Portrait of King Edward VII (1841–1910) by the English painter (Samuel) Luke Fildes (1844-1927) in 1902 which was given to the National Portrait Gallery by his son King George V (1865-1936). This portrait was painted from the original photograph from the King’s Coronation in 1901. King Edward ruled from 1901-1910.
King Edward’s mother was Queen Victoria who reigned for 63 years and 7 months. Until he became king, he served as heir apparent and held the title of Prince of Wales for longer than any of his predecessors. Victoria excluded Edward from political power and for most of his life, he represented the fashionable gentry.
Despite his long wait to become king and his relatively short reign, King Edward VII did leave his mark on history. He ascended to the throne as a new century was just beginning. It was a time of technological advancements like powered flight and a time to reorganize the British military after the Second Boer War. He was referred to as “Peacemaker” for the relationships he developed with European countries, particularly France.