Mary Stuart and William II, Anthony van Dyck, 1641

Mary Stuart and William II, Anthony van Dyck, 1641

oil on canvas, h 180cm × w 132.2cm Catalogue entry

Mary and William were mere children when they married: she was nine, he fourteen. Quite unusually she stands on the left due to her higher status – Mary was a king’s daughter, William the son of a stadholder and prince. Mary’s wedding ring highlights the bond between Holland and England, which was cemented with this marriage. She also wears a diamond brooch, another gift from William.

Collections with this work

Catalogue entry