With oodles of help from a wonderful brother and sister-in-law, Princess May (a.k.a. Princess Mary of Teck) has been tracked down, purchased at auction, dispatched from Edinburgh and installed as a permanent resident of our home.
The original sculpture was by William Henry Tyler, great-grandfather to Kate, and was produced as an engagement present on behalf of a member of the royal family. The original, in white marble, is in Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. It appears that William Henry produced versions in bronze although it is not known how many. The wider (Tyler) family now posesses four: two in bronze and two in porcelain.
She stands about 30cm tall including her marble stand and is signed by the artist. She joins great-grandmother Isabella (as
Hesitation) in our collection of William Henry's work. If you come across a full-size version of his sculptures of W.G.Grace - the original is in Lord's - or Cecil Rhodes, either of which would fill most of the sitting room, then do let us know.
The griffins live in the garden.
I know that we are having an unusually mild autumn which is bringing some plants into bud or even flower at the 'wrong' time of year, but can one of you horticultural experts explain why an azalea has come out before our early camellias?
When you have done that, can you explain how our bulbs are going to make their ways out past this tub on the patio? It is not June, you know. 
