The Duke of Gloucester has unveiled a restored statue of Lord Byron in Hyde Park, bringing the celebrated Romantic poet back to prominence in the heart of London.
The bronze monument, depicting Byron alongside his beloved dog Boatswain, has returned to Park Lane after years away from public view.
Its comeback follows a campaign to restore the statue and give one of Britain’s most famous literary figures a more fitting place in the capital.
The unveiling brought together members of the literary and diplomatic worlds, including Byron’s modern-day descendant, the current Lord Byron, and Professor Drummond Bone, alongside Greek ambassador Yannis Tsaousis.
Byron Society chairman Kenneth Robbie and director Emily Paterson-Morgan also attended the ceremony, with Paterson-Morgan treating guests to a reading from Beppo, one of Byron’s best known works.
Byron, who died in Greece in 1824 aged 36, remains one of the defining figures of the Romantic movement.
His poetry and famously unconventional life made him an international literary icon, with his connection to Greece becoming particularly significant after he supported the country’s struggle for independence.
2026-09-11 00:37:00
