Rescue animals from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home took part in a festive photoshoot at the King and Queen’s country estate Highgrove.
Percy, Darcie, Elspeth, Harper, Missy and Shadow, who are all looking for new homes in time for Christmas, were invited to Gloucestershire, travelling from the charity’s Old Windsor Centre.
They posed on a new range of bespoke footstools, crafted and upholstered using recycled curtains from Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle by students and community groups working with Charles’s charity The King’s Foundation.
Camilla adopted Beth in 2011 when she was a three-month-old unwanted puppy, and another jack russell, Bluebell, in 2012 after she was found wandering alone in a London park with a painful skin condition.
A sad farewell to Beth, The Queen’s much-loved companion from @Battersea_ Dogs and Cats Home who brought such joy, whether on walkies, helping on official duties, or curled up by the fire. ? pic.twitter.com/AD5WZKODqB
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) November 18, 2024
The King reportedly told TV presenters Alan Carr and Amanda Holden at the Royal Variety Show last week that he and the Queen would be looking at getting a new dog.
Asked whether the Queen might be tempted by any of the visiting dogs, a royal source said: “While it’s a little too soon for Her Majesty to start deciding on a new friend for Bluebell, she remains a great supporter of all the work that Battersea Dogs and Cats home does in finding loving homes for all their rescue pets – not just for Christmas but forever.”
“They enjoyed the day out, experiencing visiting a new place and getting into the festive spirit.
“They also enjoyed testing out some of the unique footstools and have officially given them their approval.”
Those interested should contact Battersea Dogs and Cats Home via battersea.org.uk for more information
The footstool project follows the success of the King’s Foundation’s luxury kimonos, which were made from old royal curtains last year at the suggestion of the King, and auctioned to support the foundation.
The material spanned more than 40 years of royal curtain design, dating as far back as the 1950s and up to the 1990s, with much of it inspired by nature with floral or large leaf patterns, and a number of pieces from the 1980s including some denim.
Bespoke patchworks, using delft blue floral, vintage rose and teal, and rich damask burnt orange fabric left over from the kimono project, were made for the stools and combined with Harris Tweed by the King’s Foundation’s Sewing Bee group at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland.
The wooden stools themselves were made by graduates at the Snowdon School of Furniture.
The school’s 16-week Create programme trains a small cohort on the Highgrove estate on all aspects of the use of sustainable wood.
He added: “What has made it even more wonderful is being able to welcome some four-legged friends from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home to mark the start of another magical festive auction – we hope this will in turn help to find them new homes.”
The eight pieces of furniture, with suggested starting prices of £250 per item, will be auctioned online to support The King’s Foundation at uk.givergy.com/KingsFoundationFootstoolAuction/ from November 29 until December 16.
The King’s Foundation is the custodian of Highgrove Gardens and runs education workshops onsite for traditional and endangered crafts such as millinery and embroidery.
