Rembrandt and the Royals
March 5 2015
Picture: Rijksmuseum
Flicking through my new online subscription to the Art Newspaper, I saw the above photo of the Dutch king Willem (left) opening the Rijksmuseum's leg of 'Late Rembrandt'. And it made me wonder when the last time the Queen opened an exhibition in the UK. It's been a while, hasn't it?
When I'm king, it won't be possible to open any exhibition without first inviting me.
Update - a reader writes:
Quite: when did any of our Royals last patronise ANYTHING cultural?? - honourable exception being the Duchess of Cambridge and the NPG - with many congratulations to Sandy N. But honestly - only horses, elephants, Olympics (quite right) but never a concert, exhibition, play anything of what most would call "culture" - alas. Although I do like the Freud portrait!
Update II - another reader writes:
I’m not sure that the Queen ever “opens” exhibitions; rather she “views ”them either officially or unofficially.
I did see the Duke of Edinburgh at an early morning “view” of the Leonardo ex in the N.G .He’s rather shorter than one would imagine.
Anyhow the King of Holland can easily park his bike outside the Rijksmuseum. Try doing that in Trafalgar Sq.
By the way; just where are you in the line of succession?
