Yesterday I put together an article about the Dukes of Beaufort at Badminton House and the 3-Day Event.  I have had several emails asking me about my experiences at Badminton House like when Mrs. Moore and I went to Badminton House last Christmas and arrived 2 hour late because of heavy snow, only to find the Duke cross country skiing, being pulled behind a Land Rover.  It was really a great site and very amusing.  My introduction to Badminton House was during the life of the 10th Duke of Beaufort and his wife Mary Cambridge, who was a niece of Queen Mary.  For Queen Mary’s safety during World War II, her son King George VI arranged for the old Queen to spend the war years at Badminton House under the care of the Duke and Duchess.  Since those days, there has been a very close relationship between the Royal Family and the Beauforts at Badminton House.  I have wonderful memories of the 10th Duke who was called Master–first because he was Master of the Queen’s Horse but also because he was Master of the Beaufort Hunt.  The last time I visited with the old Duchess, she was ill and become very forgetful.  I had friends with me whom I wanted to show round the wonderful House.  The Duchess gave my friends as most “memorable” tour–certainly through a failing mind but still retaining her wonderful way.  Then Caroline Beaufort came into our lives.  I visited Badminton House twice a year until she died in 1995 of cancer.  The Duke married for a second time, and the current Duke and Duchess spend most of their time at Badminton.

The ties between the Windsors and the Beauforts has a long history.  The Queen was very close to the 10th Duke and attended with the Queen Mother the Badminton Horse Trials year after year.  I found an old movie of the Royal Family at the Horse Trials, and I will post a few images of those visits.  During the 1990′s, Camilla Parker Bowles rode with the Beaufort Hunt;  she was very much into the sport and was an excellent rider.  Today, from time to time Zara Phillips works with her horses and is seen at Badminton House.

Let me post a few images which will give you a flavor of this very historic family and house.  There is a lot here, so I hope I don’t wish to bore or tire you.  My underlying reason for doing these articles about Badminton House and the Beaufort family is to encourage my readers who are on their way to London to make arrangements for a private visit to the House or to attend the Horse Trials.  I think it would be a fantastic day-out-of-London.  My goodness, YES.

Here is a bit of the 10th Duke’s history.  I think you can understand why the Queen respected him so much.  He was a very accomplished man.  He died while I was in England celebrating my 43rd birthday party with my family.

A wonderful image of the Queen with the old Duke at the Horse Trials.  They were great friends.  They are so “typical” in this photograph

I will post some of the fuzzy images from film of the Queen at the Horse Trails with the Duke and her mother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother:  The first image of the young Queen shows the current 11th Duke stand with the cap–goodness he is a young man here.  If you look carefully behind the Queen, you will see Princess Margaret and Captain Peter Townsend.  Now that’s an entirely new and sad story.

The Queen, the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, and the Duchess of Beaufort

The whole of the Royal Family watching the Horse Trails from the top of a wagon

Later, Prince Charles started to come to the Trials and became interested in the turf:

And then in even later years, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall came to Badminton and rode with the Beaufort Hunt

And even later, Zara Philipps, Princess Anne’s daughter:

Princess Michael of Kent lived near Badminton House and often came to the Horse Trails.  Here she sits with the Queen:

After the social Government decided they were going to tax the great landowners to their last dime, The Dukes of Beaufort had to sell important family treasures.  One of the first items to go with the great Badminton Chest.  As a young man, I remember seeing it at the end of the ball room.  I even remember seeing Queen Mary’s comments about it written on a piece of paper and put in one of the cabinet drawers.  I was sad to see it go.  But THOSE TAXES, you know!

This chest was sold off by the 11th Duke to pay death duties.

The great Linnel Chinese bedroom bed and chairs, mirror were sold to the V&A by the 10th Duke.  I see it there often.  (I nearly died last year when I walked through the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, to find two of the Linnel chairs from this Chinese bedroom at Badminton House in one of the San Marino Mansion Galleries.  I leaned over to read the card, and sure it was:  Chinese Georgian chairs from Badminton, 18th century, by Linnell.    I grew up just around the corner from the Huntington Library, and I had never seen them there before.  I suppose I didn’t look carefully enough because I don’t think those chairs are flying around the world these days marked FOR SALE.

To end, I will post a picture a photograph of the great room at Badminton House with the Canaletto painting of Badminton House hanging near the fireplace.  I have spent a lot of time in that room.

One of these days, I will dig out some of the photographs of my family at Badminton House.  The ones of my boys with the Duchess just before her death are particularly fond memories.  Oh dear, I have gone on and on.  Thanks for sticking with me.  These are very fond memories for me.  I like to share these things.

Thomas Moore   email:  TMooreSr@me.com    Telephone:  801.791.9918

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