Royal sculptor Frances Petchey has built an extraordinary career creating lifelike sculptures of the British Royal Family, including the late Queen Elizabeth II, and commands fees of over $50,000 for her commissioned works. The accomplished artist, who is currently exhibiting at The Garrison Chapel with Icons In Sculpture, reveals the intimate details of her prestigious career and what it's really like to work with royalty.
Petchey's commission fees reflect the complexity and prestige of her work. A bust typically starts at around $50,000, depending on size and complexity, with the full process requiring three sittings and approximately four months from start to finish. For larger, more intricate pieces, fees can exceed $75,000. She has been fortunate to receive commissions from exceptionally wealthy international clients who request sculptures of their spouses as special gifts for birthdays or anniversaries, projects that sometimes involve international travel and naturally increase the overall cost.
Unlike traditional employment, Petchey's income doesn't follow a fixed salary structure. Most of her earnings come through private commissions, though she frequently donates her services to charities to help raise funds. Her typical schedule involves two full days of sculpting in her home studio, plus an additional two days dedicated to sketches, administrative work, and planning future events. This means her vacation time revolves around events that are typically planned a year in advance.
Her journey into royal sculpting began unexpectedly about 45 years ago. After creating her very first sculpture of her late father playing the violin, her late husband Sir Jack Petchey's involvement with the London Youth charity opened doors she never imagined. The Duke of Edinburgh served as the charity's patron, and when Petchey showed some of her early work to the organization, they suggested she approach him for a sitting. To her delight, he agreed, marking her first visit to the palace in an informal setting and launching her career as a royal sculptor.
All members of the Royal Family have been utterly charming, welcoming, and a true pleasure to work with, according to Petchey. However, if she had to choose a favorite subject, it would undoubtedly be Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. "She was a remarkable role model for me until her passing, an incredible inspiration both personally and professionally," Petchey explains. "She had such a wonderful presence, the ability to make you feel instantly at ease, and she was exactly as you would hope and expect our Queen to be."
The experience of working at Buckingham Palace is both formal and welcoming. Each time Petchey drives into the palace courtyard, she's struck by the extraordinary ceremony of the welcome. Staff dressed in formal attire greet visitors and help carry art materials before leading them to a private room where the sittings take place. The rooms feature special floor markings that serve as guides to show exactly where a dress or robe would fall – a small but crucial detail that could spell disaster for the sculpture if gotten wrong. Before each sitting begins, guests are offered tea and a moment to relax and compose themselves, a thoughtful touch before meeting a member of the Royal Family.
The technical challenges of sculpting require exceptional precision and skill. The most difficult aspect involves capturing the exact proportions of the face, which demands meticulous measuring with calipers. One of the trickiest measurements is the distance from the chin to the ear, which is surprisingly difficult to get exactly right. If that measurement is even slightly off, the likeness simply doesn't work, requiring absolute concentration and perfection.
During live sculpting sessions, there's no room for error or second-guessing. When Petchey creates two-hour live sculptures, she maintains constant visualization in her head, and every piece of clay she adds must be correct in that moment. She never alters the face once she returns to her studio, because that immediacy is what captures the subject's true likeness. While she may adjust the hair afterward, as that's much easier to modify, the essence of the face is always created live and left exactly as it was formed.
The individuals who sit for Petchey are typically well-established people who have already achieved incredible things in their lives. As a result, they rarely come with insecurities, understanding they're there to provide an artist's impression rather than a photographic likeness. Petchey always makes a point of spending time with her subjects beforehand, sharing tea, talking, and helping them relax. When someone feels comfortable, their personality naturally emerges in their posture and expression, creating the foundation for a truly strong sitting.
Throughout her career, Petchey has created approximately 500 sculptures, with about 250 of those being busts. Despite this impressive portfolio, it's always Queen Elizabeth II who stands out most prominently in her memory. The experience of spending one-on-one time with the Queen was particularly meaningful for someone who is entirely self-taught and never imagined having such an opportunity. During the Queen's first sitting, Petchey's husband asked if Her Majesty knew about the sculpture she had previously created of Prince Philip. Uncertain of the answer, he suggested she bring a photograph of the Duke's sculpture to the next visit. The Queen was unaware of the piece, and when shown the photo, she expressed interest in seeing it personally. Petchey found her to be very personable, warm, and genuinely interested in the artistic process.
Even experienced professionals face unexpected challenges, as Petchey learned during an appearance on The One Show. Just moments before going live on television, the trestle table she was using for sculpting collapsed with everything on it. Rather than panicking, she worked calmly with the crew to quickly reassemble everything, and viewers never knew about the near-disaster. The experience taught her that during live sculpting, anything can happen, but staying composed is absolutely key. It also provided a practical lesson: perhaps never sculpt on a trestle table again.
Petchey's recent work includes live sculptures that typically take around two hours to complete. Most recently, she created a sculpture of Dame Judi Dench for her 90th birthday celebration and completed one of actor Ray Winstone just this week. After each live session, she takes the work home for further refinement and finishing touches.
Not all of her work involves live sittings. Some sculptures are created from photographs, such as her piece of Leeds United legend Billy Bremner and an upcoming sculpture of Sir Christopher Wren. When working from photographs rather than live subjects, the timeline can extend to months depending on the required timeframe and level of detail needed.
As an artist, Petchey is diplomatic about critiquing other artists' work, fully appreciating the time and effort that goes into creating any piece. However, she admits to struggling with sculptures that command enormous sums of money yet leave viewers completely uncertain about what the piece is meant to represent. In such cases, she finds it difficult to connect with the work on a personal level.
Modern technology is changing the sculpture landscape through AI and 3D scanning. These tools can now scan a person and use that data for sculpture work, which represents an amazing development in the field. However, Petchey believes this technology will never replicate the character and presence that comes from creating a piece in person or during a live sitting. While these tools make the process easier for artists, which she considers beneficial, they can also be quite expensive to implement.
Despite her love for sculpting, there's one aspect of the job that Petchey genuinely dislikes: the mess it creates. As a naturally tidy person, she finds it challenging that clay gets everywhere during the creative process. Once the clay dries, it becomes extremely difficult to remove, requiring careful attention around white furniture, clothing, and even her hair. Keeping her fingernails clean presents a particular challenge in maintaining her professional appearance while pursuing her artistic passion.
