Helen Whittaker MBE was reunited with the king, whom she first met more than 25 years ago while studying an MA in London with the then Prince of Wales’s Institute of Architecture.
“He said many people don’t realise how long he’s known me,” she told The Press. “I feel like I’ve grown up with him through my studies.”
Helen Whittaker being made an MBE by King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday (February 4) (Image: British Ceremonial Arts) Helen was awarded the MBE for services to the creation and conservation of stained and architectural glass art.
She has worked at Barley Studio in Dunnington since graduating more than two decades ago.
The artist described her time studying with the then Prince’s Foundation as a “spring board” for her career.
Helen created a special stained glass window at St Lawrence’s Church in 2020 to commemorate the D-Day landings after being commissioned by York’s Normandy Veterans.
Helen Whittaker working on the design for the Selby Abbey window (Image: Barley Studio) She created a window at All Saints Church in Pavement in 2015 in lasting tribute to the thousands of local men and women who served in Afghanistan.
She worked in partnership with David Hockney on the creation and installation of the Queen Elizabeth II window at Westminster Abbey in 2018.
And last year Helen created the first new stained glass window at Selby Abbey in 90 years.
Helen Whittaker working on the Queen’s Window for Westminster Abbey at Barley Studio in 2018 (Image: David Harrison) She joined Vouge editor Dame Anna Wintour and artist Dame Tracey Emin to receive her award from King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday (February 4).
Despite the high-profile guests, Helen described the morning as “quite an intimate occasion”.
She did not find out the award would be presented by King Charles until she arrived at the palace with her family.
Helen Whittaker at her studio in Dunnington (Image: Supplied) “It was so special because I was a student of his, it just felt so right,” Helen said.
She said the king is an “extremely relaxed chap” and “very approachable”.
“He’s very interested, you do feel like he’s got your attention.”
King is a ‘huge advocate for traditional craft’
King Charles is also a “huge advocate for traditional craft”, Helen added.
This made the award particularly special, she said, as an artist from York, “the centre for stained glass”.
“He was pleased that I was creating with the traditional crafting skills.”
Helen said the king wanted to hear about her work and how Barley Studio teaches other stained glass artists.
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The business is somewhat of a variety in the current climate, when a lot of other traditional craft training providers face the threat of closure due to a lack of funds, she added.
Helen previously told The Press that she believed her clients and colleagues put her forward for the MBE.
“It’s humbling to know that they’ve done that,” she said.
Helen found out by letter and said she was “shocked but extremely pleased”.