Four Generations (Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (King Edward VIII) and King George V)

King Edward VII (1841-1910), Reigned 1901-10.

Identify Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (King Edward VIII) (1894-1972), Reigned 1936.

Identify King George V (1865-1936), Reigned 1910-36.

Identify Queen Victoria (1819-1901), Reigned 1837-1901.

This is a study for a large painting by Orchardson, commissioned by the Royal Agricultural Society in 1897 and called 'Four Generations - Windsor Castle' (now in the Government Art Collection). It shows an elderly Victoria with her son, grandson and great-grandson, the future kings Edward VII, George V and Edward VIII. The young Edward VIII wears a dress, the practice for upper-class small boys during the period, and presents a bouquet to his great-grandmother. The theme of 'four generations', emphasising the healthy state of British royal lineage, became extremely popular, particularly with royal photographers whose images were widely distributed as postcards. According to the artist's daughter, Orchardson wished to paint Victoria as the woman of 'intense family affections' rather than as the 'Great Queen'.