Red Room

The Bone Miniatures

As you admire the many pieces of artwork in this room, take a moment to admire the 40 miniature portraits of English sovereigns, and several of their consorts, which span the walls.

Prince Albert commissioned this collection, named the Bone Miniatures, in 1843. Albert and Queen Victoria used to place the portraits on the floor to test each other’s knowledge of the family tree.

The collection is named after its creators, Henry Bone and his son Henry Pierce Bone.

The round table

The round table was regarded as a key element to the function of the room as a place for political discussions and negotiations.

The shape of the table avoids any hierarchy of 'top and lower' seating, meaning that no one can be placed at the 'head' of the table. This is evocative of the legendary Arthurian Round Table.