Mai des langues – Making Portraits Speak

As part of the Mai des Langues 2025, the final-year students of the French International School Kyoto undertook an original project in English, blending oral expression, creative writing, and a critical reflection on representations of power.

Starting from iconic royal portraits, they imagined a unique way to make History speak: by subverting the codes of monarchical representation, they gave voice to monarchs and members of royal families through original monologues and dialogues.

These texts, written in English, explore intimate, quirky, or everyday thoughts, far from the frozen image often conveyed by official portraits. The project thus combines personal expression, historical reflection, and linguistic work, brought to life through expressive and often surprising performances.

Discover the students’ creations below—and let yourself be surprised by these portraits… that speak.

Queen Victoria’s Monologue

Par Eden

Queen Victoria is reflecting about her role as her mother and a queen and complains about her husband not helping.

The house dog

Par Hugo

The family has bought a new dog and the children are having an argument about who gets to name it.

Respect in the Royal Family ?

Par Kyo

Conversation between Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark about football games, where Alexandra is quite uniformed about. (English is not her mother tongue!) Thus Edward points out that she’s pretty so she can not be intelligent, besides he mentions how she has to suck in her stomach, to get skinnier, etc. because for him he is “superior” than women, hence she is just an “accessory” for him even though she is the queen.

Little Lady

Par Lila

Three year old Zara Phillips, daughter of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, pictured attending the polo match at Smith’s Lawn Polo Ground in Windsor.Here she is pictured playing peekaboo over the Royal fence. 17th June 1984.
Zara is in the garden with her family. The little boys are running around and Zara wants to join them.

The royals’ grandparents who are arguing

Par Lilou

It’s the first time that Queen Mary and King George VI come to meet the little prince Charles Philip Arthur George and his parents. The grandparents are excited, they want the baby’s attention. Elizabeth invites her parents-in-law to come to sit down for the picture with their grandson.

A Girl’s Hobby

Par Naomie

Girls only need to act elegantly and be helpful around the house, whereas boys are free to take up any hobbies they want.

Henry VIII’s diplomatic meeting

Par Gabriel

King Henry VIII is having à diplomatic meeting with King Phillip the 2nd of Spain, with both royal families present. During the meeting between both kings, Henry VIII’s child Mary I is disturbing the scene by constantly asking questions to her father. Elizabeth 1 and Edward VI, the king’s other children, try to make Mary shut up. The scene unfolds…

Bad hair day?

Par Naoko

Girls can be sporty and boys can be passionate.