A “terrific” portrait of The Duke of Kent has been unveiled by his son, the Earl of St Andrews, in Florence at the annual New Generation Festival. It was painted by award-winning British artist Jamie Coreth, and royal fans think it bears an extremely accurate resemblance to the royal.
Jamie captioned his post of the portrait on Instagram. “Wonderful to be in Florence with the @new_generation_festival for the unveiling of my portrait of HRH the Duke of Kent. It was an honour to paint him. Well done @leone.cornici on a beautiful frame!”
The painting features Prince Edward, 89, sitting in a chair wearing a shirt, a green blazer, and a pair of trousers while clutching his Cromach, which was presented to him by The Scots Guards.
One royal fan wrote: “Fabulous portrait of my favorite the Duke of Kent! The artist captured his calm, steady demeanor which is how he’s served in the British Military & proudly yet quietly guarded HMTLQ during her reign as well as KC3. He deserves this honor for his unwavering dedication to the BRF.”
Another added: “That’s a terrific portrait. The Duke of Kent is a remarkable man, who has lived a long life & supported his cousin, the late Queen Elizabeth II. Having just read a biography of him, his long life makes for interesting reading.”
A third said: “What an amazing portrait. It’s perfect.”
Another commented on the resemblance: “Good thing he got a nice portrait now. Realistic enough.”
He was Regimental Colonel for fifty years from 9 September 1974 until 14 April 2024, when he retired and passed on the job to the Duke of Edinburgh.
The Duke of Kent said during his retirement statement: “Serving as Colonel of the Scots Guards since 1974, the longest anyone has spent in this role, has been a true honour and one which will forever fill me with great joy.
“Through those years, I have seen the work of the Scots Guards during peacetime and war. “To my fellow Scots Guardsmen, I am immensely proud to have served you all. I am delighted that His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh will continue to champion all that you do and work towards preserving your great legacy.”
Jamie Coreth is also known for painting the first joint portrait of Prince William and Kate. The couple even viewed it in person at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridgeshire in 2022, just a few months before they received their new titles.
The artist said of the commission that he “Wanted to show Their Royal Highnesses in a manner where they appeared both relaxed and approachable, as well as elegant and dignified”.