ROYALTY – PRINCESSES ELIZABETH & MARGARET Group photograph signed ('Elizabeth' and 'Margar...

ROYALTY – PRINCESSES ELIZABETH & MARGARET Group photograph signed ('Elizabeth' and 'Margaret') in ink, depicting the cast of Aladdin in the Waterloo Chamber at Windsor Castle, 'Studio Lisa' stamp on reverse, creased, some small tears, 204 x 258mm., Christmas 1943; with a group photograph of the cast of Old Mother Red Riding Boots including the Princesses centre stage, 'Studio Lisa' stamp on reverse, creased, some small tears, 213 x 312mm., Windsor Castle, Christmas 1944; with a printed programme for each production, each on a bifolium, dust-staining, creases, one with small area of loss, Windsor Castle, Christmas 1943 and 1944 (4) Footnotes: 'During the Second World War, Her Majesty the Queen (then Princess Elizabeth) and Princess Margaret spent much of their time in Windsor, safely away from the bombing in London. Between 1941 and 1944 they performed in and helped to stage a series of Christmas pantomimes to raise money for the Royal Household Wool Fund, which supplied knitting wool to make comforters for soldiers fighting at the Front...' (Royal Collection website). The productions, for which they also helped make the costumes, were performed over three nights with children from the local community for audiences of up to 600 people, including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The collection comes from the family of Kenneth Richardson (1933-2011) who was the third generation of his family to work for the crown estate. He lived on the estate in Windsor and attended the Royal School and thus, as a child, was called upon to perform in the yearly pantomimes. The programmes show that he played Ping Ho in Aladdin and was a member of the chorus the following year (seen here front row, fourth from the right). Kenneth worked as a gardener for forty years and often played cricket with the Duke of Edinburgh in his younger years. He was awarded a long service medal and another for rescuing items from the castle during the fire in 1992. His family recalls that the late Queen would always stop to chat whilst he worked in the gardens and reminisce about their time acting together during the war. Provenance: Kenneth Richardson (1933-2011); thence by descent. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing