Psst. Want to know a secret? There’s something not quite right about this statue of Edward VII.
Edward VII was the eldest son and heir to Queen Victoria. He was King from November 1901 until his death in 1910, just under ten years, a comparatively short reign. That’s what happens when the previous monarch lives to a ripe old age – you’re kinda a bit old yourself when you take over the reins.
Having said that, while Bertie (his nickname) was something of a playboy prince and loved spending time with his mistresses (which exasperated Victoria and his father Prince Albert), once he became King he became seriously involved in the politics of the time and was instrumental in bringing about the Entente Cordial with the French over fears about Germany’s military intentions in the run up to World War One.
But Edward never lost his love for beautiful things – women, good food and wine were his main interests. Parading around on horses, as portrayed in his statue, was not one of them.
In fact, it is generally thought that a statue of a horse with its foreleg up in the air, like this one, meant that the rider died from an injury sustained in battle. Well that certainly didn’t happen. Edward had several heath issues – some brought about by his lavish lifestyle which did eventually kill him, but riding into battle was not one of them!