This December, the Queen’s Gallery at the inner sanctum of Buckingham Palace is opening its post-Corona doors again, putting on a show that is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience Her Majesty’s collection.
Bringing together 65 of the most spectacular paintings in the Royal Collection, which usually hang in the Picture Gallery, one of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace, guests will view paintings widely acknowledged to be among the highlights of the Royal Collection, including spectacular works by Titian, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Dyck and Canaletto.
The exhibition has been made possible by the removal of the paintings from the Picture Gallery to allow for essential works to take place as part of the Buckingham Palace Reservicing Programme. These works will include the replacement of electrics and pipework, some of which has not been updated since the 1940s.
A team of art handlers and conservators have spent four weeks carefully emptying the Picture Gallery of paintings and decorative arts from the Royal Collection. Old Master paintings have hung in the room since it was first created for George IV in the 1820s. While the display of paintings is occasionally refreshed, the Picture Gallery has not been entirely emptied of its contents since it was last redecorated in 1976.
For more, to book a visit and explore more, visit the Royal Collection Trust’s website.