The King’s Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh

Overview

The King’s Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse shows changing exhibitions of works of art from the Royal Collection, one of the largest and most important art collections in the world. The Royal Collection is held in trust by the Sovereign for his successors and the nation. The King's Gallery in Edinburgh is located at the entrance to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and was built in the shell of a former church and school of the 19th-century. The gallery was opened in its current form by the late Queen as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002 and was formerly named The Queen’s Gallery until 2024.

EXHIBITION

Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography (28 February - 7 September 2025)

Milestone photographic portraits of the Royal Family will be featured in this exhibition at The King’s Gallery in Edinburgh.

Following a successful run in London, the exhibition will chart the evolution of royal portrait photography from the 1920s to the present day, bringing together more than 90 photographic prints, proofs and documents from the Royal Collection and the Royal Archives.

Visitors will see photographs taken to mark milestone birthdays of members of the Royal Family and glamourous vintage prints from the first half of the 20th century, many of which will be shown in Scotland for the first time, taken by some of the most respected photographers of the era.

Discover works from the most celebrated royal photographers, from Cecil Beaton and Norman Parkinson 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 King’s Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse shows changing exhibitions of works of art from the Royal Collection, one of the largest and most important art collections in the world. The Royal Collection is held in trust by the Sovereign for his successors and the nation. The King's Gallery in Edinburgh is located at the entrance to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and was built in the shell of a former church and school of the 19th-century. The gallery was opened in its current form by the late Queen as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002.



The King's Gallery is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, except 24 May - 7 September 2025 when it is open daily.

Opening times
November to March: 09:30-16:30 (last admission 15:30)
April to October: 09:30-18:00 (last admission 17:00)

The King's Gallery is part of a working royal palace so sometimes closures can happen at short notice.​





Images: Royal Collection Trust / © HM King Charles III 2025. Photographer: Giulia Sansone