‘Life Through a Royal Lens’ at Kensington Palace

During our visit to London to see the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations last month, we visited Kensington Palace to see two Exhibitions, the Jewel Room, and ‘Life Through a Royal Lens’ which features 200 years of Royal Photography!

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‘Life Through a Royal Lens’ explores the Royal Family through photography and brings together some of the most iconic images ever taken of the Royal Family to Kensington Palace.

For almost 200 years the medium of photography has created an unprecedented intimacy between Sovereign and subjects. The display explores the British Royal Family’s enduring relationship with the camera; from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s patronage of photography during its infancy to lesser known intimate family portraits, spanning from the 19th century right up until the present day.

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The exhibition begins with  the earliest Royal Photographs taken during the reign of Queen Victoria, and featuring not only the official photographs but also personal family pictures taken by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, which made a nice tie in with photographs taken by the Duchess of Cambridge of her children and other members of the Royal Family.

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The exhibition then transitioned into official photographs of the Queen, featuring different angles and shots from iconic photographs, many by the famed Cecil Beaton, before going into personal photographs, with may favourite being a previously unreleased shot from the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh’s 70th Anniversary.

Experience the impact of photographer Cecil Beaton – one of the great shapers of royal image in the twentieth century – and his work in redefining modern royal portraiture.

View stunning images of Her Majesty the Queen and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, among Beaton’s most faithful sitters, to discover how his work influenced public perceptions of the royals.

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There were also lots of photos from extended members of the Royal Family as well as the future generation, with the final portion focused on rarely seen shots of the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their families.

There are photographs from renowned photographers such as Rankin, Annie Leibovitz, Norman Parkinson and a never-before-seen image of Diana, Princess of Wales by David Bailey. For the first time there is a selection of images taken by Royal Family members themselves, including the work of celebrated photographer and former resident of the Palace, Lord Snowdon, husband of Princess Margaret.

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HRP | Crown Chronicles

Posted in UK

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