The Queen celebrates traditional crafts and local artists

Tuesday 13th February: Worshipful Company of Fan Makers

During an Installation ceremony at Clarence House, The Queen was made Honorary Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers. Also in attendance was The Duchess of Gloucester, who was installed as a Liveryman of the same company in 2005. 

The Worshipful Company of Fan Makers can trace its origins back to 1670 when a Guild was formed via a petition to Parliament concerning the threat of imported fans. 

The Guild of Fan Makers, as it was then known, later gained its Royal Charter in 1709. Today, the Company works to develop and promote the work of traditional fan making.

During the Ceremony, Her Majesty was clothed as an Honorary Liveryman by The Master Fan Maker. Her Majesty was also presented with a fan designed by Mr Stewart Parvin M.V.O. and commissioned in 2020 to mark the impact of Covid-19 on so many lives.

As The Duchess of Cornwall, Her Majesty The Queen became Patron of The Fan Museum in 2008. 

In 2019, during a visit to the Museum in Greenwich, Her Majesty joined the Royal Voluntary Service in a fan-making class!

The Royal Collection includes many fans which once formed part of a royal lady’s wardrobe. The foundation of the Collection is a group of 30 fans bequeathed by Queen Victoria to her son and heir, King Edward VII, on her death in 1901. The Queen evidently considered that these fans shared something of the status of the other great works of art in the Royal Collection, rather than merely acting as fashion accessories. 

Read on to discover some of the fans from the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers featured in the Collection...

Wednesday 14th February: Kindred Studios

On Wednesday, The Queen visited Kindred Studios’ Shepherds Bush pop-up hub, an art studios and creative space encouraging arts, crafts and community cohesion.

Kindred has welcomed over 360 artists and continues to bring talented creatives together and nurtures the strong bonds between them. Kindred believes that this supportive network is essential to the happiness of its members and that it not only fosters continual learning but also helps artists produce their very best work.

Touring the Studios, Her Majesty met local artists, from painters and ceramicists to textiles and fashion designers, as well as bursary recipients who have been supported by Kindred Studios.

Her Majesty learnt about the vocational support offered by artists to young people at Kindred Studios, and heard about one artist's personal journey of recovery from addiction and homelessness and how it inspired his work to rehabilitate others through art.

Her Majesty was also shown the variety of materials used at the studios and saw a range of artwork from wooden board games to striking portraits.