PA MediaIf you ever wanted to put your feet up at Buckingham Palace, the opportunity might come in an unexpected way.
Curtains that were once hung on palace walls, and in grand rooms at Windsor Castle, have been recycled into coverings for foot stools.
Eight of these stools, with their eco-friendly royal connections, are going to be auctioned online for the King’s Foundation charity.
Disused palace curtains have previously been used to make kimonos, which were auctioned last year.
PA MediaThe foot stools could be the ultimate Christmas party talking point, with furniture in your living room more authentically royal than the set of the TV show the Crown.
The recycled curtain material – “delft blue floral, vintage rose and teal, and rich damask burnt orange drapery” – was of a style used between the 1950s and 1990s during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
In a different kind of finding a new home for Christmas, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home has also been involved in the charity auction of royal foot stools.
A number of their dogs seeking new homes were part of the photoshoot for the auction lots – perhaps in another type of “re-tail”.
PA MediaMoney raised at the online auction will go to the King’s Foundation, which helps to train people in traditional craft skills.
The foundation is also hoping to help find homes for some of the Battersea dogs.
The hand-crafted wooden foot stools were made at the Snowdon School of Furniture, based at King Charles’s Highgrove Estate in Gloucestershire.
The coverings were made by members of the Dumfries House Sewing Bee in Scotland, which invites anyone to join to develop their skills in textiles.
The recycling theme is in tune with the King’s long-held interest in sustainability and protecting the environment.
There have been previous royal items sold at auction. Last year, more than £32,000 was raised for charity by auctioning off chairs used at the Coronation.
