Princess in Training.

Last weekend, we took my parents to London for some sightseeing. One of my favorite touristy places there is the Tower of London. The Yeoman Warders do such an excellent, interesting (and humorous) tour, and the history in that one spot is staggering to me. (We Americans have a piddly 200-some years of history to contend with).

Pea, of course, being the princess that she was, was most excited to see the crown jewels in the Jewel House.

She was captivated. She was in awe as she watched footage from Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.

Her eyes were HUGE as we rode the moving walkway past the Crown Jewels.

But forget about the Cullinan diamond mounted on the scepter, a mere 530 karats or so. MY girl was particularly enamored of Queen Victoria’s small diamond crown. She was pretty certain that it must belong to a princess – it was just her size.

I have to admit, it was just the right size for her little noggin’. Leaving that, we stopped to look at all the gold chalices, goblets and plates, and silver salts and baptismal fonts in the display cases just beyond.

With wide eyes, she looked at me, and in a hushed, almost reverent voice, whispered “I can’t believe this is all real”.

Her awe rivaled that of meeting the Disney princesses for the first time. That was amazing to me.