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photograph of current display in the Grand Vestibule
Grand Vestibule: The British Monarchy and the World

A display highlighting the interaction between the monarchy and the wider world

Regions

There are over 13,000 works of art from beyond Europe in the Royal Collection, comprising objects from almost every country in the world.

A cotton batik painting of three hummingbirds sucking nectar from hibiscus flowers with palm leaves and foliage with an outline of the islands and flag of St. Kitts and Nevis. This painted batik celebrates the islands’ flora and fauna, including h
South & Central America and The Caribbean

Silverwork, pottery and vibrant depictions of local flora and fauna

This slate plaque, in the stylised shape of the continent of Australia, depicts a hunting scene. It was presented to Queen Elizabeth II by Albert Barunga and his wife (c. 1910-1977) on the occasion of her Silver Jubilee in 1977. A Presbyterian m
Oceania

Local materials such as coconut fibre, shark tooth and mother-of-pearl have long been used for official gifts

A kneeling Chinese warrior wearing body armour, his hair tied up in a bun and with a short moustache, sculpted in dark grey clay. The sculpture is a small-scale replica of the kneeling archer from the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259-210
East and South-East Asia

Highlights include the first diplomatic gifts sent from China to Britain, and a stunning array of Indonesian daggers

Tiger's head from Tipu Sultan's throne
South Asia

South Asian works of art form the largest non-European group in the Royal Collection, numbering over 2700 objects

On 30th August 1838, an Envoy of Sayyid Sa’id, the ruler of Muscat, presented several gifts to Queen Victoria to mark her coronation two months earlier. Among them was this unusual ‘tiara of Persian stones’ (QV Journal, 30 August 1838).
Middle East

Queen Victoria’s Persian tiara, and a dazzling array of presentation swords

A stool with a circular seat and base covered all over with red, yellow, white and blue glass beadwork in a zig-zag pattern. The size and decoration of Cameroon's ceremonial stools symbolise the status of the individual to whom the stool belongs. The empt
Africa

Expressions of chiefly status - from stools and crowns to gold regalia

In 1973 The Queen was presented with this wall hanging by the Inuit People of the Northwest Territories of Canada. It was worked by the distinguished multi-disciplinary artist, Jessie Oonark, of Baker Lake. The hanging is of wool and felt with stitchwork
North America

First Nations, Inuit & Native American items – as well as official gifts from Presidents of the United States

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Official Royal Residences

The income from your ticket contributes directly to The Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The aims of The Royal Collection Trust are the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and the promotion of access and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational activities.