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Baby blanket hand-made by Queen Mary found hidden in attic

A baby blanket made by Queen Mary nearly 100 years ago has been found in an attic, south-west of London.
The crochet pink blanket still has a Buckingham Palace label attached which reads, ‘Made by Her Majesty the Queen’.
But mystery surrounds how the blanket ended up in the loft.
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The item is going to auction on Friday and is expected to sell between $300-$600 AUD.
“The seller found it when she was clearing out her aunt’s house in Wimbledon but neither she, nor her aunt, have any idea how this remarkable royal discovery came into the family,” Notty Hornblower, textiles consultant at Hansons Auctioneers, said.
“We have some inkling, though. Due to a similar discovery, we know Queen Mary occasionally donated these lovely little cot blankets to help families in London.
“This find demonstrates a caring side to Queen Mary’s nature and her desire to reach out to ordinary British people. During the First World War she instituted an austerity drive at the palace, where she rationed food, and visited wounded and dying servicemen in hospital. This had a major impact on her. She liked to help others.”
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A near-identical baby blanket, also made by Queen Mary, sold for $800 AUD by Hansons in 2022.
“The seller’s mother won it in 1938 at a mother and baby clinic at London’s Claremont Mission in Islington,” Hornblower said.
“It was her most precious possession. She kept it tucked way in its box for decades, only giving it to her daughter after she married and had a family of her own.”
The new find is being offered in its original box.
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“However, though cherished, there is some mystery over its journey into the loft,” she added.
The seller said the cot blanket was found in the loft of her aunt’s house when she moved into aged care.
She said: “My aunt was widowed in 1993 and had no children. I asked her if she knew where the blanket had come from and she replied, ‘I haven’t a clue’.”
Born Princess Mary of Teck, Mary became Queen Consort after marrying the future George V in 1893. Queen Mary’s two sons Edward VIII and George VI became King and she lived to see her granddaughter, Elizabeth, proclaimed Queen in 1952 – a year before she died in 1953.
Queen Mary was known for her love of jewellery and art and is responsible for adding to the vast Royal Collection of precious objects that remain with the monarchy today.
Hornblower added: “Interestingly, Queen Mary was a great collector of royal memorabilia, a hobby shared by people all over the world today. I hope this royal cot blanket will go to someone who will treasure it for decades to come.”

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