A Royal Collection Acquisition: H.R.H. Prince Michael of Kent — The Honourable Artillery Company

Farrington Studio, London — 9 May 2018 RCIN 2119730 · RCIN 2119731

I am delighted to share that my two portraits of His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent, photographed as Royal Honorary Colonel of The Honourable Artillery Company, have been accepted into the Royal Collection — part of the thirteen works from my non-profit archive now held there.

The sitting took place at my Farrington Studio in London in May 2018. Prince Michael's own military career was a real one: commissioned into the 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own) from Sandhurst in 1963, he served in Germany, Hong Kong and Cyprus — where his squadron formed part of the United Nations peacekeeping force in 1971 — before retiring with the rank of Major after some twenty years' service. It was that lived understanding of soldiering, rather than ceremony alone, that I wanted the portraits to carry.

A Royal Collection Acquisition: H.R.H. Prince Michael of Kent — The Honourable Artillery Company (Rory Lewis Photographer)

As Royal Honorary Colonel of The Honourable Artillery Company — a corps whose origins reach back to a Royal Charter of Henry VIII in 1537 — His Royal Highness embodies one of the oldest continuous military traditions in the world. Having photographed Prince Michael on several occasions, I approached this sitting with an established trust between us, allowing character to emerge naturally and balancing dignity with quiet authority.

This work was funded by the supporters of the Rory Lewis Non-Profit. Your donations meet the cost of producing and printing these portraits for the archive and gifting them, without fee, to permanent collections — and they are what allow me to continue this work with serving personnel and veterans. To lend your support, please visit rorylewis.studio/non-profit.

More of my work can be seen on my portraits page. You can read more about Prince Michael at his official website and on Wikipedia.

Portrait of H.R.H. Prince Michael of Kent — Copyright © Rory Lewis Non Profit (Heroes in Focus), All Rights Reserved. The Heroes in Focus non-profit is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity. EIN 33-2920765. Contributions are tax-deductible for US taxpayers to the extent allowed by law.