Two Horse-Power Lawn Mower at Kensington Palace

It could be a classic painting depicting 19th century rural life in all its simple, romantic glory.

In fact this image was captured at Kensington Palace in the heart of London just yesterday.

Two magnificent grey shire horses, Nobby and Heath, pull a traditional Victorian mower across the meadow at the royal residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

Historic Royal Palaces (HRP), the charity responsible for the upkeep of the building, decided two years ago to start employing more traditional methods in the gardens, the first time in more than a century that anything had been cut with a horse-drawn mower.

One of the advantages of using shires is that the meadow, which is left to grow wild over the summer, takes on a more authentic appearance, as the grass is cut more roughly.

Nobby, eight, and Heath, 12 are part of a team of eight that reside at Hampton Court Palace – the last working herd of shire horses in the capital.

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