Queen and Churchill's special bond captured in exhibition

The house and grounds in January at Chartwell, Kent

An outdoor photo exhibition is to open celebrating the special relationship between the young Queen Elizabeth II and Sir Winston Churchill.

Enlarged archive photos will be displayed in the gardens of Churchill's family home at Chartwell in Kent.

The Queen meant a great deal to Churchill, a National Trust spokeswoman said, after he became her trusted advisor at the start of her reign.

The free exhibition is open from Saturday until 27 February.

The Queen, with young Prince Charles and Princess Anne, talks to Sir Winston Churchill

In 2022, the Queen will become the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, having acceded to the throne in 1952 during Churchill's second term as prime minister.

The two had first met when the Queen was two years old.

An Oscar Nemon statue of Winston and Clementine Churchill in the gardens at Chartwell, Kent

The photographs in the exhibition were taken over a long period by a range of photographers, according to the National Trust.

A spokeswoman said: "They cover quite a significant time span, from the Queen's coronation to Churchill's funeral."

Katherine Carter, Chartwell's curator and lead creator of the exhibition, said: "The relationship between HM the Queen and her first prime minister was a long-standing one.

"From Churchill's warm friendship with her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, through to Queen Elizabeth II's coronation and the earliest years of her reign, these archive photographs encapsulate a truly remarkable friendship that changed the course of history."

View from the Terrace Lawn in January at Chartwell, Kent

She added: "By exploring photographs of these two iconic individuals, we can see a genuine warmth and friendship which extended beyond that of monarch and counsel - and it's wonderful to be able to celebrate their relationship here at Churchill's former home."

The house in January at Chartwell, Kent

View from the Terrace Lawn in January at Chartwell, Kent

The National Trust spokeswoman said: "Churchill became the Queen's trusted advisor through the earliest years of her reign, and she meant a great deal to him.

"This enduring relationship is illustrated by the photograph of her on her Coronation Day, which Churchill hung on the wall of his study at Chartwell."

Chartwell, which Churchill bought as a home for his family in 1922, was opened to the public by the National Trust in 1966.

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