In June, it was the 100 year anniversary of Princess Helena’s death, the first President of the RSN. We would like to honour her by sharing a little bit about her life, and her important contribution to the RSN.

Born in May 1846, Princess Helena, was the third daughter and fifth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

Princess Helena was one of the most active members of the royal family, being the patron of many charities and carrying out a huge number of royal engagements, with specific interests in hand embroidery and nursing.

She married Christian of Schleswig Holstein in 1866 after which she was formally  Princess Christian of Schleswig Holstein, but always known to the RSN as Princess Helena.

Princess Helena had been discussing the idea of the RSN, then called the School of Art Needlework, with Lady Victoria Welby and Lady Marion Alford, before Lady Welby got it started.  Princess Helena then came on board immediately, as the first President.

Lady Victoria went off to do other things after a few years, and Lady Marion died shortly after the publication of her magnum opus, Needlework as Art, but Princess Helena stayed at the helm for 51 years and truly laid down the spirit of the RSN. It was she who said the RSN would make her mother Queen Victoria’s funeral pall, even when all commercial companies had turned it down, and it was she who persuaded her brother to allow the RSN to embroider the insignia on his coronation mantle.

In commemoration of Princess Helena, the RSN commissioned a marble plaque, the size of a grave stone. So precious was this that, though originally mounted on the wall at the 1903 building, it was taken down and has been taken with us every time we have moved. It was last out for exhibition in 2012.

If you would like to hear more about the remarkable life of Princess Helena and her work at the RSN, an exclusive Online Talk, given by Chief Executive Dr Susan Kay-Williams, will be available on demand to those taking a class at our International Summer School.