STANDING on a French carpet from the 17th century while a £2 million painting by Canaletto hangs in the background, this photograph offers a fascinating glimpse into the lavish surroundings that Queen Elizabeth II calls home.
But despite the collection of riches taking up every corner of this Buckingham Palace room, a quick glance into the background suggests that times could be tight at the Royal Family’s headquarters.
While you may expect a fire to be roaring, or at least a sophisticated central heating system to be firing, a tiny two-bar electric heater can be spotted helping to heat the high-ceilinged Audience Room.
A long line of budget cuts has forced the Royals to make cutbacks in recent years, while the repair bill for the ageing palace increases.
But despite near-freezing temperatures in London, the Royals are known to face the cold with fortitude, with the dated rooms in their various haunts known for their draughts and difficulty to heat.
This picture of the Queen was taken yesterday, as the monarch welcomed the Australian High Commissioner Mike Rann and his wife Sasha for a private audience - one of three audiences held throughout the day.
Canaletto’s Venice: Piazza San Marco towards San Geminiano is joined on the wall by Thomas Gainsborough’s portrait of Anne, Duchess of Cumberland, valued at £5million.
A pair of English porcelain pheasants from the 18th century can be spotted on the mantelpiece, beneath a gilt wood mirror.
The room, situated on the palace’s first floor, is also peppered with photographs of Royals, including the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth’s father George VI and a signed photo of her son Earl of Wessex with his bride the Countess of Wessex.
Another side-table is devoted to her grandchildren, featuring pictures of Prince William and Prince Harry in military uniforms and wedding picture of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall. It also features a photograph of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their engagement.
–DM