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Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Labour heralded the end of single sex education
The Village School for girls in London's affluent Belsize Park had big ambitions. Only last September the prep school added Year 7 places in a bid to launch a senior school. But a combination of Labour's imposition of VAT on school fees, its hike in National Insurance contributions and declining pupil numbers has left its plans in tatters. In the face of these 'unsustainable' conditions, the owners of the small school, in Keir Starmer's Camden constituency, in north London, announced it will close this summer. It is one of a growing number of casualties linked to Labour's flagship policy to remove the VAT exemption, adding an extra 20 per cent on top of already hefty fees, pricing some families out of the market. The policy has been described as 'devastating' by the Independent Schools Council (ISC). As its shock waves are felt across the sector, it appears that single sex schools in particular, which can only market themselves to half of a shrinking pool of pupils, are under threat. Among the dozen or so schools that have announced their closure since the start of the year, five are single sex. Even more apparent across private schools is an accelerated rush to co-educational provision. At least 16 single sex schools are currently in the process of making the switch to a mixed intake. These instances whittle away at the number of fully single-sex independent schools, which currently stands at 231 out of a total of 1,441 ISC members in the UK (just 16 per cent). In England, about 378 single sex state schools remain. In Scotland, news that Stewart's Melville College for boys and The Mary Erskine School for girls, in Edinburgh, are merging leaves only three single sex private schools north of the border. The latest fee-paying school in England to make the move to co-ed is the £28,000 a year St Albans School for boys, in Hertfordshire, which was established in 948 and received its charter in 1553 from Edward VI. From September 2026, it will welcome both girls and boys into Year 7. Other big-name schools that have announced they will fully open their doors to female pupils include £44,000 a year Westminster School, in central London, which has to date just had a co-ed sixth form, and Abingdon School, in Oxfordshire, which dates back to the 13th century. These schools insist the move to co-ed is driven by their desire to be 'reflective of modern society'. The headmaster of Westminster Dr Gary Savage explicitly denies that the school is 'reforming to preserve' and says it is accepting girls because its ethos is to 'offer the best possible liberal education to any bright child who would flourish here'. While the steady demise of boys-only schools does predate the VAT imposition, more recently the traffic is not only one way. A number of schools that have been evangelical about 'girls' education' are now going co-ed, including Malvern St James Girls', in Worcestershire, and Godolphin School, in Salisbury, where boarding fees are more than £45,000 a year. According to Melanie Sanderson, managing editor of the Good Schools Guide, independent schools are doing all they can to 'secure their pipeline'. 'A school is a business now and they are increasingly focused on giving parents fewer reasons to rule them out,' she says. 'If you are a dual income family, it can be more convenient to have both of your children in the same school. Did the parents with boys at St Albans ask for the school to go co-ed? I strongly doubt it. But in the landscape of a very competitive marketplace, schools are shoring up their future.' For some, the move is more about the here and now. 'Schools are taking various measures in the fight for survival, including single sex schools going co-ed to widen the potential pool of pupils,' says Irena Barker, digital editor at School Management Plus. She points to an increasing number of schools joining or being bought out by a larger group, which then transition to co-ed. Beyond that, one in five schools is making redundancies to try and balance the books, according to one survey of teachers. 'There is a lot of pain behind the scenes,' says Barker. 'Individual heads are obviously not always trumpeting their difficulties, but they are real and pressing.' Fears have been raised that this threat to single sex provision could undermine advances in girls' education. Alex Hutchinson, headteacher at James Allen's Girls' School in London, and president of the Girls Schools Association, has warned the VAT imposition could have a 'seismic impact' on girls' life chances. The evidence is clear that while boys do as well or better in co-ed settings as in single sex ones, female pupils thrive in girls-only environments. Girls who attend all-girls schools get better exam results than girls with similar records and backgrounds at mixed schools, and outdo boys at all-boys schools, an analysis by FFT Datalab reveals. Single-sex settings also boost the number of girls taking 'masculine' subjects – like maths, physics and engineering at A-level and degree level. Research indicates that girls in all-girls schools are more likely to participate in sport, especially traditionally male-dominated endeavours like cricket and football, with all its attendant benefits. Daniel Sayers, the head of St Hilda's girls' school, in Harpenden, says single-sex education gives his pupils an inner confidence and self-belief. 'I've seen time and time again, pupils thriving in STEM subjects because the 'boy' 'girl' thing is just removed,' he says. 'And that works the other way as well. I've been around lots of boys' schools and seen boys keenly participating in drama and singing, for instance. There is no sense of 'this is not a cool thing to do'; they are just living the dream, and doing what they enjoy and are really good at.' Parents who favour single-sex schools are voicing their unhappiness at the rush to co-ed. In a recent discussion on Mumsnet, one mother cited two local girls' schools with plans to take boys. 'I'm angry that the girls' welfare is being sacrificed for financial or strategic reasons, or because girls are supposed to have a 'moderating' effect on boys' behaviour,' she says. Her point is echoed by Melanie Sanderson, from the Good Schools Guide: 'Lots of parents actively want a single-sex education for their daughters, and you can see why. We have the narrative of 'toxic masculinity' thrust down our throats every day of the week. If you haven't got a daughter that you are very confident can handle herself if she's made to feel uncomfortable by a boy, then maybe you would want to choose single-sex schools.' There is also a question mark over whether traditional boys' schools that open their doors to girls can adapt quickly enough: 'These schools can take decades to truly feel like a co-ed and not just a boys school that has let in some girls,' warns the head of one girls school. According to Sanderson, there remains a group of highly aspirational parents who want what a traditional boys-only education can offer. 'These big brands – such as Harrow, Eton and Radley – deliver academically, on the sports field and socially,' she says. 'And parents are assured that in this day and age, boys all know girls from other schools. Very few are living on an island where they don't know any girls. My son goes to a boys' school but has a mixed friendship group.' While remaining resolutely single sex, some schools are forging closer ties to make them stronger. Sherborne Girls, Sherborne Boys, and two local preps, in Dorset, have formed Sherborne Schools Group, to allow for pupils and staff to work together, share facilities and resources and leverage economies of scale. 'We fundamentally believe in the advantages of single sex but think it needs an innovative approach to get the best of both worlds,' said Dr Ruth Sullivan, the head of Sherborne Girls. 'We are exploring opportunities for sharing resources, for example our teaching expertise. While some schools are having to cut back on niche subjects, we have a teacher coming in who is going to take Arabic studies, for instance, and that will be available across the schools.'Sullivan is acutely aware, though, that not all schools have this kind of arrangement as an option. 'There are a lot of smaller schools, and many of them tend to be single sex girls' schools, that are being impacted by VAT on fees,' she says. 'These schools don't have the economies of scale and don't have some of the big endowments that some of the boys schools enjoy because they have not been around for as long. It's really tough for many schools in the sector.' For these smaller single sex schools, where every enrolment counts, the future has never been more uncertain. 'As well as the VAT, there's the drop in the birth rate, the high cost of living that families are experiencing, stagnating wages and the energy price cap is coming off,' said Sanderson. 'The overall picture is not favourable, particularly when schools are small and living hand to mouth off the fees. In some ways, it's a perfect storm.' The Old Palace of John Whitgift School, girls school in Croydon, south London, closing in August 2025, 136 years after opening The Village School for girls, in Hampstead, part of Chatsworth Schools, proposed closure end of summer term 2025 Highfield Prep for Girls, Maidenhead, part of Chatsworth Schools, proposed closure end of summer term 2025 St Hilda's Bushey, girls school in Hertfordshire, part of the Aldenham Foundation, consulting on closure in August 2025 Kilgraston School, girls senior school in Bridge of Earn, Scotland, closed August 2024 St Albans School for boys, Hertfordshire Aldwickbury Prep for boys, Hertfordshire, will welcome girls from sept 2025 King's House School for boys, is gradually moving to co-education with girls joining Reception and Year 1 in September 2024 and Years 3, 4, 5 and 7 in September 2025. Moulsford Prep, boys school in Oxfordshire. From September 2026, it will take girls into Year 3. By September 2031, the School will have girls in every year group Cothill, boys school in Oxfordshire; girls will be admitted in Years 3-5 in September 2025 Abingdon School and Prep School, Oxfordshire, announced its decision to move to co-education in May 2024 Abbot's Hill, girls school in Hemel Hempstead, will begin to take boys in the pre-prep and prep in September 2025 Aysgarth Prep, a boys school in North Yorkshire for nearly 150 years, welcomed girls in Years 4–8 from September 2024 Lochinver House, in Potters Bar, will be welcoming girls from September 2025 with the school becoming fully coeducational by 2031 Malvern St James Girls' School, in Worcestershire, will be accepting boys from September 2025 Cobham Hall, a girls school in Kent, will be fully co-educational from September 2025 Sir William Perkins's, a girls school in Chertsey, will open its doors to boys from September 2026, becoming fully co-educational by 2030. Westminster School, in London. Its sixth-form is already co-ed: girls will join Year 9 for the first time in 2028 and the school will be fully co-ed by 2030 Kingsley School, in Leamington Spa, an all-through girls' school that takes boys to 11, announced that it will start becoming fully co-educational from 2025 Godolphin School, in Salisbury, will be taken over by United Learning group and go co-educational. Starting in September 2024, the prep school welcomed both boys and girls. Godolphin Senior will take boys from September 2025. Bickley Park School for boys, in Bromley, will welcome girls from Year 1 in September 2025 *For financial or other reasons Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
27-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
How Labour heralded the end of single-sex education
The Village School For Girls, in London's affluent Belsize Park, had big ambitions. Only last September the prep school added Year 7 places in a bid to launch a senior school. But a combination of Labour's imposition of VAT on school fees, its hike in National Insurance contributions and declining pupil numbers has left its plans in tatters. In the face of these 'unsustainable' conditions, the owners of the small school, in Sir Keir Starmer's Holborn and St Pancras constituency, in north London, announced it will close this summer. It is one of a growing number of casualties linked to Labour's flagship policy to remove the VAT exemption, adding an extra 20 per cent on top of already hefty fees, pricing some families out of the market. The policy has been described as 'devastating' by the Independent Schools Council (ISC). As its shock waves are felt across the sector, it appears that single-sex schools in particular, which can only market themselves to half of a shrinking pool of pupils, are under threat. Among the dozen or so schools that have announced their closure since the start of the year, five are single sex. Even more apparent across private schools is an accelerated rush to co-educational provision. At least 16 single-sex schools are currently in the process of making the switch to a mixed intake. These instances whittle away at the number of fully single-sex independent schools, which currently stands at 231 out of a total of 1,441 ISC members in the UK (just 16 per cent). In England, about 378 single-sex state schools remain. In Scotland, news that Stewart's Melville College for boys and The Mary Erskine School for girls, in Edinburgh, are merging leaves only three single-sex private schools north of the border. The latest fee-paying school in England to make the move to co-ed is the £28,000 a year St Albans School for boys, in Hertfordshire, which was established in 948 and received its charter in 1553 from Edward VI. From September 2026, it will welcome both girls and boys into Year 7. Other big-name schools that have announced they will fully open their doors to female pupils include £44,000 a year Westminster School, in central London, which has to date just had a co-ed sixth form, and Abingdon School, in Oxfordshire, which dates back to the 13th century. These schools insist the move to co-ed is driven by their desire to be 'reflective of modern society'. The headmaster of Westminster, Dr Gary Savage, explicitly denies that the school is 'reforming to preserve' and says it is accepting girls because its ethos is to 'offer the best possible liberal education to any bright child who would flourish here'. While the steady demise of boys-only schools does predate the VAT imposition, girls' schools that have, up until recently, been evangelical about their single-sex status are now going co-ed, including Malvern St James Girls', in Worcestershire, and Godolphin School, in Salisbury, where boarding fees are more than £45,000 a year. According to Melanie Sanderson, managing editor of the Good Schools Guide, independent schools are doing all they can to 'secure their pipeline'. 'A school is a business now and they are increasingly focused on giving parents fewer reasons to rule them out,' she says. 'If you are a dual-income family, it can be more convenient to have both of your children in the same school. Did the parents with boys at St Albans ask for the school to go co-ed? I strongly doubt it. But in the landscape of a very competitive marketplace, schools are shoring up their future.' For some, the move is more about the here and now. 'Schools are taking various measures in the fight for survival, including single-sex schools going co-ed to widen the potential pool of pupils,' says Irena Barker, digital editor at School Management Plus. She points to an increasing number of schools joining or being bought out by a larger group, which then transition to co-ed. Beyond that, one in five schools is making redundancies to try and balance the books, according to one survey of teachers. 'There is a lot of pain behind the scenes,' says Barker. 'Individual heads are obviously not always trumpeting their difficulties, but they are real and pressing.' Fears have been raised that this threat to single-sex provision could undermine advances in girls' education. Alex Hutchinson, headteacher at James Allen's Girls' School in London, and president of the Girls' Schools Association, has warned the VAT imposition could have a 'seismic impact' on girls' life chances. The evidence is clear that while boys do as well or better in co-ed settings as in single-sex ones, female pupils thrive in girls-only environments. Girls who attend all-girls schools get better exam results than girls with similar records and backgrounds at mixed schools, and outdo boys at all-boys schools, an analysis by FFT Datalab reveals. Single-sex settings also boost the number of girls taking 'masculine' subjects – like maths, physics and engineering at A-level and degree level. Research indicates that girls in all-girls schools are more likely to participate in sport, especially traditionally male-dominated endeavours like cricket and football, with all its attendant benefits. Daniel Sayers, the head of St Hilda's, a girls' prep school in Harpenden, says single-sex education gives his pupils an inner confidence and self-belief. 'I've seen time and time again, pupils thriving in Stem [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] subjects because the 'boy' 'girl' thing is just removed,' he says. 'And that works the other way as well. I've been around lots of boys' schools and seen boys keenly participating in drama and singing, for instance. There is no sense of 'This is not a cool thing to do'; they are just living the dream, and doing what they enjoy and are really good at.' Parents who favour single-sex schools are voicing their unhappiness at the rush to co-ed. In a recent discussion on Mumsnet, one mother cited two local girls' schools with plans to take boys. 'I'm angry that the girls' welfare is being sacrificed for financial or strategic reasons, or because girls are supposed to have a 'moderating' effect on boys' behaviour,' she says. Her point is echoed by Melanie Sanderson, from the Good Schools Guide: 'Lots of parents actively want a single-sex education for their daughters, and you can see why. We have the narrative of 'toxic masculinity' thrust down our throats every day of the week. If you haven't got a daughter that you are very confident can handle herself if she's made to feel uncomfortable by a boy, then maybe you would want to choose single-sex schools.' There is also a question mark over whether traditional boys' schools that open their doors to girls can adapt quickly enough: 'These schools can take decades to truly feel like a co-ed and not just a boys' school that has let in some girls,' warns the head of one girls' school. According to Sanderson, there remains a group of highly aspirational parents who want what a traditional boys-only education can offer. 'These big brands – such as Harrow, Eton and Radley – deliver academically, on the sports field and socially,' she says. 'And parents are assured that in this day and age, boys all know girls from other schools. Very few are living on an island where they don't know any girls. My son goes to a boys' school but has a mixed friendship group.' While remaining resolutely single sex, some schools are forging closer ties to make them stronger. Sherborne Girls, Sherborne Boys, and two local preps, in Dorset, have formed Sherborne Schools Group, to allow for pupils and staff to work together, share facilities and resources and leverage economies of scale. 'We fundamentally believe in the advantages of single sex but think it needs an innovative approach to get the best of both worlds,' says Dr Ruth Sullivan, the head of Sherborne Girls. 'We are exploring opportunities for sharing resources, for example our teaching expertise. While some schools are having to cut back on niche subjects, we have a teacher coming in who is going to take Arabic studies, for instance, and that will be available across the schools.' Sullivan is acutely aware, though, that not all schools have this kind of arrangement as an option. 'There are a lot of smaller schools, and many of them tend to be single-sex girls' schools, that are being impacted by VAT on fees,' she says. 'These schools don't have the economies of scale and don't have some of the big endowments that some of the boys' schools enjoy because they have not been around for as long. It's really tough for many schools in the sector.' For these smaller single-sex schools, where every enrolment counts, the future has never been more uncertain. 'As well as the VAT, there's the drop in the birth rate, the high cost of living that families are experiencing, stagnating wages and the energy price cap is coming off,' said Sanderson. 'The overall picture is not favourable, particularly when schools are small and living hand to mouth off the fees. In some ways, it's a perfect storm.' Single-sex closures The Old Palace of John Whitgift School, girls school in Croydon, south London, closing in August 2025, 136 years after opening The Village School for girls, in Hampstead, part of Chatsworth Schools, proposed closure end of summer term 2025 Highfield Prep for Girls, Maidenhead, part of Chatsworth Schools, proposed closure end of summer term 2025 St Hilda's Bushey, girls school in Hertfordshire, part of the Aldenham Foundation, consulting on closure in August 2025 Kilgraston School, girls senior school in Bridge of Earn, Scotland, closed August 2024 Moving to co-ed* St Albans School, Hertfordshire Aldwickbury Prep for boys, Hertfordshire, will welcome girls from sept 2025 King's House School for boys, is gradually moving to co-education with girls joining Reception and Year 1 in September 2024 and Years 3, 4, 5 and 7 in September 2025. Moulsford Prep, boys school in Oxfordshire. From September 2026, it will take girls into Year 3. By September 2031, the School will have girls in every year group Cothill, boys school in Oxfordshire; girls will be admitted in Years 3-5 in September 2025 Abingdon School and Prep School, Oxfordshire, announced its decision to move to co-education in May 2024 Abbot's Hill, girls school in Hemel Hempstead, will begin to take boys in the pre-prep and prep in September 2025 Aysgarth Prep, a boys school in North Yorkshire for nearly 150 years, welcomed girls in Years 4–8 from September 2024 Lochinver House, in Potters Bar, will be welcoming girls from September 2025 with the school becoming fully coeducational by 2031 Malvern St James Girls' School, in Worcestershire, will be accepting boys from September 2025 Cobham Hall, a girls school in Kent, will be fully co-educational from September 2025 Sir William Perkins's, a girls school in Chertsey, will open its doors to boys from September 2026, becoming fully co-educational by 2030. Westminster School, in London. Its sixth-form is already co-ed: girls will join Year 9 for the first time in 2028 and the school will be fully co-ed by 2030 Kingsley School, in Leamington Spa, an all-through girls' school that takes boys to 11, announced that it will start becoming fully co-educational from 2025 Godolphin School, in Salisbury, will be taken over by United Learning group and go co-educational. Starting in September 2024, the prep school welcomed both boys and girls. Godolphin Senior will take boys from September 2025. Bickley Park School for boys, in Bromley, will welcome girls from Year 1 in September 2025
Chicago Tribune
09-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
This portrait may be the only one of England's 9-day queen painted during her lifetime
LONDON (AP) — A painting that has gone on public display Friday could be the only portrait of England's shortest-reigning queen, Lady Jane Grey, painted during her lifetime, according to the conservation group English Heritage. It said there is 'compelling' evidence to suggest that the portrait, on loan from a private collection, shows Jane, who was no older than 17 when she became queen for just nine days in the summer of 1553. One of England's most tragic regal figures, she was executed at the Tower of London in 1554. Jane was a devout Protestant at a time of religious upheaval, the ultimate innocent victim of the chicanery of the Tudor court in the chaotic aftermath of Henry VIII's reign. She is perhaps best-known from Paul Delaroche's painting, 'The Execution of Lady Jane Grey,' which hangs in the National Gallery in central London. Jane, who may have been as young as 16, is shown blindfolded as an executioner with an axe waits to behead her. But that painting, like the few others that purport to show Jane, all date from after her death. Now, English Heritage says a Tudor-era work could be a 'live' painting of Jane. The portrait, along with six others, will hang at Wrest Park, a country estate west of London managed by English Heritage, and which incidentally is the location of many scenes of Netflix's steamy period drama 'Bridgerton.' The charity worked with the Courtauld Institute of Art and scientist Ian Tyers, who specializes in dendrochronology, or the dating of tree rings. It said there is enough evidence to raise the question: 'Could this mysterious portrait be Lady Jane Grey?' Among the evidence presented, English Heritage said the tree-dating points to the wooden panel having been constructed between 1539 and around 1571 — Jane is believed to have been born in 1536 or 1537 and was executed in early 1554. It also said the back of the panel displays a merchant or cargo mark, identical to one used on a royal portrait of King Edward VI, who, in an ultimately tragic turn, anointed his first cousin once removed as his successor. It also noted a 'striking change' in the eyes of the sitter to the left rather than the right and that at some point, the eyes, mouth and ears were deliberately scratched out. In addition, it said the sitter was likely wearing a more elaborate costume. Rachel Turnbull, English Heritage's Senior Collections Conservator, said the evidence points to the possibility that 'we are looking at the shadows of a once more royal portrait of Lady Jane Grey, toned down into subdued, Protestant martyrdom after her death.' Jane was bright, reportedly spoke multiple languages and a big fan of Plato. But it was her commitment to Protestantism that interested Edward VI. Edward VI, the only surviving son of Henry VIII, was the first monarch to be raised a Protestant after his father split from Rome in order to divorce his first wife Catherine of Aragon. His mother was Henry's third wife, Jane Seymour, who Lady Jane was named after. On being informed in 1553 that he was terminally ill, the 15-year-old Edward wanted to bypass his older sisters Mary and Elizabeth, and named Lady Jane his heir to prevent the realm reverting to Catholicism. On July 10, Jane became queen but was deposed nine days later after her support melted away in the wake of an uprising by Mary's supporters. Jane was subsequently convicted of treason and sentenced to death.
CNN
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Is this the only known portrait of England's doomed ‘Nine Days Queen'?
Lady Jane Grey, a teenage pawn in the power struggles that plagued the Tudor court, ruled England for just nine days and was later executed for treason. Now, researchers believe they may have identified the only known portrait of the so-called 'Nine Days Queen' painted before her death. Following the death of Edward VI in 1553, unscrupulous politicians propelled the staunchly Protestant young girl to the throne in a bid to prevent her Roman Catholic relative, Mary Tudor, from becoming Queen. The mysterious portrait, on loan to conservation charity English Heritage from a private collection, shows a young woman clad modestly in a white cap and shawl. According to English Heritage, it was acquired by Anthony Grey, 11th Earl of Kent, in 1701, as an image of Lady Jane Grey. It remained 'the defining image' of England's shortest reigning monarch until 21st-century art historians questioned its attribution and rejected its identity. In an attempt to settle the question, English Heritage worked alongside London's Courtauld Institute of Art and dendrochronologist Ian Tyers to conduct a technical analysis of the piece, its senior collections conservator, Rachel Turnbull, said in a statement published Friday. A dendrochronological analysis—a scientific method of dating tree rings—of the painting's panel suggests it was probably used for the artwork between 1539 and around 1571, according to the statement. The panel, which is made of two Baltic oak boards from two different trees, has a merchant or cargo mark on its back that resembles a mark on a portrait of King Edward VI, Jane's predecessor on the throne. Scans using infrared reflectography show significant changes were made to the woman's outfit and face after the completion of the initial portrait, English Heritage said. The white scarf around her shoulders is believed to be a later addition. Bands encircling her right arm under the scarf are thought to be possibly part of a larger decorated sleeve that is now hidden, or a now-gone scarf that was previously draped over her lower arms, like the outfits she is depicted as wearing in portraits painted after her death. The linen cap, or coif, covering her hair also appears significantly altered. A coif with a different shape and potentially even a hood, which is a fancier headpiece worn over a coif, can be seen around her face in the scans. The researchers suggested a veil may even have been present at one point before being painted out. The woman's eyes now look to the left, but they were previously looking right, English Heritage said. In addition to the repainted areas, the subject's eyes, mouth and ears have been scratched out, defacing the artwork for what were probably religious or political reasons, the organization said. It noted that a posthumous depiction of Lady Jane Grey in London's National Portrait Gallery shows similar marks. The changes to the painting may have been made in order to tone it down and present the subject as a demure Protestant martyr, it added. 'While we can't confirm that this is definitely Lady Jane Grey, our results certainly make a compelling argument!' said Turnbull. 'From the newly discovered evidence of a once perhaps more elaborate costume and the dating of the wooden panel from within her lifetime, to the deliberate scratching of her eyes, it is possible that we are looking at the shadows of a once more royal portrait of Lady Jane Grey, toned down into subdued, Protestant martyrdom after her death. Regardless of her identity, the results of our research have been fascinating,' she added. 'This is such an interesting picture posing so many questions, and if this is Jane Grey, a valuable addition to the portraiture of this young heroine, as a woman of character—a powerful challenge to the traditional representation of her as a blindfolded victim,' bestselling historical novelist Philippa Gregory said in the release. Jane spent a lot of time at the royal court after her father was made Duke of Suffolk in October 1551. Her Protestantism made her a candidate for the throne for those who supported the English Reformation, like the powerful Duke of Northumberland, who married her to his son and persuaded a dying King Edward to make her his successor. Edward died on July 6, 1553, and Jane, who had fainted when first presented with the idea of becoming Queen, ascended the throne four days later. However, by July 19, she relinquished her crown to Edward's sister, Mary Tudor, who had the support of the populace, and who was meant to be the heir, according to both the law and Henry VIII's will. Jane was subsequently charged with high treason, to which she pleaded guilty, and was beheaded on February 12, 1554. She was 16 years old. The portrait is on display at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, England.
CNN
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Is this the only known portrait of England's doomed ‘Nine Days Queen'?
Lady Jane Grey, a teenage pawn in the power struggles that plagued the Tudor court, ruled England for just nine days and was later executed for treason. Now, researchers believe they may have identified the only known portrait of the so-called 'Nine Days Queen' painted before her death. Following the death of Edward VI in 1553, unscrupulous politicians propelled the staunchly Protestant young girl to the throne in a bid to prevent her Roman Catholic relative, Mary Tudor, from becoming Queen. The mysterious portrait, on loan to conservation charity English Heritage from a private collection, shows a young woman clad modestly in a white cap and shawl. According to English Heritage, it was acquired by Anthony Grey, 11th Earl of Kent, in 1701, as an image of Lady Jane Grey. It remained 'the defining image' of England's shortest reigning monarch until 21st-century art historians questioned its attribution and rejected its identity. In an attempt to settle the question, English Heritage worked alongside London's Courtauld Institute of Art and dendrochronologist Ian Tyers to conduct a technical analysis of the piece, its senior collections conservator, Rachel Turnbull, said in a statement published Friday. A dendrochronological analysis—a scientific method of dating tree rings—of the painting's panel suggests it was probably used for the artwork between 1539 and around 1571, according to the statement. The panel, which is made of two Baltic oak boards from two different trees, has a merchant or cargo mark on its back that resembles a mark on a portrait of King Edward VI, Jane's predecessor on the throne. Scans using infrared reflectography show significant changes were made to the woman's outfit and face after the completion of the initial portrait, English Heritage said. The white scarf around her shoulders is believed to be a later addition. Bands encircling her right arm under the scarf are thought to be possibly part of a larger decorated sleeve that is now hidden, or a now-gone scarf that was previously draped over her lower arms, like the outfits she is depicted as wearing in portraits painted after her death. The linen cap, or coif, covering her hair also appears significantly altered. A coif with a different shape and potentially even a hood, which is a fancier headpiece worn over a coif, can be seen around her face in the scans. The researchers suggested a veil may even have been present at one point before being painted out. The woman's eyes now look to the left, but they were previously looking right, English Heritage said. In addition to the repainted areas, the subject's eyes, mouth and ears have been scratched out, defacing the artwork for what were probably religious or political reasons, the organization said. It noted that a posthumous depiction of Lady Jane Grey in London's National Portrait Gallery shows similar marks. The changes to the painting may have been made in order to tone it down and present the subject as a demure Protestant martyr, it added. 'While we can't confirm that this is definitely Lady Jane Grey, our results certainly make a compelling argument!' said Turnbull. 'From the newly discovered evidence of a once perhaps more elaborate costume and the dating of the wooden panel from within her lifetime, to the deliberate scratching of her eyes, it is possible that we are looking at the shadows of a once more royal portrait of Lady Jane Grey, toned down into subdued, Protestant martyrdom after her death. Regardless of her identity, the results of our research have been fascinating,' she added. 'This is such an interesting picture posing so many questions, and if this is Jane Grey, a valuable addition to the portraiture of this young heroine, as a woman of character—a powerful challenge to the traditional representation of her as a blindfolded victim,' bestselling historical novelist Philippa Gregory said in the release. Jane spent a lot of time at the royal court after her father was made Duke of Suffolk in October 1551. Her Protestantism made her a candidate for the throne for those who supported the English Reformation, like the powerful Duke of Northumberland, who married her to his son and persuaded a dying King Edward to make her his successor. Edward died on July 6, 1553, and Jane, who had fainted when first presented with the idea of becoming Queen, ascended the throne four days later. However, by July 19, she relinquished her crown to Edward's sister, Mary Tudor, who had the support of the populace, and who was meant to be the heir, according to both the law and Henry VIII's will. Jane was subsequently charged with high treason, to which she pleaded guilty, and was beheaded on February 12, 1554. She was 16 years old. The portrait is on display at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, England.
