For the first time, a Christmas pop-up shop will open at the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, transforming part of the 200-year-old stables into a festive boutique while the Mews is closed to visitors for the winter.
The Royal Mews Christmas Shop, open from 14 November to 5 January, will bring together the festive ranges of official royal gifts, food and drink from Royal Collection Trust, a department of the Royal Household. Seasonal drinks and nibbles will also be available, adding to the festive spirit.
With a selection of classic products and future heirlooms from the Royal Collection Trust Shops, the gift guide includes ideas for loved ones, including children, collectors of British chinaware, and party hosts.
New for this year are mini 20cl bottles of gins infused with botanicals hand-picked from the grounds of royal residences, including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Also newly launched is the Property of the Royal Kitchen range of kitchen accessories, which takes its inspiration from the Great Kitchen at Windsor Castle – the oldest working kitchen in the country.
Official Royal Collection Trust chinaware is made in the UK, being cast, fired, and decorated by hand at The Potteries in Stoke-on-Trent, using the same traditional techniques that have been used for the past 250 years.
Also new are wine accessories, including crystal wine glasses, delicately etched with a pattern of knotted vines and grape leaves inspired by the Grand Punch Bowl, a majestic wine cistern in the Royal Collection known to have been used by Queen Victoria.
Further highlights include tree decorations handcrafted in India using traditional embroidery techniques, which help keep jobs and traditional craft skills alive, and children’s plushies made of 100% recycled materials.
The ranges can be purchased online from royalcollectionshop.co.uk, Royal Collection Trust Shops in London, Edinburgh and Windsor, and the pop-up The Royal Mews Christmas Shop.
The Royal Collection Trust Gift Guide can be viewed here.
