The Royal Collection has withdrawn its items from the exhibition in Moscow

The Moscow Kremlin Museums were to host an exhibition about duels, which was scheduled to open in early March. However, the exhibition was postponed indefinitely due to the fact that European museums, including the British Royal Collection, withdrew their exhibits. Three significant British exhibits — swords of the 17th century — will not go to the exhibition. Afisha.London magazine tells the details.

The Royal Collection agreed to provide items for the exhibition The Duel: from Trial by Combat to a Noble Crime, which was supposed to be in Moscow Museums of Kremlin. However, back in mid-February, when Russian troops were on the border with Ukraine, the Royal Collection withdrew its exhibits. The exhibition was sponsored by the Art, Science and Sport Foundation of Russian oligarch and former fencer Alisher Usmanov, who was sanctioned by the UK, the EU and the US because of his ties with Russian president. All swords date from the early 17th century, including one that is said to have belonged to King Charles I. It was expected that swords from the Queen’s collection would be on display as examples of weapons used in historic duels.

Photo: Royal Armouries Collections

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A press release from the Kremlin Museums said items from the Royal Collection and the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds were to be key participant lenders to the exhibition along with other European institutions, including the Louvre in Paris, the Prado in Madrid and the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

The Royal Armouries museums confirmed it loaned six items to Moscow, including a duelling 17th-century gauntlet, a cavalry helmet and breastplate from the civil war. They also withdrew their exhibits: items are now on their way from Russia.

The Royal Armouries Museums’s statement said: “Due to the escalation of the situation in Ukraine, the Royal Armouries recalled the loan items. This mirrors the process that other major European collections have gone through regarding the items from their collections that are also on loan as part of this exhibition.”

Photo: Royal Armouries Collections

The Kremlin Museums also requested engraved Henry VIII armour, on display in the Tower of London, but this was refused. The Armouries said: “We made the decision not to lend this item as it is required to travel with Royal Armouries’ staff accompaniment, which was not possible in the circumstances.”

Cover photo: Jane Barlow-Pool/Getty Images

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