THE QUEEN

HER MAJESTY must be kicking herself. Twice her ancestors acquired the Salvator Mundi — and twice they lost it.

It passed by descent to Queen Henrietta Maria of France, wife of Britain’s Charles I. After Charles was executed in 1649, it was presented to Captain John Stone.

In 1660, Charles II got the painting back — but 25 years later it was taken from James II’s collection by the Countess of Dorchester, who never returned it.