Royal Loss: Untimely death, public and private mourning, and the monarchs who never were...

November 2012 marks the 400^th anniversary of the death of Henry, Prince of Wales, son and heir of James I & VI. Describing the death of the 18 year old prince, Roy Strong remarked that ‘the sense of tragic loss at the time was such that he was to remain for long an ideal monarch England never had’. The anniversary of his death will be marked by an exhibition this winter at the National Portrait Gallery in London, ‘The Lost Prince: The Life and Death of Henry Stuart’. Significantly there has been another display at the NPG  this year, focusing on the life and death of another heir to the throne of England who predeceased their father, Princess Charlotte of Wales. ‘Queens in Waiting: Charlotte and Victoria’, details the life of George IV’s daughter, and the public shock and outpouring of grief at her death in childbirth at the age of 21. It also conveys the dynastic crisis that ensued, as well as the impact of the dead Princess’s legacy upon her eventual successor, Victoria. As the deaths of Prince Henry and Princess Charlotte, as well as that of Princess Diana in modern times, demonstrate, untimely royal deaths have held both political and cultural significance in this country. In fact Royal deaths throughout history in England and elsewhere have resonated on both public and private levels both for contemporaries and succeeding generations.

This one-day interdisciplinary conference will explore the rich and diverse topic of Royal death, loss and commemoration and attempt to negotiate the public and private concerns, cultures and emotions involved.

For more information and registration details visit the conference website: 
http://royallossyork2012.wordpress.com/