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Green statue of a warrior riding a horse in front of the supreme courts

Charles II Statue


The oldest statue in Edinburgh, this life-sized tribute to Charles II was erected in 1685, the year of the king’s death. After his father Charles I's execution in 1649, young Charles was declared king by Scotland but forced into exile when Oliver Cromwell's forces defeated him at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. Following nearly a decade abroad, he finally returned after Cromwell's death to become King of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1660, marking the restoration of the monarchy after years of republican rule.


Charles is depicted on horseback in Roman military clothing, making reference both to Roman statuary and the monarch’s position as an emperor for the ages.


The Charles II statue stands in Parliament Square. It is thought to be the oldest lead equestrian statue in the U.K.