Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Home > Books > Royal Animals

Royal Animals

Book Synopsis

A beautifully illustrated history of royal animals in Britain from 1066 to the present day, with a foreword by Sir Michael Morpurgo.

Why do the three lions on the British crest look so much like leopards? When did the first elephant set foot on British soil? Was there really a polar bear who fished in the river Thames?

The perfect sumptuous gift for animal lovers, this large hardback includes a jacket with elegant red foil detailing, gold corgi endpapers and stunning hand-painted illustrations on every page from renowned artist Emily Sutton.

Full of astounding facts and amazing true animal stories, learn all about royal giraffes, elephants, spaniels, parrots, ravens, pelicans and, of course, Queen Elizabeth II’s corgis.

Our Review Panel says...

An apt royalty-themed book for this special coronation year!

Julia Golding’s history of royal animals is a fascinating and educational collection of true stories of animals associated with British royalty since 1066. Julia Golding is an award-winning author whose past work is often historical, and this book continues this theme.

At the beginning of the book, the Royal family timeline is a helpful reference and sets some context for the following stories. This book is full of wonderful facts and amazing true stories, most of which are quite a surprise – like learning that there were giraffes in Windsor Great Park and that royals were given elephants and thought they should be given wine to drink!

It is such a fascinating alternative history of our nation with insights into royal life that look beyond the obvious facts and biographies. Each story is set within one double page, which the talented Emily Sutton beautifully illustrates. Each page is rich in colour and patterns and is a joy to look over in detail. The very final picture was particularly heartwarming, a lovely image of our recently passed Queen riding one of her beloved horses through the woods. This tender image is particularly poignant after she passed away not long before this publication.

A thoroughly enjoyable book of short stories children will enjoy very much and that will help young readers to find relatable links to royal life through stories of the creatures they love.