The Armada Portrait detail
Exhibitions

The Armada Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I

View a famous por­trait of a famous queen.

Dates
11/02/23 – 07/01/24
Organisation
Region
Plymouth
Opening Times
Sunday, 10:00 – 17:00
Monday, Closed
Tue–Sat, 10:00 – 17:00
The Armada Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I is arguably the most recognisable depiction of the Tudor queen, and throughout 2023 you can see one of the three known surviving versions on display at The Box. The portrait is on loan to Plymouth from Woburn Abbey, the home of the 15th Duke and Duchess of Bedford.

The portrait commemorates the most famous battle of Elizabeth I’s reign: the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. It shows her in triumph, with the storm-lashed Spanish fleet behind her on the right and the English ships sailing through calm seas on the left.

The portrait is displayed in The Box's '100 Journeys' gallery, which examines Plymouth’s role as the start and finishing point for some of history’s most well-known voyages and expeditions.
The Armada Portrait detail
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