I am gratified to learn that some of my poems are deemed desirable for the Library of Little Manuscripts for the Dolls' House that is intended as a gift to the Queen...

Letter from Thomas Hardy to Princess Marie Louise, 9 June 1922

Whilst palaces provide a fitting backdrop for the official events for which they were primarily used, in their private properties members of the royal family could create more modest and comfortable homes, indulging their own personal tastes to a greater degree.

These private country residences had their own wider estates and the royal family has long valued the well-being not only of their estates, but also of the staff and tenants on those estates, and of the local communities.

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