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Illustration of an Indian woman holding a flower
This exhibition is in the past. View our current exhibitions.

Early Encounters

Elizabeth I (r. 1558–1603) was the last Tudor monarch and a contemporary of the Mughal emperor Akbar (r. 1556–1605). In 1600 she granted a group of 125 merchants a monopoly on all English trade to Asia. Through this royal sanction, the East India Company was born. The works in this room explore the early encounters between the Stuart monarchs, the East India Company and the Great Mughals throughout the seventeenth century.


The income from your ticket contributes directly to The Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The aims of The Royal Collection Trust are the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and the promotion of access and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational activities.