This statue of King George II of England is located between King Charles Court and Queen Anne Court on the Old Royal Naval College grounds in Greenwich.
Carved in 1735 from a single block of marble, in the fashion of the age King George is dressed in a Roman General's uniform. He holds the scepter and orb that are symbols of the British monarchy. He holds the scepter ion his left hand and restst it on a draped pedestal. He holds the orb in his right hand, with the arm resting on the same draped pedestal.
The King seems to be about life size, maybe a bit larger.
From the London Remembers website, the Latin AND English translations of the engraved words on the plinth are transcribed as follows: (
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"{On the south face of plinth:}
PRINCIPI POTENTISSIMO
GEORGIO SECUNDO
BRITANNIARUM REGI
CUJUS AUSPICIIS ET PATROCINIO
AUGUSTISSIMUM HOC HOSPITIUM
AD SUBLEVANDOS MILITANTIUM IN CLASSE EMERITORIUM
LABORES A REGIS IPSIUS ANTECESSORIBUS FUNDATUM
AUCTIUS IN DIES ET SPLENDIDIUS EX(S)URGIT
JOHANNES JENNINGS EQUES
EJUSDEM HOSPITII PRAEFECTUS
ICONEM HANC PRO DEBITA SUA
ERGA PRINCIPEM REVERENTIA
ET PATRIAM CHARITATE
POSUIT
ANNO DOMINI
MDCCXXXV
[EN] “To the almighty emperor, King George II of Britain, under whose direction and patronage this magnificent hospital, established by the king’s own predecessors to alleviate the burdens of retired seamen, is rising up, expanding and becoming more splendid every day. Sir John Jennings, governor of the same establishment, placed this image in due reverence for the King and for the love of his country in the year of our Lord 1735.”
{On the east face of plinth:}
HIC REQUIES SENECTAE
HIS MODUS LASSO MARIS ET VIARUM
MILITIAEQ(UE)
[EN]
“Here is a rest for old age, an end for someone who is tired of sailing the seas and fighting.” From Horace’s Odes (Book 2 Part 6).
{On the plinth, north (river) face:}
HIC AMES DICI PATER ATQ(UE) PRINCEPS
[EN] {“Here may you delight in being called our father and prince” From Horace’s Odes (Book 1 Part 2) and was originally addressed to Emperor Augustus.}
{relief carving of the Royal Standard 1714-1801}
IMPERIUM PELAGI
[EN] “The dominion of the sea”
{On the west face of plinth:}
FESSOS TUTO PLACIDISSIMA PORTU ACCIPIT
[EN] “This most peaceful place welcomes those who are weary to its safe haven.” From Virgil’s Aeneid (Book 3 Chapter 4).""
More on King George II can be found here: (
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"Name: King George II
Full Name: George Augustus
Born: October 30, 1683 at Herrenhausen, Hanover
Parents: George I and Sophia Dorothea
Relation to Elizabeth II: 5th great-grandfather
House of: Hanover
Ascended to the throne: June 11, 1727 aged 43 years
Crowned: October 11, 1727 at Westminster Abbey
Married: Caroline, daughter of Margrave of Brandenburg
Children: Four sons and five daughters
Died: October 25, 1760 at Kensington Palace, aged 76 years, 11 months, and 25 days
Buried at: Westminster
Reigned for: 33 years, 4 months, and 15 days
Succeeded by: his grandson George III
George II was born in Hanover the son of George I and Sophia of Celle. He married Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach in 1705 an attractive and intelligent women, and they had 9 children. In 1708 he took part in the Battle of Oudenarde in Belgium against the French.
His father became King George I of England in 1714 and he became Prince of Wales. However his father’s treatment of his mother whom he had imprisoned left son George with a hatred of his father and they regularly quarrelled. He was even put under arrest by his father who excluded him from public ceremonies. When his father died in 1727 he became King George II and set about changing his father’s policies. Walpole was expected to be dismissed but survived on the intervention of Queen Caroline.
The death of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI in 1740 led to the European War of Austrian Succession in which the British and Dutch supported Marie Theresa’s claim to the Austrian throne against the Prussians and French. George II personally led his troops at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743, becoming the last British monarch to lead his troops into battle. The Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, in which Charles Edward Stuart (‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’) landed in Scotland and marched with a Highland army into England, was defeated at Culloden in 1746 and Scottish opposition brutally suppressed by George’s second son Prince William, Duke of Cumberland. Like his father he quarrelled with his eldest son Frederick, Prince of Wales, over his marriage but Frederick died suddenly in 1751.
The final years of his reign saw George retiring from active politics; however it was a period in which British dominance overseas grew. William Pitt became Prime Minister during the Seven years war against France which spread to India and North America. Robert Clive secured the Indian continent for Britain at the Battle of Plassey, and General Wolfe captured Quebec in Canada. George II died in 1760 of an aneurysm while seated on his water closet. He was succeeded by his grandson also called George."
For a man who had such a vibrant and heroic statue erected to him, he sure did meet an ignominoius end. Wow.