Royals’ childhood treasures go on show

The items are part of a collection of toys, photographs and tiny outfits belonging to 
nine generations of royal children going on public display from tomorrow at Buckingham Palace.

The exhibition also paints an intimate picture of the Queen as a child growing up and later as a mother herself, enjoying private moments with her own children.

Touching family home-movie footage, screened for visitors, will show the Queen and her sister Princess Margaret as young girls playing.

Anna Reynolds, from the Royal Collection Trust and curator of the exhibition, said: “We’re all very aware of the Queen as 
head of state, but what we’re really trying to do in this exhibition is show a different side of her.

“It is easy to forget she was a child too, just like any other child learning in a school room, practising writing, playing games with her sister – doing things all children do.”

The exhibition starts from 1763 when the oldest item on display, a silver rattle, was presented to an infant Prince George, later George IV.

Artefacts on display are associated with more than 25 royal children including the Duke of Cambridge, Prince Harry and the Prince of Wales.

Alongside Prince George’s rocking horse are ones owned by the Queen and Princess Margaret which have real horse hair manes and tails.

Toy cars are on display include a scaled down version of James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 sports car presented to a six-year-old Duke of York in 1966.

The exhibition runs until September 28.