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Janice writes: “Do you know if the tiara Emily Blunt wears [The Young Victoria] is a replica of the one … King George III gave to his wife Queen Charlotte? If so, do you know if Queen Victoria would have ever worn it?”

The tiara worn by actress Emily Blunt in the film is indeed a replica of that fringe tiara. The real Queen Victoria wore the George III tiara for the famous Winterhalter portrait (seen below).

Thanks to Andrew Cusack, who explains it beautifully.

Friends, Romans, Countrymen… lend me your artwork!

Yes, the art pages have returned! “Mandy’s Royal Artists” was a series of pages featuring the public’s works of art based on a royal theme. Found on Mandy’s British Royalty several years ago, the pages were lost during the website’s transfer to a new server. Now they return in the form of an art blog.

If you have previously entered work but don’t see it here, there is a chance it has disappeared. Please resend.

If you would like to submit anew, please see the “About” page to contact me. You can send a scan of your work (in any medium) to be featured here. No more than 3 please.

Castles, Queens, and Culture Captured in Art. Send in Yours. Now at http://mandysroyalty.org/artists

In an earlier post, I mentioned the American Friends of British Art. They are an organization that raises funds to help ongoing restoration projects across Great Britain – over 2,000 historic castles, manors and other structures are being preserved through the efforts of AFBA. It’s a wonderful group.

Now I have discovered that the AFBA isn’t the only one with solid Anglo-American ties. The V & A has a sister organization called the American Friends of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

From the website:
“The AFV&A works to strengthen the Museum’s international presence and encourage the American public to engage with this leading cultural institution.”

So be sure to check out both of these wonderful cultural organizations and donate your money or your time (maybe even your life?). It is extremely worthwhile!

More cartoons will be coming along shortly. They will be posted here in the section called “Crowning Moments”.

I recently discovered the website of the American Friends of British Art. In their own words:

After discovering that historic art and architecture across Great Britain was in peril and in need of restoration, Dr. Michael Ridgdill founded American Friends of British Art to help ease the financial burden of preserving this rich cultural and artistic heritage. While our mission is the preservation and restoration of historically significant art and architecture within Great Britain, our mission extends to increase the awareness of the need for such preservation.

With the exorbitant costs of maintaining and restoring historic works, American Friends of British Art will provide those in need with financial assistance toward their restoration projects. America’s ancestral ties with Great Britain make it an honor to assist in preserving their nation’s treasures, because after all, British history is American history. With your interest and generous contributions, American Friends of British Art will preserve this rich heritage for future generations of tourists, art enthusiasts, and historians to savor.

A group after my own heart! May God bless and strengthen our ties.

Koh-i-noor, a mixed-media sculpture of Queen Elizabeth by the Scottish-born artist Hew Locke, explores tensions within contemporary British society and their relationship to colonial history. The sculpture has been acquired for the permanent collection of the Brooklyn Museum.

Read More Here

Update: Visit Hew Locke’s website and view his House of Windsor section HERE (note: I originally titled the post “Hew Locke Gains Queen Sculpture”. Oops. )