Today, that figure would be Maj-Gen Christopher Ghika, General Officer Commanding the Household Division and London District (GOC). Gen Ghika moved in on November 2019, bringing with him a lamp in the shape of a bugle, once his late father’s, which sits on the piece of furniture in question.
The desk was made for Prince Frederick, Duke of York, by George Hepplewhite at the end of the 18th century, but is best known for having belonged to the Duke of Wellington during his tenure as Commander-in-Chief of the army from 1842 to 1852. Generals have used the office in which it sits since the modern Horse Guards building was constructed in the 1750s, including current Gold Stick Lt-Gen Sir Edward Smyth- Osbourne of the Life Guards. The desk, which is in immaculate condition, reflects Wellington’s influence. ‘He was getting quite deaf when he became commander-in-chief, so there are knee holes in three corners of the desk to allow his staff to get close to him,’ explains Gen Ghika. ‘It’s a great privilege to work at the desk of somebody so eminent.’
Gen Ghika knew the Wellington desk long before he became its guardian. His father, Brig Prince John Ghika, also worked at Horse Guards, finally as Chief of Staff, London District. This job comes with another notable desk—the Bad Godesberg desk. In 1938, when Neville Chamberlain visited Adolf Hitler in Munich, the pair sat around it to talk. ‘After the Second World War, the Guards were in Germany and found the desk—and, in 1945, finders were keepers.’
Denne historien er fra February 17, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra February 17, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery