How can a medieval queen be brought ‘alive’ for modern visitors without reducing history to spectacle? This question was central to the development of Pilgrimage of Love: Eleanor of Castile.
The exhibition concludes in the Castle Chapel with ‘An Audience with a Queen’, an interactive, environment-aware AI avatar that responds to visitors in real time. Far from a simple tech gimmick, this avatar is the finale of a deeply researched historical journey. The project represents a collaboration between the heritage and curatorial experts at Leeds Castle and the creative and technical teams at SKC Studios.
Constructing a Forgotten Queen
Eleanor of Castile was a formidable medieval queen, yet no confirmed portraits or illustrations of her survive. To construct a credible and respectful representation, the project required an investigative approach, drawing upon fragments of historical evidence rather than relying on later, romanticised Victorian or Edwardian interpretations of the medieval era.
The visual framework for the AI avatar drew upon a range of references:
- The Eleanor Cross statues commissioned by Edward I.
- Eleanor of Castile’s bronze tomb effigy at Westminster Abbey.
- Medieval tapestries, illuminated manuscripts, and period metalwork.
Eleanor’s physical likeness, clothing, and posture were developed through academic research and artistic direction without the use of generative AI. Every detail, from the specific metal and colour of her crown to the construction of unseen garment layers, was guided by curatorial expertise. Materials such as fabrics and crowns have not survived, so the team relied on indirect references such as sculptures, silhouettes, and documented practices to reconstruct elements like clothing, posture, and regalia. To ensure physical realism in the avatar’s movement, the team conducted real-life studies using an actor dressed in replica garments. By watching how she walked and stood in the heavy fabric, the technical team could program the AI avatar to move with realistic weight and medieval grace.
A Queen who watches and listens
A key technical challenge was balancing historical accuracy with the naturalism required for modern audience engagement. To achieve this, the avatar uses SKC Studios’ 1956 Individuals platform to become fully environment aware. Rather than relying on a predetermined menu of prompts, she recognises visitors as they approach and responds in real time to unscripted, natural questions.
To ensure the avatar feels like it belongs within Leeds Castle’s Chapel, the avatar’s background and digital rendering matches the natural light cast by the space’s windows and seamlessly blends with the tapestry it sits in front of.
Additionally, Eleanor’s personality was deliberately set to reflect her historical status: her demeanour is measured, authoritative, and occasionally impatient, shifting away from theatrical clichés of how a queen should act.
To reflect the multilingual reality of the 13th-century English court, the avatar recognises and responds in English, French, and Spanish. She is voiced by a native Spanish-speaking actor to honour her Castilian roots.
Where Knowledge Ends
Using conversational AI within a heritage setting introduces significant responsibilities regarding historical accuracy. The avatar is primarily based on a verified, highly curated knowledge base provided by Leeds Castle’s curatorial team. However, when visitors ask questions that extend beyond this core data, the AI is programmed to be honest about its limits, ensuring we never pass off fiction as historical fact.
So, can a medieval queen be brought alive without reducing history to spectacle? It turns out the distinction depends less on the technology than on the intent behind it. When an avatar is the endpoint of rigorous research rather than a shortcut around it, when it knows what it doesn’t know, when it speaks with earned authority, and when it moves with the weight of real fabric- it becomes something closer to a vessel for scholarship than a performance. Eleanor doesn’t entertain visitors. She receives them.
Come and Meet the Queen
Pilgrimage of Love: Eleanor of Castile is open now. Come along to the Castle Chapel, say hello to Queen Eleanor, and ask her a question yourself!
Pilgrimage of Love: Eleanor of Castile runs until Sunday 1 November 2026 and is included in your admission ticket.
