A right ROYAL NURSERY
July is fast approaching, and the arrival of the Royal baby is imminent. But among burning questions, such as whether it will be a boy or a girl, and the name the Duke and Duchess will pick, many will also be wondering who will be decorating the nursery.
There are a number of contenders and the details are swaddled in secrecy. But when it comes to creating high-end, bespoke nurseries, there’s not much Lucinda Croft, owner and managing director of Dragons of Walton Street, can’t tell you.
Princes William and Harry, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie all grew up in a Dragons nursery. The company was a favourite with Diana, Princess of Wales and Lucinda’s mother decorated the nurseries of both princes. Although Lucinda didn’t work on the nurseries herself, she did have the pleasure of meeting Diana several times.
‘She was really lovely. I was quite young, helping my mum in the shop at the time and she was just so normal,’ she says.
She recalls a story her father recently told her about one of the princess’s visits.
‘One time she came in, there was a leak in the roof and my mum was wandering around the shop with a bucket trying to catch the drops. Mum couldn’t hand her the bucket, so asked Diana if she’d mind sitting at her desk and writing her own invoice. She thought handing her the bucket would just be too embarrassing.
‘We were very lucky because she came in frequently. Diana and mum would sit quietly together and come up with the design for William’s room.
‘We did a special design that was pertinent to her family that my mum came up with for her.’
So is Dragons now a favourite with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, too?
‘We don’t talk about our current clients,’ says Croft – with discretion. ‘It’s so funny how many people have asked. People even ask at the school gate during the school run.’
Sadly, Lucinda won’t spill the beans, no matter how charmingly I quiz her. But what I am told is that the Duchess has been spotted on Walton Street, so it is clearly the place to go.
Working on nurseries day in, day out I wonder how Lucinda manages not to be constantly broody. I will be broody forever,’ Lucinda laughs.
‘I will be that old lady in the supermarket squidging the babies’ cheeks and thigh… I just love children.’
For someone who has helped to decorate nurseries for a long list of high-pro le clients, from the Royals to Victoria Beckham, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samantha Cameron and Madonna, I wonder if there is anyone she still dreams of working with?
‘Beyoncé,’ she replies. ‘She is so charismatic and fun so I imagine it would be a great room.’
The company has recently been called upon to design a beautiful new nursery suite at the Grosvenor House hotel, an enchanting room fit for a prince or princess, but whether the latest Royal starts life in a Dragons nursery still remains to be seen.
Dragons Of Walton Street: 020-3544 2000, www.dragonsofwaltonstreet.com
‘When you stay in a hotel by the seaside you want a view of the sea,’ says Croft. ‘If you stay in London, you want a view of the park. We wanted to bring the park into the room.
‘We also wanted it to be quintessentially English, so we have things such as cream teas painted on the chairs, the Tower of London, a London taxi and a bus.’
The Suite Dreams package starts from £2,230 per night: Clarence (one night), Windsor (two nights) and Buckingham (three nights): 020-7499 6363, www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/longh-grosvenor-house-a-jwmarriott-hotel
The Queen was looked after by a nanny, Clara Knight (known as Allah) and a governess, Marion Crawford. While Clara would devote her time to looking after the children and upholding the daily routine, Marion took on the role of tutoring.
Prince Charles’s nanny, Mabel Anderson, took care of him while his mother and father were on a six-month tour. He says that his nanny provided critical emotional support in his early childhood years and beyond, highlighting the importance of a good nanny.
Prince William was also hugely attached to his nanny, Olga Powell, cancelling several of his engagements to attend her funeral last year.
If you are looking to hire a nanny, or require a post as a nanny, please turn to our Classifieds section.
There are a number of contenders and the details are swaddled in secrecy. But when it comes to creating high-end, bespoke nurseries, there’s not much Lucinda Croft, owner and managing director of Dragons of Walton Street, can’t tell you.
Princes William and Harry, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie all grew up in a Dragons nursery. The company was a favourite with Diana, Princess of Wales and Lucinda’s mother decorated the nurseries of both princes. Although Lucinda didn’t work on the nurseries herself, she did have the pleasure of meeting Diana several times.
‘She was really lovely. I was quite young, helping my mum in the shop at the time and she was just so normal,’ she says.
She recalls a story her father recently told her about one of the princess’s visits.
‘One time she came in, there was a leak in the roof and my mum was wandering around the shop with a bucket trying to catch the drops. Mum couldn’t hand her the bucket, so asked Diana if she’d mind sitting at her desk and writing her own invoice. She thought handing her the bucket would just be too embarrassing.
‘We were very lucky because she came in frequently. Diana and mum would sit quietly together and come up with the design for William’s room.
‘We did a special design that was pertinent to her family that my mum came up with for her.’
So is Dragons now a favourite with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, too?
‘We don’t talk about our current clients,’ says Croft – with discretion. ‘It’s so funny how many people have asked. People even ask at the school gate during the school run.’
Sadly, Lucinda won’t spill the beans, no matter how charmingly I quiz her. But what I am told is that the Duchess has been spotted on Walton Street, so it is clearly the place to go.
Working on nurseries day in, day out I wonder how Lucinda manages not to be constantly broody. I will be broody forever,’ Lucinda laughs.
‘I will be that old lady in the supermarket squidging the babies’ cheeks and thigh… I just love children.’
For someone who has helped to decorate nurseries for a long list of high-pro le clients, from the Royals to Victoria Beckham, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samantha Cameron and Madonna, I wonder if there is anyone she still dreams of working with?
‘Beyoncé,’ she replies. ‘She is so charismatic and fun so I imagine it would be a great room.’
The company has recently been called upon to design a beautiful new nursery suite at the Grosvenor House hotel, an enchanting room fit for a prince or princess, but whether the latest Royal starts life in a Dragons nursery still remains to be seen.
Dragons Of Walton Street: 020-3544 2000, www.dragonsofwaltonstreet.com
A ROOM WITH A VIEW
The Grosvenor House hotel has collaborated with Lucinda to design a luxury nursery suite The luxurious suite has been decorated in 1920s style in keeping with the rest of the hotel’s decor and the inspiration for the room was Hyde Park and all things London.‘When you stay in a hotel by the seaside you want a view of the sea,’ says Croft. ‘If you stay in London, you want a view of the park. We wanted to bring the park into the room.
‘We also wanted it to be quintessentially English, so we have things such as cream teas painted on the chairs, the Tower of London, a London taxi and a bus.’
The Suite Dreams package starts from £2,230 per night: Clarence (one night), Windsor (two nights) and Buckingham (three nights): 020-7499 6363, www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/longh-grosvenor-house-a-jwmarriott-hotel
Royal nannies
While the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge want to take a hands-on approach to parenting, nannies have long played a vital role in the Royal household.The Queen was looked after by a nanny, Clara Knight (known as Allah) and a governess, Marion Crawford. While Clara would devote her time to looking after the children and upholding the daily routine, Marion took on the role of tutoring.
Prince Charles’s nanny, Mabel Anderson, took care of him while his mother and father were on a six-month tour. He says that his nanny provided critical emotional support in his early childhood years and beyond, highlighting the importance of a good nanny.
Prince William was also hugely attached to his nanny, Olga Powell, cancelling several of his engagements to attend her funeral last year.
If you are looking to hire a nanny, or require a post as a nanny, please turn to our Classifieds section.