The Queen celebrates heritage and literature in Canterbury

Today, The Queen visited Canterbury, where she unveiled a bronze statue of Aphra Behn, considered to be the first professional female writer in the English language and one of the most popular playwrights of the 17th century.

Aphra Behn (1640–1689), whose work is widely studied and her plays regularly performed, was born in Harbledown, just outside Canterbury, and spent her formative years in the city. 

The creation of the bronze statue – commissioned by the Canterbury Commemoration Society – by sculptor Christine Charlesworth, followed an extensive period of research and consultation. After an international design competition, four maquettes were toured across the UK and the public asked which they thought would be the most fitting memorial.

Following the statue unveiling, The Queen visited The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge, a popular museum, library, art gallery and visitor information centre situated in the heart of historic Canterbury. 

In the last decade, The Beaney has attracted 3.5 million visitors including almost 50,000 schoolchildren and has seen more than 7,000 people take part in health and wellbeing activities.

Her Majesty toured the building, meeting children undertaking an Aphra Benn workshop, members of the local book club and library volunteers, and a group of visually-impaired people who, with their assistance dogs, regularly use the library’s facilities. 

In the Explorers Gallery, Her Majesty saw members of the Royal Shakespeare Company performing an extract from Aphra Behn’s play ‘The Rover’. Gyles Brandreth, President of the Aphra Behn Society, also read one of Aphra’s poems and The Queen heard about Canterbury Festival’s Poet of the Year competition.