EXHIBITION

Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography

Black and white portrait of Princess Margaret, 1967
Princess Margaret, 1967 Photograph: Snowdon (RCIN 2335975) ©
This exhibition is in the past. View our current exhibitions.
The King's Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse
  • This event is in the past
    Daily (17 May 2024 - 6 Oct 2024)

For centuries, portraiture has played a vital role in shaping the public’s perception of the Royal Family. This exhibition charts the evolution of royal portrait photography from the 1920s to the present day, bringing together more than 150 photographic prints, proofs and documents from the Royal Collection and the Royal Archives.

★★★★ Awash with glamour

The Telegraph

Discover works from the most celebrated royal photographers, from Cecil Beaton and Dorothy Wilding to Annie Leibovitz and Rankin. Explore some of the close relationships between royal sitters and photographers, seen most clearly through the lens of Antony Armstrong-Jones (later Lord Snowdon), who married Princess Margaret in 1960.

The exhibition sheds light on behind-the-scenes processes, from photographers’ handwritten annotations to never-before-seen correspondence with members of the Royal Family and their staff, revealing the stories behind some of the most celebrated photographs ever taken of the Royal Family.

This exhibition is taking place at The King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, formerly known as The Queen’s Gallery.

Colour Portraits of Princess Margaret by Cecil Beaton Copyright: Royal Collection Enterprises Limited

Exhibition highlights


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