First bust of King ‘will depict his thoughtfulness’
The first bust of the King to be commissioned since his accession will depict his thoughtfulness, its sculptor has said.
The bronze bust was commissioned by the King’s Foundation to mark its 35th anniversary and will be on permanent display at its Dumfries House headquarters in Scotland.
The idea for the bust arose during discussions about how best to mark the anniversary among staff, students and alumni.
The King will see preview images of the final creation and, it is hoped, will be present for the grand unveiling in early 2025.
In a nod to the charity’s commitment to heritage crafts, former student, Lily Marsh, 40, was given the honour of creating the bust.
Ms Marsh, a mother-of-two, is a graduate of the foundation’s building crafts programme, which provided a springboard into a successful career in stone masonry.
‘It’s a dream job’
She said she was stunned when she was contacted in September and asked to put together a proposed design for a bust of the King and a plinth.
“It’s mind-blowing,” she said. “I was very excited, really daunted. But I think it’s a dream job, really, in terms of being able to do a portrait and sculpt, and do something in bronze.
“To be able to do a commission which is such high profile … it’s such a fantastic privilege.”
Ms Marsh, from Sheffield, said the way a subject was portrayed was crucial.
Her aim was to convey the King’s “thoughtful character”, recognising that he is a deep thinking and spiritual monarch.
“I think for myself, my key sense is a thoughtfulness, that’s what I wanted to put into the portrait,” she said of her impression of the King. “So, a sense of thoughtful consideration in terms of expression, his thoughtful character.”
Sam Starsmore, from Norfolk, a student on the building crafts programme, was tasked with carving the lettering on the plinth.
Ms Marsh based her work on recent photographs of the King. But while he did not sit for her, he is aware of the commission and fully supportive of the idea.
Ms Marsh, who worked as a trainee psychologist in the prison service before switching careers, said the King’s Foundation course had enabled her to secure work placements at Gloucester Cathedral and Windsor Castle, giving her confidence to pursue a career in a field traditionally dominated by men.
In February 2022, the then Prince Charles, Duchess of Cornwall and Duchess of Cambridge visited the foundation’s base at Trinity Buoy Wharf in east London – a rare joint outing.
The Duchess of Cambridge, now the Princess of Wales, was invited by her father-in-law in recognition of their shared interest in the arts and creative industries.
As the royal trio toured the site, which offers courses in craft and art forms from fashion and textiles to thatching and blacksmithing, the King’s eye was immediately drawn to a snail shell sculpture created by students.
There he met Ms Marsh, revealing that he was “fascinated” by the piece.
The King told her of the “importance of safeguarding traditional skills for future generations”. She has since been hailed as a “fantastic example” of the course’s success.
Sustainable communities
The King’s Foundation was founded when he was Prince of Wales in 1990. Known until recently as the Prince’s Foundation, its aim was to promote sustainable communities through education, training, and regeneration of historic sites.
When he stepped in to save Dumfries House for the nation in 2007, with a £45 million rescue package, it became the charity’s base, offering educational courses for almost 15,000 students a year, with a focus on traditional and heritage crafts.
The King spoke last year about the battle to maintain such “timeless skills”, noting: “They are all rather disappearing.”
Kristina Murrin, the chief executive at the King’s Foundation, said: “To celebrate the King’s Foundation’s 35th anniversary in 2025, we felt it was fitting to install a permanent monument to His Majesty at our charity headquarters Dumfries House, to recognise his role as our royal founding president and his positive impact on the local community.
“Most importantly this new installation will showcase the talents of our students and alumni.”
‘Very proud’
Ms Murrin added: “We are very proud of our graduate Lily, who has gone on to a successful career as a stone carver and sculptor.
“She is perfectly suited to take on the job of creating this permanent reminder of our 35th anniversary.
“Equally to have Sam, a current student on our building craft programme, creating the plinth for such an important commission just shows the depth of talent in traditional skills in this country and how hopeful we should be for the future generation of master craftspeople.”
