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Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography

This exhibition at The Palace of Holyroodhouse, charts the evolution of royal portrait photography from the 1920s to the present day!

Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography

About Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography

28th Feb 2025 to 7th Sep 2025
See event website for details
The Palace of Holyroodhouse
The Palace of Holyroodhouse Canongate, Edinburgh East EH8 8DX
See event website for details
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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.

Image: Princess Margaret, 1967 Photograph: Snowdon (RCIN 2335975) ©

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Join florist and Royal Warrant holder Lottie Longman to explore the flowers of the Physic Garden at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and create your own fresh wreath!

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