Windsor Beauties in the context of Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland (died 1715)

⭐ Core Definition: Windsor Beauties

The Windsor Beauties are a set of portrait paintings, still in the Royal Collection, by Sir Peter Lely and his workshop, produced in the early to mid-1660s, that depict ladies of the court of King Charles II, some of whom were his mistresses. The name stems from the original location of the collection, which was at Windsor Castle. In 2024, they were on display at Hampton Court Palace.

A set of copies was commissioned by Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland for his collection at Althorp, and the complete set can still be viewed there in the Picture Gallery, a room he created to show off his adoration for art.

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👉 Windsor Beauties in the context of Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland (died 1715)

Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland (née Digby; c. 1646 – 26 April 1715) was the wife of Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland and the daughter of George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol and Lady Anne Russell.

Anne married Sunderland on 10 June 1665. The groom had previously broken off their long-standing engagement; according to Samuel Pepys he told his friends that he had reason enough and was resolved never to have her. He soon had second thoughts and their mothers worked together to produce a reconciliation which resulted in an entirely successful marriage. She was a lady-in-waiting to Mary of Modena during the reign of James II, and was present at the birth of the Prince of Wales, signalling to the king that his new child was a boy.

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⭐ Core Definition: Windsor Beauties
👉 Windsor Beauties in the context of Anne Spencer, Countess of Sunderland (died 1715)
Windsor Beauties in the context of Godfrey Kneller
Windsor Beauties in the context of Elizabeth Percy, Countess of Northumberland

Windsor Beauties in the context of Godfrey Kneller

Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1st Baronet (born Gottfried Kniller; 8 August 1646 – 19 October 1723) was a German-born British painter. The leading portraitist in England during the late Stuart and early Georgian eras, he served as court painter to successive English and British monarchs, including Charles II of England and George I of Great Britain. Kneller also painted scientists such as Isaac Newton, foreign monarchs such as Louis XIV of France and visitors to England such as Michael Shen Fu-Tsung. A pioneer of the kit-cat portrait, he was also commissioned by William III of England to paint eight "Hampton Court Beauties" to match a similar series of paintings of Charles II's "Windsor Beauties" that had been painted by Kneller's predecessor as court painter, Peter Lely.

View the full Wikipedia page for Godfrey Kneller

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Windsor Beauties in the context of Elizabeth Percy, Countess of Northumberland

Elizabeth Percy, Countess of Northumberland (née Wriothesley; 1646 – 19 September 1690), was a British courtier. She was one of the Windsor Beauties, painted by Sir Peter Lely.

View the full Wikipedia page for Elizabeth Percy, Countess of Northumberland

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