The Royal Ballet School

A royal hunting lodge built in the early 1700's. Our current queen's parents lived here when she was born.
In the 1950's this magnificent home became the undergraduate school for the Royal ballet.

Here is where the new Margot Fonteyn's are nurtured and mentored. It is not an easy life. You are 11 years old and practice ballet 4 hours a day. You do academic studies 4 hours a day. You practice and dream 24 hours a day.

This is one of the most prestigious ballet schools in the world.

Stag in Richmond Park

He wasn't keen on my getting any closer than this. Probably not a good idea given it is rutting season. However a good time to see these fellows at their best and the park is looking beautiful in all its autumn finery.

Did I say you could sit there?

No clearly I didn't. Can't you see this is a boys area!

Bet you didn't expect to see us in London did you? Well it's all here. Our park is the biggest in London and hasn't changed much in centuries. Major achievement was convincing royalty to talk to trees instead of putting our headgear on their walls.