The King’s Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh

Overview

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

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 photographic prints, proofs and documents from the Royal Collection and the Royal Archives.

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 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, Palace of Holyroodhouse, formerly known as The Queen’s Gallery.


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 currently closed and will reopen 28 February 2025.

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 2024. Photographer: Giulia Sansone