Royal Collection Trust revives charming children’s tale of a mouse working at Buckingham Palace

A 1960s children’s book about a mouse serving as a guard at Buckingham Palace is being published for the first time in decades by Royal Collection Trust, a department of the Royal Household, making this captivating tale available to a new generation of young readers.

The Guard Mouse tells the story of Clyde, a mouse who works as a King’s Guard outside Buckingham Palace. Upon stepping down from his position one day, the Guard Mouse hears his name being called – his long-lost cousins from abroad have come to visit him. The story follows the mice on the adventures they get up to in the night, including a detour to Covent Garden Market and a ride on the top of a double-decker tour bus, before duty calls the Guard Mouse back to his sentry box in front of Buckingham Palace the next morning.

The book, written and illustrated by Don Freeman, was a success when it was first published in 1967, before falling out of print. When the opportunity arose for the story to be republished, Royal Collection Trust – the charity responsible for the care of the Royal Collection and the public opening of the official royal residences, including Buckingham Palace – was keen to share the story with a new audience and has worked closely with the author’s literary estate to revive the tale. The resulting facsimile edition is complete with the original vintage illustrations.

Polly Fellows, Managing Editor at Royal Collection Trust, said: ‘The Guard Mouse is a charming story of family coming together and discovering the sights of London – an exciting prospect which still resonates as much today as it did 60 years ago. We are delighted to be bringing the book back to life for a new generation of children to enjoy.’

Complementing the book are new souvenirs from the Royal Collection Trust Shops, including:

• A felt Christmas tree decoration of Clyde the Guard Mouse (£12.00).

• Milk and white chocolate mice in a miniature sentry box (£15.00).

• A bag of jelly carrots sweets (£7.50) referencing the story.

• A special gift box (£60.00) including a copy of the book, the tree decoration, the chocolate mice, and the jelly carrots. 

The Guard Mouse and the accompanying range can be purchased online at royalcollectionshop.co.uk or from Royal Collection Trust Shops in London, Edinburgh and Windsor. The book is also available from all good bookshops.

The income from purchases in the Royal Collection Trust Shops contributes to the care and conservation of the Royal Collection and helps Royal Collection Trust to share it with everyone, wherever they are.

Ends

By Don Freeman

ISBN 978-1-909741-96-6

Hardback

280 x 215 mm, 48pp

Royal Collection Trust

Published 11 September 2025, available at £12.00 from Royal Collection Trust Shops and all good bookshops.

A full contact sheet can be downloaded below. A selection of images is available to download from Dropbox. 

Credit line for images of the book: Copyright © 1967 International Literary Properties LLC

Products in The Guard Mouse range can be purchased online from www.royalcollectionshop.co.uk, and are sold in Royal Collection Trust Shops in London, Edinburgh and Windsor. 

For further information, imagery, review copies and samples, please contact the Royal Collection Trust Press Office, +44 (0)20 7839 1377, [email protected].

Notes to Editors

Don Freeman was the author of 37 children’s books, graphic novels and autobiographies, during a career that spanned six decades. With the creative support of his wife and collaborator, Lydia Cooley, Freeman created dozens of children’s books, including the Corduroy series (1968).

Royal Collection Trust is a charity caring for the Royal Collection and welcoming visitors to the royal palaces. We bring our shared history to life through world-class experiences that involve and inspire people, wherever they are. Income from tickets and retail sales helps us to conserve the Collection so that it can be enjoyed by everyone for generations to come. 

The Royal Collection is one of the world’s great art collections, held in trust by The King for his successors and the nation. With over a million objects, from paintings, drawings and books to sculpture, furniture and jewellery, it is a unique record of the tastes of British kings and queens over the past 500 years, with many items still used today for their original purpose. The Collection can be seen in palaces, museums and galleries across the UK and around the world, and can be explored online at www.rct.uk.