Conservation of Queen Victoria's Throne

This is Queen Victoria's throne and it's here in the workshop so we can give it a clean. The throne went to the Royal Collection workshops because over 180 years it had built up a little surface dirt on the gilding and this needed to be removed. Queen Victoria would have had several throne chairs in her royal residences and this particular throne chair was made for Buckingham Palace. So we know that Queen Victoria acceded to the throne on the death of her uncle and she asked the Treasury if she could order this throne very soon afterwards. It was delivered in July 1837 and she used it very soon afterwards to receive visiting dignitaries, ambassadors and particularly around the time of her coronation. The throne is made from gilt wood, so wood that is carved with a layer of gesso over it and then a thin layer of gold leaf. The gold leaf is incredibly thin and delicate, it almost has a sort of magical property. When you pick it up from the book it almost floats in the air and you have to use these very specialised tools to manipulate it. You use a knife to both cut the gold into small pieces but also to move it around the pad. I use a series of brushes to clean the surface. We don't use something like cotton buds because they're actually quite abrasive. Brushes are much softer and safer for the surface. We're actually using a very weak solution of traditional glue. It's actually the same kind of glue that was used when it was gilded originally. It's a very gentle way of cleaning the surface and it's very controllable. One of the major advantages is that we don't have to rinse after we clean because we're not introducing anything to the surface that isn't already there. There are several emblems on the throne which all relate to it being made for Queen Victoria. Right at the top there's the crown and then just underneath that is V.R., Queen Victoria's cipher which stands for Victoria Regina, Queen Victoria. Underneath that are the national emblems of the United Kingdom. The rose for England, the thistle for Scotland and the shamrock for Ireland. Of course Queen Victoria was head of state for the whole island of Ireland, hence its inclusion on the throne chair. And then around the cushions are giltwood laurel wreaths. These have been a symbol of victory and power since ancient times. And also oak leaves, often used in British works of art to denote the nation and the strength of England. The throne chair can be seen every summer during the Buckingham Palace Summer Opening in Buckingham Palace's throne room where it has remained since Queen Victoria's death in January 1901.