The Royal World of Animals

After taking a brief look at the history of royal animals, this book focuses on the royal preoccupation with animals from the time of Queen Victoria (1837-1901), to the present day. Queen Alexandra, neglected by her husband Bertie (later Edward VII), turned to animals for solace. Like so many later royals, she achieved excellence - in 1905 she won no less than four first prizes at the Crystal Palace for her Basset Hounds - and we learn how she came to own 40 white cockatoos. Later there are touching stories of how Edward and Wallis displayed their fondness for each other through their mutaul love of dogs.