Chelsea Pensioner - Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London, UK
N 51° 29.258 W 000° 09.514
30U E 697266 N 5707882
This statue of a Chelsea Pensioner is located in the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea.
Waymark Code: WMG6GJ
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 01/20/2013
Views: 4
This bronze, one-and-a-half times life
sized statue, stands in the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. It was
sculpted by Philip Jackson for the millennium. The statue shows one of the
in-pensioners in the traditional (scarlet) three-quarter length coat and
tricorne hat. On the left side of the coat are displayed a set of medals -
something that the residents of the hospital have in abundance. His right arm is
raised and he is holding a walking stick in defiant fashion. In his left hand is
a small branch from an oak tree that still has leaves attached.
The Royal Hospital website [visit link] tells us
about the significance od the oak leaves:
"Founder's Day is held on a day as close as possible to
the 29th May every year. This is the birthday of Charles II as well as the date
of his restoration as King in May 1660. It is also known as Oak Apple Day as it
commemorates the escape of the future King Charles after the Battle of Worcester
(1651) when he hid in an oak tree to avoid capture by the Parliamentary
forces.
The Chelsea Pensioners are usually reviewed by a member
of the Royal Family. During the course of this celebratory day the statue of
Charles II in Figure Court is partly shrouded in oak leaves, and all
participants in the Parade and spectators wear sprigs of oak leaves to
commemorate the King's escape from forces after the Battle of Worcester in 1651.
The statue was re-gilded in 2002 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen
Elizabeth II.
The Royal Hospital has always been proud to maintain
close links with the Sovereign and this continues strongly into the 21st
Century. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has reviewed the In-Pensioners on
Founder's Day on four occasions and the Reviewing officer has been a member of
the Royal family every year since 1980.
The most significant Royal event in recent years
occurred on 5th July 2002 when Her Majesty reviewed the Pensioners at Buckingham
Palace and presented The Royal Hospital with its first ‘colours' the Sovereign's
Mace.
More recently, Prince Harry reviewed the Chelsea
Pensioners in 2011 and became the first serving officer to inspect Founder's Day
for many years."