THIS IS LONDON JUNE EDITION 2025 - Flipbook - Page 30
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THE EDWARDIANS: AGE OF
ELEGANCE
The King’s Gallery
Formerly known as The Queen’s
Gallery, this adjunct to Buckingham
Palace is an impressive set of State
rooms, open to the public as a venue for
exhibitions of Royal treasures. ‘The
Edwardians: Age of Elegance’ is a
glittering display which runs until
November this year.
The Edwardian era began formally in
1901, when his mother, Queen Victoria,
died. However, given the old Queen’s deep
mourning for her husband Albert, during
which she was largely hidden from public
view, the wedding of Edward, then Prince
of Wales, to a young Danish princess
called Alexandra in 1863 made the heir to
the throne and his wife the perceived face
of the monarchy.
They were terribly proud. Alexandra
chose a dress of golden silk for her
Coronation Dress – a conscious use of
the newly invented electric lights in
Westminster Abbey, which reflected off
the garment as if she were a gigantic
beacon of sunshine. The paintings of
Alexandra, alongside portraits of the
Queen Alexandra’s Coronation Dress,
1902 Designer: Morin Blossier.
Embroidery: Manick Chand.
© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited
2025 | Royal Collection Trust.
Photographer: Jon Stokes
Alice Hughes, Queen Alexandra when
Princess of Wales, c.1897.
© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited
2025 | Royal Collection Trust.
Royal couple’s friends and family, are
magnificent. Her white, swan-like neck,
often adorned with Danish jewellery, her
swathes of shimmering fabric and her
serious stance all attest to her preeminent social position as the Queen
Consort of the United Kingdom and the
British Dominions, Empress consort of
India. Of course it is a King who makes
a Queen, not vice-versa. And we learn
nothing of how happy or otherwise
Alexandra was. Famously, Edward had
romantic interests outside his marriage
(approximately 50 women held this
position serially) but there is no mention
of such things in this exhibition, which
probably reflects the way Edwardians
handled such matters.
Instead, Alexandra’s hobbies and
tastes are featured. She was given one of
the first Kodak cameras produced and
became a keen amateur photographer.
The results are limited by the technology
available, but amongst the pottery on
view is a tea set decorated with some of
her photographs. The transfer method
used was entirely novel at the time.
There is more impressive Meissen
porcelain and even a gilded cabinet
adorned with monkey-musicians in a
rococo style beloved of French aristocracy.
Frankly, the colourful and expensive clutter
on show is the antithesis of modern
stylistic mores, and yet it is fascinating to
see. In a glass cabinet with royal
clothing, you can peer at a fan decorated
with a humming bird. In the section
representing Britain’s former Colonies,
an Indian Maharajah, complete with silk
turban, court dress and upturned
moustaches is painted in the same
proud pose as his hosts at Queen
Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.
Huge oil paintings of social events,
such as Laurits Tuxen’s ‘The Garden
Party at Buckingham Palace, 1897’ offer
the chance to people-watch in history.
The lace, the hats, the parasols! Garden
parties are still held regularly at the
Palace; it is an honour to be invited by
the monarch and guests choose their
attire carefully. Perhaps His Majesty
King Charles III will commission a
Jules Diderikson, The Dagmar Necklace,
1863. © Royal Collection Enterprises
Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust.
painting of one such event to
commemorate how styles have changed.
Meanwhile, the gallery shop has an
irresistible array of notecards, velvet
toiletry bags, hair ribbons and the like
for visitors to take home. There is a
sense of fun in the miniature stuffed
Corgi toys – but surely the most useful
gift is a tin of biscuits or tin of tea
featuring the Royal crest? These have
to be the most elegant souvenirs in the
capital, whether you visit The King’s
Gallery or not.
Sue Webster
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