The Waterloo Chamber was created to display the portraits by Sir Thomas Lawrence, which had been commissioned by George IV to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo and the establishment of peace in Europe in its aftermath.

The Waterloo Commission placed George IV at the centre of the victory celebrations and forever associated him with the defeat of Napoleon.

In this short film Surveyor of The Queen's Pictures, Desmond Shawe-Taylor, introduces the Waterloo Chamber. The portraits adorning the walls of monarchs, warriors and diplomats were painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence and are a towering achievement of British art. Two hundred years later the room remains a symbol of royal magnificence and national celebration.