The Falcon of the Plantagenets

This sculpture depicts The Falcon of the Plantagenets, one of the Queen's Beasts. The original Queen's Beasts were a set of ten heraldic statues produced by the Ministry of Works for the coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953 by renowned sculptor James Woodford. It was ultimately decided that they would be gifted to one of the Commonwealth governments and Canada was offered the Beasts. They accepted the offer in 1959 and they now stand in the Canadian Museum of History in Quebec. In 1956 a replica set of Beasts were made in Portland stone once again by James Woodford and donated to Kew. It is these sculptures that visitors to the gardens are greeted with when approaching the main entrance of the Palm House. The Falcon was first used by Edward III of the House of Plantagenet as his badge. It descended to Edward IV, who took it as his personal badge, the falcon being standing within an open fetter lock. Originally closed, the slightly open fetter lock is supposed to refer to the struggle Edward IV had to obtain the throne — he forced the lock and won the throne.