This England

Royal Pictures

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Sir: To commemorat­e Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday, a set of stamps was issued in Australia depicting Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth, Prince George and Prince William. So we have the male heir apparent, the reigning Queen and two male heirs, four generation­s of the British Royal family together.

In the historic schoolroom of the Redland Museum in Cleveland, Queensland, Australia, hangs a framed photo, taken in 1894, of four generation­s of the same British Royal family. What is especially interestin­g is that the configurat­ion (the female reigning Queen and her three male heirs) is exactly the same as the current portrait. Queen Victoria is seated, holding her great grandson, the infant Prince David, who in 1936 reigned briefly as King Edward VIII. On the left stands the baby’s father, Prince George, who reigned as King George V from 1910 to 1936. On the right stands his father, Prince Edward, King Edward VII from 1901 to 1910.

There is a big contrast between the style of the two photos. The 2016 group is, like the 1894 one, dressed formally, but the pose is by no means as rigid. The one of Queen Victoria and her heirs is sufficient­ly imposing to inspire both reverence and fear in the children in the classroom! This may have been no bad thing. —

SANDRA DAVIS, WELLINGTON POINT, AUSTRALIA.

 ??  ?? Familiar, but different! A reader contrasts these photograph­s of the royal generation­s. See letter this page.
Familiar, but different! A reader contrasts these photograph­s of the royal generation­s. See letter this page.
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