An extremely rare and ornate pair of exhibition-grade gold-inlaid J. Purdey & Sons 12-bore shotguns stars in Christie's Exceptional and Fine Sporting Guns and Rifles sale in London today. Estimated at $320,000 - $400,000, the British-made shotguns contain an astounding amount of gold, accounting for the extremely high estimate. As Christie's notes, with the exception of weapons built for the Maharajahs of India, modern sporting guns were "only traditionally given gold inlay as a mild form of embellishment."

This extraordinary pair was actually inspired by gunsmith Ken Hunt's studies of arms and armor in the Tower of London, the Wallace Collection and the Victoria & Albert Museum. They are presented in a beautifully-crafted oak and leather case. Purdey, founded in 1814, holds numerous warrants of appointment as gun and rifle makers to the British and other European royal families. Queen Victoria purchased a pair of Purdey guns in 1838.

Starting next month, you can hire the private train carriage built for the Prince of Wales in 1919 on an unparalleled journey through the heart of Australia. The carriage will be available on The Ghan's journey from Adelaide on the continent's southern coast to the port of Darwin at its top, one of the world's great railway excursions. The historic carriage was built for Edward, the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII and then the Duke of Windsor), for his royal visit in 1919. Accommodating up to ten guests in its ornate wood-paneled lounge and suites, the beautifully-restored carriage costs about $15,000 for a one-way, two-night trip.

[via UrbanDaddy]

It seems even the Queen of England is feeling the credit crunch. The value of her official London residence, Buckingham Palace, has fallen by about $100 million over the past 12 months, the London Telegraph reports. The 52-bedroom mansion, which dates to 1703 and sits on 40 prime acres, is now valued at $1.7 billion, down from $1.8 billion in August of last year. The dollar figure was assessed by UK property values database Zoopla, which has also calculated that the Queen's weekend retreat, Windsor Castle, has dropped about $15 million in value over the same period to $320 million. "The figures highlight that even the Royal Family aren't immune to the recent property market slump and that larger properties have been effected too," Zoopla CEO Alex Chesterman tells the paper, noting that further decreases could well be in the offing.

The Berners Hotel, an Edwardian edifice in London's West End, is set to re-open in 2009 following extensive renovations restoring the famed spot to its former glory. The four-star hotel, named for Josias Berners who purchased the land on which it stands in 1654, was originally constructed in 1835 as five conjoined houses in the classical style. At the turn of the 20th century it was converted into a luxury hotel; King Edward VII was said to have frequently entertained his mistress, Lillie Langtry, in a private suite of rooms there, and it also served as the London premises of famed Russian jeweler Carl Fabergé. All 176 rooms as well as the landmarked public spaces are being restored to their Edwardian splendor under the auspices of JJW Hotels' Luxury Collection.

Burberry creative director Christopher Bailey is basing the British fashion house's new Fall/Winter 2008-09 ad campaign on one of our favorite movies from last year, rock photographer Anton Corbijn's Control.

Bailey hired Mario Testino to mimic the moody flick about Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis in the ads, which are shot in black-and-white like the movie.

Sam Riley, the talented actor who played Curtis in Control, stars alongside sexy British model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, right, who's said to be a distant cousin of the Queen of England. If so she must be one of the somewhat overbred Windsor family's more attractive relations.

See the gallery for an image from the new campaign and more.

[via Kempt]

Earlier this month we reported on the Royal Ascot races, one of the highlights of the English social season. This week ushers in another classic British sporting event-cum-society pageant, the Henley Royal Regatta. The five-day Regatta, held on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, takes place over the first weekend of every July and runs from Wednesday the 2nd through Sunday the 6th this year.

International crews compete in various races at the Regatta, which has been held every year since 1839 except during the two World Wars, the main event being the Grand Challenge Cup for Men's Eights. Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's consort, became the Regatta's first Royal Patron in 1851, a tradition carried on by the reigning monarch ever since, though unlike Royal Ascot they don't always deign to attend.

Even more so than at Ascot, Henley provides an opportunity for aristocrats from the sporting and social sets to dress in that distinctively British style which has inspired so many fashion designers over the decades. The commercialization of Henley, unlike Ascot, Wimbledon and cricket at Lord's, has been slower to take hold, and as Godfrey Smith writes in The English Season, it is something of "an Edwardian time warp."

Since it was founded by Queen Anne in 1711, the annual Royal Ascot races have become the highlight of the English social season. Ostensibly a five-day sporting event, it's also evolved into something of an immense fashion show, marked by the arrival of the Royal Family in ceremonial horse-drawn carriages every day. It has become the style for ladies to sport increasingly outrageous hats, and lately the traditional rules about "formal day dress" in the coveted Royal Enclosure have been rather loosely interpreted, much to the Queen's dismay.

This year officials have cracked down, declaring that "Off the shoulder, halter neck, spaghetti straps and dresses with a strap of less than one inch and/or miniskirts are considered unsuitable," while "Midriffs must be covered and trouser suits must be full length and of matching material and color." Those not in compliance will be asked to leave the Royal Enclosure. Gentlemen have always been required to wear full morning dress with top hats. Lest all the pageantry detract from the business at hand, it's worth noting that prize money at this year's event, which runs through Saturday, has reached an unprecedented $7.8 million.

A beautiful 1961 Bentley S2 saloon that belonged to actor Sean Connery is going up for sale this Saturday in England. The car is being offered at Bonhams' Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Select Pre-War Motor Cars and Automobilia Sale during the Rolls-Royce Enthusiast's Club's Annual Rally at historic Kelmarsh Hall near Northampton. The stately S2 model saloon, above, finished in two-tone Shell Grey/Tudor Grey with a contrasting red leather interior, is estimated at only $24,000 - $30,000.

Also included in the auction: A rare 1919/20 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Alpine Eagle, est. $280,000 - $320,000, the highest-priced lot; the ex-Earls Court Motor Show 1962 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Touring Limousine, one of only 13 built, est. $116,000 - $130,000; a 1963 Bentley S3 Continental Flying Spur Saloon with coachwork by H J Mulliner, est. $130,000 - $140,000; and the steal of the sale, a 1976 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Saloon, formerly the property of Lord Leverhulme, Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, which has been ridden in by several members of the Britsh Royal Family including the Queen Mother, Prince Charles and the late Princess Di, est. only $26,000 - $30,000.

[via Kempt]

The McDonald's jewels may be impressive but nothing get the jewel hunter excited like royal jewelry. Christie's has announced a sale of the late Princess Margaret's jewels and other objects to be sold in London on June 13 and 14. Princess Margaret, the sister of the queen, died in 2002 and her children are putting selected pieces up for sale. Items for bid include a Faberge clock, a diamond necklace and the Poltimore tiara which the princess wore at her wedding. The tiara is estimated at £200,000. The auction isn't all pricey items, at the low-end you can pick up a hedgehog brooch for a mere £50. The sale is expected to bring in approximate £2 million pounds.