King Charles’ palace painting so scandalous, Queen Victoria covered it up

King Charles’ love of art and history is well known, but one of his Scottish residences is now drawing attention for a painting that once scandalised the royals.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse, King’s official residence in Edinburgh has been spotlighted by the Royal Collection Trust, which recently shared images of what it described as the palace’s “most elaborate” room. 

The post revealed not just the room’s opulent décor but also a controversial masterpiece that once divided monarchs.

Hanging above a grand marble fireplace, the large oil painting portrays a classical bathing scene one that Queen Victoria famously deemed “unsuitable” for royal display. 

With its intricate carved ceiling, richly panelled walls, and glittering chandelier, the setting perfectly captures the palace’s mix of elegance and intrigue.

The Royal Collection Trust recently shared a closer look inside the palace’s most ornate chamber, revealing Bathing Scene by a River, a 17th century oil painting by Dutch artist Jacob de Wet II. 

Commissioned specifically for the room when it was first designed, the artwork hangs above the grand marble fireplace and depicts a reclining nude woman beside a river, being tended to by two companions.

When Queen Victoria used the room as her private Morning Drawing Room, she had the entire work covered with mirror glass to preserve her modesty and perhaps, the palace’s decorum.

The RCT explained the controversial piece in vivid detail, “A naked female reclines, holding above her head a lobed bronze dish; a naked male feeds her with his left hand; a child pours water on a reclining baby on a red cloth.”

Though King Charles rarely stays at Holyroodhouse preferring the serenity of his private residence at Birkhall or the familiar charm of Balmoral he bases himself there each summer during Royal Week. 

The palace continues to hold deep family ties, both the Princess of Wales and Meghan Markle have visited, and it even served as the backdrop for Zara and Mike Tindall’s stunning wedding portraits, taken amid the romantic ruins of Holyrood Abbey.