It is one of the most striking portraits of George VI painted in his reign and contains all the symbols of his kingship in a dramatic and historic setting. But this famous image had to wait for completion because of war.
The famous portrait by Sir Gerald Festus Kelly was commissioned by the king in early 1938, just a few months after he was crowned at Westminster Abbey. It shows him in his Coronation outfit, including the Imperial robe of purple velvet, and holding the sceptre. Behind him is the Imperial State Crown, resting on a velvet cushion. Its imagery is resonant of Coronation portraits of the past. But the finishing touches had to wait.
The portrait, and another of George’s queen, Elizabeth, were almost complete when World War Two began in September 1939. Soon, London was under bombardment and the painting, along with the artist, ended up at Windsor Castle. It was here that Gerald Kelly continued to work. And he had royal company at the castle as King George and Queen Elizabeth sent their two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret, to live there as the Blitz continued.
The final portrait now hangs in the Crimson Drawing Room at Windsor Castle. The room was meant to feature in the painting as the backdrop for the king. However, Gerald Kelly changed his mind and portrayed King George in a setting inspired by the Viceroy’s House in Delhi, India. Just a few years after the painting was completed, India declared independence and George’s reign as its Emperor came to an end.
It is another historic element of a painting that follows a long tradition of Coronation portraits. Amidst the modern media coverage of George VI’s Coronation, including photographic records, it remains a striking image of the crowning moment of a famous reign.
