©London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames
 
 

Their Majesties Walking in Kew Gardens.

Printed by I. Marshall, 6 Jan 1787.

Hand-coloured copper engraving, 42 x 32. King George III and Queen Charlotte enjoyed a very peaceful existence at Kew. Fanny Burney tells us that they passed their time "in a very easy, unreserved way, running about from one end of the house to the other, without precaution or care. There is no form of ceremony here of any sort. The Royal Family are here always in so very retired a way, that they live as the simplest country gentlefolks. The King has not even an equerry with him, nor the Queen any lady to attend her when she goes her airings." Life at Kew was not always comfortable, few of the bedrooms had carpets, the Princesses slept in virtual attics with bare floorboards, the Dutch House was cold and damp and all the fires smoked. The discomfort Fanny Burney said was "past all imagination".