The gift of the statue of William III, from Kaiser Wilhelm II to King Edward VII and the British people, proved to be something of an embarrassment to the British Government. Already alarmed by the Kaiser’s sabre rattling and concern over his new battleship building programme, relations were somewhat strained. Not wishing to offend either the Kaiser or the King, finding a suitable location became a pressing issue. The ideal spot was found at Kensington Palace, in front of the South Façade of the Palace, in the private grounds, but on show to visitors to Kensington Gardens. Today, it can be glimpsed through the ornate black and gold Crowther Gates.
Soon after they ascended to the throne in 1689, King William and Queen Mary began to look for a suitable home. They were anxious to find a place away from the London smog which aggravated William’s asthma. Later that year they purchased Nottingham House for £20,000 from the Earl of Nottingham, as they felt the King would benefit from the healthy air of Kensington. It was enlarged by Sir Christopher Wren and they became the first monarchs to make Kensington Palace their home. Heartbroken after Mary’s death in 1694, William retreated to Kensington and embarked on a further building programme, one of which, completed in 1695, was the South Front we see today. William died in the Palace following a riding accident in March 1702.
The statue is made of bronze with a green patina and stands on a Portland stone base. The figure is double life size and the King is magnificently bewigged and dressed. He is more usually shown in armour, as throughout his reign he was almost continually at war, primarily with the French and in Ireland.
It is the work of the German sculptor Heinrich Baucke, who lived from 1875 to 1915. He received much patronage from the German Court and his work can mainly be seen in Berlin, most notably the royal statues at the Charlottenburger Gate which have recently been restored.
The Kaiser also commissioned statues of the five greatest rulers of the House of Orange for the Berlin Palace. They were to celebrate the close links between houses of Hohenzollen and Orange, one of which was a replica of the statute sent to his British uncle. The pedestal and setting were designed by Sir Aston Webb, who was responsible for much work on the Royal residences at this time.