We received a bunch of photos from our distant relatives at Buckingham Palace in England. They live in what they affectionately call the Castle Woodpile, a vestige from the days when the royal residence was heated by wood. Chipmunks were originally hired in the 1500s to protect the royal family from rats trained by the French as spies. These chipmunk families have continuously served the royal family in many capacities ever since. Today, they enjoy the same high status as other important critters like the royal horses and the Queen's corgis. One of their official duties to is to keep the grounds free of seeds. They also receive and entertain VIP critters from other countries.
In celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, they held high tea on the lawn in front of the Castle Woodpile for visiting chipmunk dignitaries from around the world. Apparently, there is a lot preparation that goes into holding such an event. There are hours of debate over what tea set to use, the color of the mat, and which tea to serve. So, what tea do they serve - Earle Grey? No, they decided on Windsor sunflower tea!
Preparations begin by giving the Castle Woodpile a good dusting. The proper way to dust is to use one's tail. (Personally, I prefer using a leaf blower to dust.)
The entire venue gets a careful inspection from highly trained security 'munks who can sniff out all sorts of trouble including hidden cameras from the tabloid newspapers.
Security keeps a sharp eye out for party crashers.
All guests must wash their paws. No exceptions.
The head butler makes a final check.
Windsor Sunflower Tea served with the traditional garnish of floating sunflower seeds.
The Prince of Denmark sips some tea.
Tea is served with a plate of sunflower seeds from the royal garden.
After a few cups of tea, the guests forgot their
proper manners and
turned into a bunch of party animals! They left quite a mess
to cleanup.
One of the servants inspects the royal china for chips and cracks.
One perk of cleaning up is eating the leftovers.
A member of the serving staff pauses during the cleanup to watch the Queen's parade from the Woodpile.
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