In 1951, in honor of the first birthday of Princess Anne, the second child of then-Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) and the Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Philip), the Pitkin Publishing Company issued “The First Golden Gift Book of Prince Charles and Princess Anne.” This book celebrates the lives of the soon-to-be Queen’s first two children and is filled with dozens of handsome photos of the young family as well as the children’s great-grandmother, Queen Mary; their grandfather and grandmother—King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) respectively; and, even their auntie, Princess Margaret Rose. Great care is taken to show the children with their favorite toys and engaged in their most beloved places.
I have quite a few of these Pitkin Books from the early fifties, and they really are quite beautiful. Their purpose was to serve as Royal souvenirs, yes, but also to make the Royal Family and their story more accessible to the general population.
Let’s take a look inside...
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| The first two Royal tots with their mummy, then-Princess Elizabeth, and daddy who looks jollier than usual. |
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| The centerfold shows the happy children with their young mother who was really quite beautiful. |
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| Pitkins wanted you to know that they had other books. Each one ends with a cleverly sentimental ad. |
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| Being Mummy. |
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| Nurse Helen Lightbody holds up her two charges as they greet their parents return from Scotland to their home at the time, Clarence House. |
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| "H.R.H. Prince Charles of Edinburgh sounds just the right note as he makes his entry into this 'First Golden Gift Book...'" |
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| Prince Charles' Baby Photo |
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| Princess Anne's Baby Picture. |
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| Toys, toys, toys... |
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| I love the upper photo because Queen Mary really looks as if she'd much rather be inside sorting through her collections and having a nice, calming cup of tea. |
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| The Royal Family Tree from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert upward. |
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