Statue of Charles II, Royal statue at Royal Hospital Chelsea, England
The Statue of Charles II stands in the Figure Court of Royal Hospital Chelsea, made of brass and measuring about 7.6 feet tall on a marble base. It is one of the main monuments that visitors encounter within the hospital grounds.
The renowned sculptor Grinling Gibbons created the work around 1680, just before the monarch established the Royal Hospital Chelsea in 1682 as a home for retired soldiers. The piece reflects the king's importance to the institutions he founded.
The figure wears Roman military dress, a style chosen to express royal authority through classical forms that were fashionable in the 1600s. This way of dressing statues showed how artists of that time conveyed power and leadership to viewers.
The monument is located on the grounds of Royal Hospital Chelsea, which is open to visitors year-round. A map or the information service at the hospital can help you find the exact spot in the courtyard.
Each year on May 29th, the statue receives a crown of oak leaves during Oak Apple Day celebrations, a ritual that continues a historical tradition. This annual act of decoration turns the monument into a living part of the hospital's calendar.
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