Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss requests for loans with the relevant curatorial section at an early stage and before a formal written request is submitted. Please use our contact form to make contact with us.

For all general enquiries, please contact [email protected] or use the contact form.

All applications must adhere to the following four-step process:

1. Ensure that all loan conditions can be met

Ensure that the conditions for loan set out in the attached document can be met in full and that your application will be submitted a minimum of one year before the opening date of the exhibition.

2. Submit formal loan request(s)

Formal loan requests must be sent in writing from the Director of the borrowing institution to the Director of the Royal Collection. The formal request should be sent as an attachment to [email protected]. The hard copy can also be sent to the following address if required:

Director of the Royal Collection
York House
St James's Palace
London SW1A 1BQ

Formal loan requests must contain the following information:

• Name and address of the applicant institution
• Name, position and contact details of the person handling the application
• Academic rationale for the request
• Title and dates of the exhibition
• List of requested objects with object numbers (RCINs)
• A current standard facilities report. This should be either the UK Registrars Group Facilities Report or the American Association of Museums Facility Report

For exhibitions with multiple venues a formal loan request must be submitted from each individual institution simultaneously and these must be received a minimum of one year before the opening date of the exhibition at the first venue.

3. Acknowledgement

All requests are acknowledged by letter or email and if necessary further information is requested.

4. Decision

Royal Collection Trust aims to provide an answer within four months of receiving your application. During this time your application will be subject to the following steps:

• The Curatorial Committee will meet at one of its quarterly meetings to consider the application based on the recommendations of curators and conservators of Royal Collection Trust
• The application will be considered by the Chairman on behalf of the Trustees of Royal Collection Trust
• The application is then submitted for formal approval by His Majesty The King
• In the event of a favourable recommendation the applicant will be notified and a loan agreement drawn up
• If the application is unsuccessful the applicant will be notified as soon as possible