“She is a very dear friend”: Philip de László visits Princess Beatrice at Carisbrooke Castle

When looking at old portraits it is difficult not to feel some sort of closeness to the sitter, with their expression and clothing giving us a glimpse into their personality. Yet if you look closely at each individual brush stroke, you get an even deeper understanding of the artist and the thought process that created the masterpiece. However, whilst some artists are equally as famous as their subjects, the relationship between the two is often lost to history. Having spent hours doing in-person sittings, it’s no surprise that artists would develop personal bonds with their subjects. In 1926 it was one of these close bonds that led to Hungarian artist, Philip de László and his wife, Lucy, holidaying at Princess Beatrice’s home, Carisbrooke Castle, on the Isle of Wight in August 1926.

 From a young age de László was determined to have a career as a successful artist and began his art training in Budapest and later continued his studies in Paris. In 1894 he received his first royal commission to paint the Bulgarian royal family. Just six years later, in May 1900, Queen Victoria requested that he paint her favourite General, Sir George White. Just two months later, the artist travelled across the Solent to the Isle of Wight to visit the Queen’s private residence, Osborne House, where he was to complete sittings for the portrait. Whilst there is no mention of de László in Queen Victoria’s journal from the time period, it is believed that the artist also completed a small portrait of the queen herself. Whether this is true or not, it is highly likely that it was during his stay that de László first met Victoria’s youngest child, Princess Beatrice. However, there is wide speculation that the two were first introduced when the artist was creating portraits of the Spanish royal family – including Beatrice’s daughter, Victoria Eugenie – in 1910. Later that year, Beatrice contacted de László through her lady-in-waiting, Minnie Cochrane. In the letter, Minnie mentions Beatrice’s interest in attending his next exhibition, which was to take place in the following June. In addition to sharing the details with the royal correspondent, de László invited Minnie and Beatrice to visit his London studio to see his completed portrait of Beatrice’s son-in-law, King Alfonso XIII of Spain. In July 1912, Beatrice and de László became fully acquainted when he completed his very first portrait of the Princess.

Beatrice’s interest in de László’s work continued over the next fifteen years. On 2^nd July 1926, Beatrice and her eldest son, Prince Alexander, Marques of Carisbrooke, visited the artist’s home in Fitzjohn’s Avenue, London, to see his newly completed portrait of Randall Davidson, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Since the early 1910s, de László’s work had been gracing the walls of Carisbrooke Castle. In February 1911, Lucy Hay-Newton – wife of the Deputy Governor of the Isle of Wight, Francis John Stuart Hay-Newton, and extra lady-in-waiting to princess Beatrice – wrote to de László to tell him that his ‘picture had arrived [at Carisbrooke Castle] quite safely & is so beautiful – its surroundings here are really worthy of it’. After expressing her earnest gratitude, Lucy Hay-Newton shares her desire for the artist and his wife (Lucy Madeleine Guinness) to ‘find time to come & pay us a visit for I know you would appreciate this beautiful old place & enjoy it’. Whilst this letter had possibly intended former and Mrs de László to visit within the next few months, it would be sixteen years before they finally made their way to the Isle of Wight.

The couple first arrived at the castle on 12^th August and remained until the 21^st. Although they were technically there on holiday, de László remained the ever-loyal artist and worked on several paintings, including: a portrait of Sir Victor Corksan, comptroller of Beatrice’s household, and two beautiful landscapes of the castle grounds. In addition to this, his visit also produced two portraits of Princess Beatrice.

Originally, de László was only meant to create a single portrait of the princess, which was to be in his classic style; with the sitter fully facing the viewer. However, for some unknown reason, this portrait was never completed and remained unsigned in the artist’s studio until his death and was later sold into a private collection. While the original portrait was abandoned, around the same time de László completed a second portrait of the princess. Unusual for de László’s work, Beatrice sits in profile, wearing her pearl earrings and choker. As described by her biographer, Matthew Dennison, Beatrice appears “thinner from age; not crushed by the years, but wise and kindly staring into the distance, as always in Beatrice’s case avoiding contact with the viewer.” A year after its completion, the portrait was exhibited at the Modern Art Palace at the National Library in Madrid in May, before going to the French Gallery in London a month later. The exhibition showed several paintings by de László, with the Morning Post describing Beatrice’s portrait as ‘one of the best heads in the exhibition’. The portrait was originally in the private collection of Beatrice’s only daughter, Princess Victoria Eugenie of Spain but was sold at auction in 2008, when it ended up in another private collection. In 2012 it was once again put up for auction at Christie’s, London, when it was purchased by the Royal Collection Trust.

Whilst Carisbrooke Castle had inspired de László to paint, he and his wife were on holiday and spent much of their time in the company of the Castles residents, including Princess Beatrice. On 16^th August 1926, Lucy de László wrote to her three sons, Paulo, Pat and John. She writes:

“Greetings from Carisbrooke Castle! And much wishing you could feel what I feel being in the midst of Concrete History, by the side of the dear kind Victorian Princess Beatrice, and surrounded by ramparts and walls dating from the 9^th century! The older I get the more I realise how interesting history is, and how the knowledge of it enhances places and things one is constantly seeing. The Princess gave us afternoon tea, and then accompanied by the Gentleman and Lady in waiting, Dads and I visited the ramparts! – This inhibited part of the castle is in the middle of the very extensive ramparts and still wider extended outer ramparts –

After dinner the Princess accompanied me and read music beautifully at nearly 70! Also the Hungarian songs were heard! I expected we shall drive out this afternoon. Paula, I hope and am sure you had a. Ice time this weekend – mind you are at home to see us Friday evening.

Much love to you all

Mum”

De László’s acquaintance with Beatrice continued long after his visit to the castle. In November 1930, he showed Princess Beatrice and Queen Mary around the Autumn Exhibition of the Royal Society of British Artists. In February 1831, Beatrice suffered a severe bout of bronchitis, prompting de László to send his well wishes, in which he describes her as ‘a very dear friend.’

© Queen.Victoria.Roses 2026

Thank you for taking the time to read today’s article, I hope you’ve enjoyed it! I’d also like to say a huge thank you to Carisbrooke Castle Museum for their support over the last few months. Please feel free to leave any questions in the comments section below or message me on Instagram and I will do my best to help. You can also support my research by visiting and subscribing to my Ko-fi page. Don’t forget, you can also subscribe to by blog for email updates about new blogs! Thank you again, Shannon x

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