KesterTester 40 - The smiling chap in the middle shouldn't be too difficult - the location also maybe identifiable, but it then gets harder to know quite what's going on here
Some readers may even have been there at the time!
Answers via website message or an email if you think you know where this is and/or the background to this little incident. (And a coincidence that I've been keeping this back until today, when another national leader happens to be visiting London.)
Meanwhile, there is still time to grasp global glory by answering the man in the saddle in KT39 - I'll post the answers in an update here tomorrow.
Have a pleasant weekend.
UPDATE: Results of KT39 – the equestrian King
This tester indeed proved easy for the many CE experts in here, and meant I had to write out extra numbers on slips of paper for insertion into the black woolly, EU-accredited draw hat.
Several enthusiastic contestants entered for the first time, such as Helen Továrková, from Brno, who wrote: “Hi Kester - first time that I can submit my answer fot the tester kester :) It´s an easy one, but still makes me happy to be able to find out - the statue is Matyáš Korvín (Mathias Corvinus) and it´s situated in Cluj-Napoca. have a nice weekend! H”
David Thompson humbly suggested: “Well, since the plinth says 'Mathias Rex’ even I can get this.The statue of Matthias Corvinus by St Michael’s Church, Kolozsvar.” :)
Felicia Beldean, now from Bucharest, was another first time entrant. She wrote: “Matei Corvin/ Matthias Corvinus/ Hunyadi Mátyás - Cluj Napoca, Romania. What memories this picture triggered for me!!! short skirts, butterflies everywhere… Have a great weekend! F” (Felicia originates not too far from the city.)
Bob Dent, ever scrupulous and complete, proffered: “Well, as the inscription indicates, this is an equestrian statue of Hungary's King Matthias (ruled 1458-1490). It looks like the one sculpted by János Fadrusz and erected in 1902, which stands at the side of the late Gothic Church of St Michael in the centre of Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár in Hungarian) in Romania. Matthias was born in Kolozsvár in 1443, I think. Bob”
Peter Woodger sent a photo (below) with description, just to make sure I knew he knew,
and there were entries from Valerica Bojian, Judit Kiska, Viktor Friedman, András Lukács and Albyn Austin, plus more regular contestants, although Cornel Cotuna, from Arad, admitted he was stumped by the image. (Cornel, it's just up the road from you!) Géza Jeszenszky, who of course, identified the statue, did send something of a reprimand: “Were all the ladies barren, except for poor Cathrine Podjebrad, his first wife, who died in childbirth at 15, and the mother of Corvin János? János Arany's Szép Ilonka remained a virgin. So whence the rumour?” Well, my apologies if I got him wrong, Géza – I thought the beautiful Ilonka had been subject to droit du seigneur, and I certainly stand corrected and apologise for any historical slur. But back to modern times and the hot news! Although I really wanted a new entrant's number to come out of the hat, it seems fame just seems to attract fame, because the lucky winner this week is none other than number 17 – Sándor Németh – who is already finds it impossible to walk in downtown Budapest, such are the crowds of adoring fans wanting to attract his attention (and a bit of his luck) after his earlier wins. I know Sándor is in the Bakony Hills, towards Veszprém this weekend – I just hope he can make it back, but if news gets out, I fear his car may be surrounded by new adorers demanding selfies, or strands of his coat or shirt or something. So I wish you a safe, undercover journey home, Sándor. Thanks for all your entries – not had so many for this week's KT40 so far (a bit of a surprise) – so get your thinking caps on – and you can google freely, I think, if it helps.