© Royal Collection Trust
A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II standing against the dramatic Highlands landscape of Balmoral has been displayed as part of the Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography exhibition at The King’s Gallery in Edinburgh.
The exhibition, which opened on Friday 28 February, features almost 100 rarely seen photographs, negatives, and archival materials from the last 100 years. It charts the evolution of royal portrait photography from the 1920s to the present day, unveiling the stories behind the creation of some of the most iconic images of the Royal Family.
The display brings together little-seen vintage prints (the original works produced by the photographer or under their direct supervision), contact sheets, proofs from the Royal Collection, and documents, including letters and memorandums in the Royal Archives. Following the exhibition’s successful run in London, this marks the first time many works have been shown in Scotland.
Alessandro Nasini, curator of the exhibition said, “Portrait photography is a creative process, and it has been fascinating to discover the careful decisions that were made to achieve such unforgettable portraits of the Royal Family, taken by some of the most celebrated photographers of the past century – from Dorothy Wilding and Cecil Beaton to David Bailey and Glasgow-born Rankin.
“Although we may be used to seeing photographs on screens, the opportunity to see the original prints up close is rare, as they can’t often be on display for conservation reasons. With archival material providing context into how these photographs were made and used, I hope visitors will enjoy going behind the scenes into the process of creating royal portraits.”
A key feature of the Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography exhibition is a photograph of Queen Elizabeth II by Julian Calder, taken on the Balmoral Estate in 2010. Set against a Highland landscape, the late monarch posed beneath an unpredictable sky, draped in the mantle of the Order of the Thistle. Braving the threat of rain and midges, she allowed Calder to capture an image inspired by 19th-century paintings of Clan chiefs. A behind-the-scenes photograph, featured in the exhibition, provides further insight into Calder’s creative process. In contrast, Annie Leibovitz’s 2007 portrait of the Queen – the first official portrait of the monarch taken by an American photographer – used digital editing to place the figure against a stormy backdrop.
© Royal Collection Trust
The exhibition also reflects the rapid evolution of portrait photography over the past century, marking a transition from manual techniques to more digital processes. One of the earliest photographs on display features the royal family, including young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, captured in soft-focus with an oval vignette, a typical style from 1934. To achieve this, society photographer Marcus Adams made manual adjustments to the enlarger lens, a device for producing photographic prints, which will also be displayed.
As the century progressed, portraits became larger and more vibrant, a trend made possible by advancements in printing technology. Among the works featured is Nadav Kander’s 1.6 metre-tall headshot of King Charles III, taken in 2013 when he was still Prince of Wales, for the cover of Time magazine. The exhibition also includes Hugo Burnand’s vivid Coronation portraits of King Charles III in 2023.
The exhibition highlights the close relationships between photographers and their royal subjects, such as the intimate portraits of Princess Margaret taken by Lord Snowdon (Antony Armstrong-Jones) before and after their marriage in 1960. The exhibition includes 19 photographs by Cecil Beaton, who had a long-standing connection with the Royal Family. Initially known for his work with London’s high society in the 1920s, Beaton was chosen by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother for the now-iconic 1939 shoot in the Buckingham Palace Gardens. The exhibition also features photographs from their final sitting together in 1970, marking over three decades of collaboration. A letter from The Queen Mother to Beaton is also included, where she expressed her gratitude for his ability to portray her and the Royal Family as ‘nice & real people’.
© Royal Collection Trust
Other works show the varied roles that royal portraits have served throughout history. These include Yousuf Karsh’s well-known portraits of a young Queen Elizabeth II, used for currency and stamps, and Norman Parkinson’s birthday portraits of Princess Anne. A 1953 memorandum from Queen Elizabeth II’s Assistant Private Secretary reveals her instructions for distributing Coronation portraits to Commonwealth representatives, Maids of Honour, and family members. The exhibition also features a recent picture of Queen Camilla by Jamie Hawkesworth, commissioned by Vogue to reflect her love of literature.
Following its launch in 2024, The King’s Gallery will continue offering £1 tickets for the exhibition to visitors receiving Universal Credit and other named benefits. Additional concessionary rates include discounted tickets for young people, half-price entry for children (with free entry for those under five), and the option to convert standard tickets into a 1-Year Pass for unlimited re-entry within 12 months.
Click here to find out more about the exhibition.
