A fabulous collection of royal treasures, including exquisite Faberge creations and rarely seen jewels, has been unveiled at the new Queen's Gallery as part of the ongoing Jubilee celebrations.
The exhibition – the largest in the Queen’s lifetime – features 437 of the finest paintings and artefacts from the priceless Royal Collection, which until now has been largely inaccessible to members of the public. Items on display include a Van Dyck masterpiece and the stunning crown George IV wore to his 1820 coronation.
Visitors can also view works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Monet, drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, furniture from Mazzoni and magnificent jewels such as the Queen’s Culinan brooch. (For more on this famous gem, check out HELLO!’s special on diamonds.)
“There will never have been such a glittering and all-embracing exhibition from the Royal Collection,” said director of the assemblage, Sir Hugh Roberts.
Upwards of 150,000 visitors are expected at the event, the first to be staged at the new Queen’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace. The hall had been closed for 18 months as £20 million worth of renovations were completed, combining the Palace's original small exhibition space with a section of the the building's kitchens to create an area three times the size of its predecessor. The new gallery now boasts significantly more hanging space as well as a state-of-the-art, eco-friendly cooling system suggested by the Prince of Wales.
The Royal Collection – the largest privately held collection in the world – includes 6,500 paintings, 1,000 clocks and the finest grouping of 18th-century French furniture.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
