Skip to main content
Menu

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Prince Charles Edward Stuart, 1738

Louis Gabriel Blanchet

Born in Rome, Prince Charles Edward Stuart (1720–1788) – also known as ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ and the ‘Young Pretender’ – was the grandson of James II, who had been deposed from the British throne in 1688, largely because of his Catholicism. The Stuart royal family lived in exile in Europe and attempted to assert their claims to the British throne. Portraiture played an important role by serving as a rallying point for their supporters in Britain and elsewhere.

In this flamboyant portrait, painted in Rome by the French artist Louis Gabriel Blanchet, Prince Charles is shown aged seventeen wearing royal regalia and armour as a projection of his family’s ambitions. In 1745, seeking to reclaim the British throne, Charles landed in Scotland and led a failed uprising at the Battle of Culloden. He fled to France, disguised as a maidservant and assisted by a loyal supporter, Flora Macdonald. He died in exile in 1788.

National Portrait Gallery, London Purchased, 1982
© National Portrait Gallery, London

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia

Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency