Her Majesty the Queen is Clothed as an Honorary Liveryman

The Master Fan Maker Peter Dove and his full assembled Court, Clothed Her Majesty The Queen as an Honorary Liveryman of the Company on Tuesday 13th February.

Her Majesty has a keen interest in fans, and as The Duchess of Cornwall became Patron of the Fan Museum. HRH The Duchess of Gloucester was present at the ceremony, herself a Liveryman of the Company.

In addition to members of the Court being present, guests from the Fan Museum and Fan Circle International attended.

After the ceremony, the Master presented Her Majesty with a fan designed by Royal couturier Stewart Parvin M.V.O, commissioned in 2020 to mark the impact of COVID-19 on so many lives.

Stewart attended and explained his design to The Queen. The Company is known to present a fan to ladies on the occasion of their marriage into The Royal Family and for other notable occasions such as Coronations. A commemorative Coronation Fan is expected to be presented to Her Majesty in due course.

Fans have always been popular with The Royal Family, many portraits of female members of The Royal family include fans dating back to the time of Queen Elizabeth I. The Royal Collection Trusts’ fans was begun by Queen Victoria and extended by Queen Mary and contains many unique examples.

The Master Peter Dove said:

“It is an honour and a privilege to welcome The Queen to the Company as we continue to develop and promote interest in the craft and the production of beautiful fans and their wider use. A very special day for the Company and Fan Making”.

Although handheld fans are not prevalent today, they were an important fashion accessory inherited from the Far East and established in Europe. When the Huguenots were forced from France in the late 17th Century they founded the Fan Makers Guild in London, later to become the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers. It received a Royal Charter in April 1709 during the reign of Queen Anne to regulate the standard of Fan Making and imports in London.

Fans were so popular they even had their own language, being the way a fan is held or waved to attract attention or send a message.