The Royal Collection holds an exceptional collection of royal portraits which range from visual works to decorative arts, with thousands of royal portraits which appear in paintings, prints, ceramics, photography, and sculpture.

These portraits come in many forms. State portraits are carefully constructed images of power, designed to present the monarch as the embodiment of Royal rule. From the sixteenth century onwards state portraits have been used to shape how we see royalty. Many artists enjoyed close relationships with kings and queens as patrons.

The formal portraits in the Royal Collection represent the creative relationship between artist and patron. While formal and state portraits functioned as a way for monarchs to manage their image, popular portraits were created without the knowledge of the sitter. These portraits show us not how the monarch wished to be seen, but how they were seen by the wider public. The Royal Collection also holds a wonderful collection of personal and informal portraits. These portraits often hold a special personal significance and often offer us a different view of monarchs throughout history.

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