Antiques Roadshow Sunday 8.00pm BBC1 (5.35pm in Scotland)
By royal appointment Roadshow expert Hilary Kay reveals fascinating stories behind five of the Queen’s antiques
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ntiques Roadshow has a very special fan – the Queen. She made no secret of her interest when she agreed to take part in the first episode of the new series at Hillsborough Castle, her official residence in Northern Ireland. Accompanied by an inquisitive Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen discussed five handpicked items from the royal collections at Hillsborough with three of the series’ experts, including Hilary Kay. The Queen, who was last at the castle in 2010 and has visited regularly since 1945, when it was home to her aunt and uncle, Lord and Lady
was genuine ‘ There interest from the
Queen and the Duke
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hilary kay
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Granville, was on a three-day visit to Northern Ireland. But where most people come along to the Roadshow hoping to discover what their dusty heirlooms are worth, the Queen had no such concerns. “There was never any question of us valuing items,” says Kay. “We knew we would be discussing the objects and their history.” The Queen and Duke were keen to see their cameo, enquiring when the series (which has a new titles sequence, see page 73) might air. “If it’s in August then even better,” the Queen remarked, “because we might have a chance to see it.” No doubt she will be pleased to hear that, even though it’s airing in September, her royal duties allow her to be in the UK. For Kay, it was unforgettable. “There was genuine interest from the Queen and the Duke, both in the objects and in the whole process. It was an occasion we’ll treasure.” ELLIE AUSTIN
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Champion racehorse
“This bronze sculpture is a copy of Pierre-Jules Mêne’s Vainqueur du Derby, a well-known statuette of the horse and jockey who won the 1863 Derby. It’s believed to represent the pair perhaps making their way to collect the trophy. Knowing Her Majesty’s interest in racing, it was great to have an opportunity to talk to her about it. The interesting thing about that particular race was that it had 32 false starts, which obviously caused huge entertainment, prompting the Queen to remark amusedly that it all sounded ‘very incompetent’.”
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Christening cup
“There’s a fabulous story behind this cup. Her Majesty’s aunt and uncle, Lady and Lord Granville, were on a transatlantic liner to America when the chief engineer’s wife gave birth to a daughter. Lady Granville gave this sweet little cup to the baby and promised to attend the christening, which she did because there’s a photograph of her at the service. The little girl, now a grown woman, donated the cup back to the castle. Her Majesty wasn’t aware of the story and it was terrific to show her something with such real family resonance.”
RadioTimes 13–19 September 2014
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Aboriginal club
“This may not look like much, but it’s a seriously exciting piece! It’s an Aboriginal throwing club dating from the mid- to the late-19th century, but if you look closely you can see a very 20th-century-looking badge. It’s actually the crest of a little Australian town called Wagga Wagga that the Queen visited on her royal tour of Australia in 1954. She received this item as a gift and although I’m not sure that she specifically remembered it, she clearly had very fond memories of the trip.”
RadioTimes 13–19 September 2014
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Musical monkeys
“These porcelain figures depict a monkey orchestra and their conductor, in 18th-century dress. The original figures were made from 1753 for Frederick Augustus II of Saxony, who was known for his lavish banquets. One story goes that a guest made fun of the orchestra at court, saying they played like performing monkeys. Frederick Augustus was so amused by this that the chief modeller at the Meissen porcelain factory created this monkey band for him. The figures proved so popular that they were often copied by other companies.”
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ROYAL TREASURES
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh took a keen interest in the insights of Hilary Kay, Paul Atterbury and John Axford when the Roadshow visited Hillsborough Castle
Chinese soup tureen
“Looking to me a bit like an animal standing on its four legs, this is a porcelain tureen made in China in the 1760s for the Western export market. Its owners would have been both very rich and very patient, as delivery from China sometimes took years. Predominantly used to serve soup, it would have been the centrepiece on an aristocratic dining table. This tureen’s popularity was short-lived, though. By the late 1700s a more straight-lined, neo-classical style had gained in popularity and these baroque shapes were out of fashion.”
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