6th August – 15th October 2012
To celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the summer exhibition will look at Goodwood’s Royal heritage and how it is represented in the art collection. The 1st Duke of Richmond, natural son of King Charles II by his beautiful French mistress Louise de Keroualle, bought Goodwood in 1697 as a hunting lodge. Over the following three centuries, ten generations of the family have filled it with magnificent treasures, including Royal portraits, such as Sir Anthony Van Dyke’s famous ‘Greate Peece’ of King Charles I and his family; it was bought by the 3rd Duke of Richmond during the French Revolution and smuggled out of Paris by being rolled up and sailed down the Seine, concealed in a barge. A ravishing portrait by Sir Peter Lely of Princess Henrietta, Duchess of Orléans, Charles II’s youngest sister, hangs in the Ballroom, a reminder that Louise de Keroualle was originally her maid of honour before passing to the English court after Henrietta’s untimely death aged twenty-six.
King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra were both regular visitors, throughout their lives, for the annual Glorious Goodwood Raceweek. Her Majesty The Queen has stayed at Goodwood on a number of occasions for Raceweek and her horses have won several races. The Earl of March remembers these Royal visits as a child:
‘It was a very exciting experience having the Royal Family to stay. Enormous energy went into the preparations and staff numbers seemed to zoom from three to thirty-three. There was bustle and busyness everywhere, with everyone single-mindedly trying to attain absolute perfection in whatever they did – nothing less would do. I saw most of the visit from the top of the stairs. There were red coats, white gloves and black shiny shoes everywhere. It was very exhilarating – even the helicopter was red. One of my earliest memories was my whole family standing in the Front Hall waiting for the great noise of the rotors, which signified the Royal arrival. For a small child the feeling of anticipation was overwhelming’
The summer exhibition will showcase the Royal pictures in the splendid State Rooms of Goodwood House and tell the story of the Royal visits through the photographs, letters and Royal gifts associated with these glorious house parties.
‘Royal Goodwood’, an exhibition of Goodwood’s Royal heritage to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, runs from 6th August to 15th October.
Pictures:
Sir Anthony van Dyck, ‘The Greate Peece’: King Charles I, Queen Henrietta Maria, Prince Charles & Princess Mary.
Sir Peter Lely, Princess Henrietta, Duchess of Orléans.
King Edward VII, The Prince of Wales and the 7th Duke of Richmond outside Goodwood House on their way to the Racecourse, 1906.
The 1907 Raceweek House Party on the steps at Goodwood House with King Edward VII, The Prince of Wales (later King George V) and the 7th Duke of Richmond.