philip's family name trump the House of Windsor.

They were as chalk and cheese, which the Gandhi episode revealed.

She, imperious, all noblesse oblige, discreet. He, blunt, modernising, and down-to-earth.

Those were the days when young couples did not live together before marriage.
So they would have their first home to furnish, much like any other young couple.
Except of course, that they received just about everything under the sun as wedding presents.
If there were gaps to be filled with furniture, or walls needing pictures, then many royal attics could be scoured for pictures, chairs and whatnots.

I understand, but Nellie, why wouldn't other subsequent generations of royal couples, like the Princess and Princess of Wales in 1981, not receive a hoover and a washing machine too? They certainly wouldn't live together before marriage either.

I suppose my question is, what is it about those two eminently sensible gifts, that speaks to the Queen and Duke's generation.

The futurism, novelty and efficacy of gadgets?

I don't think anyone today would have given the Earl and Countess of Wessex a laser printer.

I don't think I understood your remarks.
Sorry - so ignore mine.

I think too that was the occasion to the manufacturers to give their own products, for the wedding of princess Marina, the shoes craft(?) of Britain offered 12 pairs of shoes to each of them, and the greek young girls, Corinth raisins.

Ps. I don't know if the word craft is proper here, I used the dictionary for that one , It's too early...

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Your point about maufacturers is a good one.

"Footwear industry" might be the expression needed.
Sabba, I'm curious if you do a back translation from it and see what the Spanish is.
I'd like to know if you get a good fit - or an hilarious one !