A DOLLS' house donated to the St Margaret's Hospice charity shop in Minehead has a royal connection.

The master bedroom features Cluny lace given by Joanna Mason who made the lace for the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding gown.

The fabric covers the little bed, its canopy, the dressing table and even hangs at the tiny window.

Although it has been named Princess Charlotte's Dolls House, it is not a palace but a country cottage reminiscent of the 1960s.

It is the second dolls house donated by Marian Matthews, wife of the shop's relief manager Terry.

Last Christmas, Marian gave a large Georgian mansion which, with another that was donated through publicity in the Free Press, raised over £1,000.

She gave the first house anonymously but has now decided to come clean and confess she is the donor.

Marian, who is a tapestry designer, made all the intricate miniature items such as little carpets, bedding, curtains and even hand embroidered cushions.

She also hand painted some of the furniture and upholstered the mini three piece suite.

Marian said: "Since Christmas I have been desperately stitching, wall-papering and painting away, hoping I would get this house finished by the time the royal baby was born.

"I wanted to call it the Princess Charlotte Dolls House. I was behind with the stitching, but the baby was late too and I was delighted that it was a girl – all my plans worked out!

"I met Joanna Mason via eBay. Her traditional family firm specialises in making beautiful authentic lace. I asked for a tiny scrap and she said she would be happy to donate some.

"I was expecting it to arrive in a small envelope, but was amazed when it came as a special delivery in a very important looking box. There was plenty, so I really went to town on the master bedroom.

"The sitting room carpet was a challenge. It matches the fabric on the three piece suite, covered in tiny pink roses. The embroidered cushions are so small I had to use a magnifying glass.

"The house has a garage with a working up-and-over door. I've put a pony inside as befits a princess."

Marian said the Princess Charlotte house was not suitable for small children because of its tiny parts: "But I'm hoping it will be kept forever as a precious memento of the royal birth.

It will be offered for sale by sealed bids. More dolls' house furniture, much of it handmade or painted by Marian, will also be on sale over the week.