An unveiling from the Duchess of Cambridge


On 11th May 2017, the Duchess of Cambridge visited Luxembourg on her second solo trip, to mark 150 years of the Treaty of London. Among many engagements during this brief visit the Duchess attended a specially organised festival in Luxembourg's Place Clairefontaine. This event was largely themed around cycling, becoming a semi-official launch of Luxembourg’s Tour de France program.

The British Embassy, in conjunction with Luxembourg’s Ministry of Economy, took the opportunity to commission James to create a special diptych piece - featuring two of the artists featuring in his When The Fox met The Rooster exhibition. Charly Gaul and Tom Simpson were chosen - with Gaul’s wife Josée, and daughter, Fabienne in attendance to unveil half of the artwork, as the Duchess revealed Tom Simpson on the opposite edge of the large-scale diptych.

“Have you done this before?” the Duchess asked James, while drawing back the red curtain covering his artwork.

The Duchess of Cambridge unveils artworks by British artist James Straffon

The Duchess of Cambridge unveils artworks by British artist James Straffon

The Duchess of Cambridge unveils artworks by British artist James Straffon
© BestImage

The Duchess of Cambridge unveils artworks by British artist James Straffon

The Duchess of Cambridge unveils artworks by British artist James Straffon
During her visit to the cycling festival, the Duchess of Cambridge and Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel unveiled a mural of British cyclist Tom Simpson and Luxembourgish cycling legend Charly Gaul created by British artist James Straffon (right). 
 Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images





All artwork, text and images © James Straffon 2024.