WHAT?  Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography

WHERE?  The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA

WHEN?  Now until 6th October 

WHY GO?  To rub shoulders with royalty.  Formerly known as the Queen’s Gallery, the newly named King’s Gallery is just as regal as ever, with its elegant portico entrance, gilt furnishings, spacious rooms and gift shop heaven sent for Royal groupies.

And this, its first exhibition, is also heaven sent for curious minded fans of British monarchy past and present who are eager to probe behind the scenes.  Every photograph has a fulsome caption explaining its origins and amateur photographers might appreciate pouring over original contact sheets with their handwritten instructions to print. 

From the earliest surviving colour photographic print of a member of the Royal Family (Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester) to Rankin’s bold contemporary portrait of a smiling Queen Elizabeth, it charts the gradual progression of royal photography throughout the century.

The famed Cecil Beaton rules with some beautiful portraits that are just as relevant today. 

He photographed the Royal Family over six decades and was the official photographer for the Queen’s coronation in 1953.

Names like Annie Leibovitz, Norman Parkinson and David Bailey have all captured the Royals, but the unexpected choice of Paolo Roversi stands alone and in total contrast to rigid formality, for his dreamy romantic portrait of The Princess of Wales wearing that famous McQueen gown. Much admired in elite fashion circles, it was taken on her 40th birthday in 2021 when she was The Duchess of Cambridge and is a delight to behold, especially at this time when she is resting from her Royal duties.  

IN THE KNOW  Keeping it in the family, Princess Margaret’s husband took the definitive snap for any family album on show for all to see.  Amidst the pomp and glory, are a group of four royal mothers with their newborns, taken by Lord Snowden as a personal gift to the royal obstetrician who delivered all four within two months in 1964.  Bravo for orchestrating that shot!