A Century of Royal Photography: A New Exhibition at Buckingham Palace
A new exhibition opens this week, tracing a century of British royal portrait photography. The collection spans from the official coronation image of King Charles III to an intimate portrait of his late aunt, Princess Margaret.
Titled “Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography,” this exhibition is the inaugural event in the newly reopened King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace, previously known as the Queen’s Gallery. The exhibit features 150 photographs taken by 40 photographers, showcasing works by renowned artists such as Cecil Beaton, who captured the royal family over four decades”, according to Reuters.
The photographs are part of the Royal Collection, one of the largest art collections in the world. It includes portraits by Dorothy Wilding, Princess Margaret’s husband Lord Snowdon, and Annie Leibovitz.
Century of Change Starting from the 1920s, the exhibition traces the evolution of royal portraiture from its origins in black-and-white photography to the vibrant, modern depictions of the 21st century. The exhibit opens with a small but imposing blue room, featuring just two photos: one marking the engagement of Prince Albert and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (the future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) in 1923, and the other of their grandson King Charles III’s official coronation portrait in 2023.
These two photos, taken 100 years apart, highlight the dramatic changes in royal portraiture. Curator Alessandro Nasini notes that the first was a private commission, while the latter was distributed worldwide within seconds.
One notable photograph by Lord Snowdon, displayed publicly for the first time, depicts four royal mothers with their newborn babies in 1964. “Royal Portraits” also showcases many iconic images of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in September 2022. This includes her coronation portrait by Cecil Beaton, a black-and-white photo showing the Queen in full regalia in the Green Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, in front of a painted backdrop of Westminster Abbey.
Additionally, the exhibition features Andy Warhol’s 1985 screenprint based on Peter Grugeon’s original portrait of the Queen, and Jamie Reid’s controversial 1977 cover picture for the Sex Pistols’ punk single “God Save the Queen.” The latter was seen as an attack on the monarchy and was banned by most radio stations at the time.
Modern Age
Photography has long been a crucial tool for the British royal family to project a carefully curated public image while also appearing accessible. According to curator Nasini, royal portrait photography can uniquely “maintain the historical role and function of a royal portrait while placing the royal family firmly in the modern age.” In today’s digital era, where images are globally shared and quickly accessible, royal photos may have lost some control over public perception. However, Nasini hopes visitors will appreciate the original portraits’ value, materiality, and beauty. “It’s so important to look closely at those prints and take your time, especially today when images are consumed so quickly through the smartphone,” Nasini told AFP.
Nasini’s favorite shot in the collection is a 1968 portrait of the late Queen taken by Cecil Beaton. The photo shows Queen Elizabeth II wearing a simple black cape against a stark white backdrop. He noted that it “shows the queen, perhaps more as a woman, as the person who came up behind the monarchy” and reminded him of a letter her mother, Queen Elizabeth, wrote to Beaton in 1963. “She writes, and I quote, ‘I feel that as a family we must be deeply grateful to you for producing us as really quite nice and real people.'”
The exhibition opens on Friday and runs until October 6.