FRANCES SEGELMAN ‘I WILL NEVER FORGET MEASURING HER FACE’
Royal sculptor Frances Segelman describes sculpting the Queen as “the most amazing time of her life”. The 73-year-old says, “It was incredible to have the honour of being the Queen’s sculptor. It was such an amazing time in my life, to have the honour of going there and the build-up. She lit up the room. Having to sculpt with callipers and measure her face, I will never forget the feeling. You can’t put it into words.”
But it wasn’t only the Queen with whom Frances worked. She also made a sculpture of the Duke of Edinburgh who was, she says, becoming “very upset” on one of the days she was working with him.
“It was very hot. We were in this room and the windows were open, and he was getting very upset about the smell of the onions and sausages because they were doing burger stalls outside [Buckingham Palace].
“He said, ‘These damn people. We keep getting rid of them. And they keep coming back.’ The smoke was coming through the windows,” she explains.
Frances admits it took a while for her to feel comfortable around Prince Philip. “At the first sitting, he was sharp. It was a bit scary for me. I said to him that I was going to put a slight smile on his face. He didn’t like that at all. He was very adamant. As time went on, I got to know him really well – by the third, fourth time. I think he was one of my best pieces.”
However, getting feedback from the Queen proved to be a much more positive experience for the sculptor.
“In the last sitting, I knew I had to find out what she thought,” says Frances. “So I said, ‘How do you feel about your hair?’ She did say, ‘Well, maybe a little bit shorter.’
So I cut some of the clay off, and then I said, ‘Are you happy for this to go to my studio now?’ She said, ‘Yes. And don’t fiddle with it.’
“I knew she liked it when she turned around at the unveiling to see the glitter and there was just something between her and I – that was so special to me.”