{On the pedestal:}
King Charles II
Nothing like a gilded statue on a cloudless day. The statue is of brass and was originally gilded in bronze. In 2002 it was re-gilded to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
From the workshop of Gibbons, a pair with that of King James II, the statue originally stood elsewhere, probably Whitehall Palace, and was moved to the Royal Hospital after Charles's death in 1685. Annually, on 29 May, Oak Apple Day, the traditional day for the celebration of the Restoration in 1660, the statue is wreathed with oak leaves. See William Carlos for the significance of oak.
Site: Royal Hospital Chelsea, Middle Court (5 memorials)
SW3, Royal Hospital Road, Royal Hospital Chelsea, Middle Court
In our photo you can see the Latin text on the frieze to the arcade. The statue faces the building and backs the Thames, and the camera. The Carlos plaque is at the base of the statue. You can see that there are dozens of plaques in the arcade along the whole length of the south-facing façade. These are mainly to individuals associated with the Hospital, many of them former Governors. We collected only the plaque that you can see to the right of the entrance, to those killed at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in WW1 and in WW2.
This is a good place to raise the subject of the orientation of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Looked at on a map the strong thrust to the north-west is inescapable - the central axis runs in this direction from the river, through the 'South Grounds', cuts this Middle Court in half, runs through the arch at the centre of the very symmetrical Hospital complex, continues across the private Burton Court into Royal Avenue, finally ending at the Kings Road. This is all that is left (was ever built) of what Londonist calls Kensington's lost triumphal avenue, desired by King Charles II, designed by Christopher Wren. See the Royal Avenue plaque.
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