ialways wanted the people in this house to be different as I find many of the usual male dolls are not very manly, and I wanted manly!
A trip to a car boot sale solved that when I bought a bag full of Lord of the Rings dolls — just perfect. One of them reminded me of King Charles ll and so the story was formed. After research I decided that the King was visiting one of his ladies who lived at Castle House in The Square, Petersfield, Hants, (where the post office now stands). This also happens to be my home town.
Her name is Louise de Kérouaille and she is in bed recovering from the birth of the king’s son, Charles Lennox, Duke of Richmond, born in 1672. Interestingly, both Princess Diana and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, are descended from him, as are the owners of Goodwood. The King is visiting Louise to read her the proclamation making her Baroness of Petersfield, Duchess of Portsmouth, and Countess of Fareham in 1673. Mind you, she is more overwhelmed by the gift of a diamond necklace in a silver casket, as any girl would be.