A treasure trove of royal history is dazzling visitors at The King’s Gallery in Edinburgh, where over 100 years of rarely seen royal portrait photographs are now on display, per petapixel.com. The Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography exhibition, launched by the Royal Collection Trust on April 7, offers an unprecedented peek into the evolution of royal imagery, from the 1920s to date.
Curated by Alessandro Nasini, Senior Curator of Photographs for the Royal Collection Trust, the exhibit features vintage prints, negatives, contact sheets and archival gems like handwritten notes from the royal vaults—many making their Scottish debut. “Portrait photography is a creative process,” Nasini said, highlighting the meticulous decisions behind iconic shots by legends like Cecil Beaton, Dorothy Wilding, David Bailey, and Glasgow’s own Rankin. “Seeing these original prints up close is a rare treat, given their delicate nature.”
A standout piece is Julian Calder’s 2010 photograph of Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle, cloaked in the Order of the Thistle mantle against a moody Highlands backdrop. The Royal Collection Trust reveals the late monarch endured rain and midges to capture this nod to 19th-century Clan chief paintings—a behind-the-scenes shot of the moment is a crowd-pleaser. In contrast, Annie Leibovitz’s 2007 digital masterpiece of the Queen superimposes her against a stormy sky, showcasing photography’s leap into the digital age.
The exhibit traces a century of innovation, from early black-and-white snaps of young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret in 1934 to vibrant, large-scale modern works. Highlights include Yousuf Karsh’s currency-defining portraits of a youthful Queen Elizabeth II, Norman Parkinson’s birthday shots of Princess Anne, and a recent Vogue-commissioned image of Queen Camilla by Jamie Hawkesworth, book in lap to honor her love of literature. A 1953 handwritten note from Martin Charteris, the Queen’s Assistant Private Secretary, reveals her personal picks for Coronation photo distribution.
Running through September 7, 2025, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, this exhibition is a time capsule of royal life through the lens. “It’s a journey behind the camera,” Nasini said, “into the art and purpose of these unforgettable images.”
- Featured image: Princess Margaret/Cecil Beaton 1949 © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust
