Buckingham Palace has nearly doubled the number of paintings on display in its Picture Gallery to 120, up from 63, for the summer opening. The transformation, which took 875 hours to complete, includes new lighting and emerald-green silk wall hangings to replace deteriorated coral pink velvet.
How the Picture Gallery transformation changed the display
The 47-metre-long gallery underwent a visual overhaul to prepare for the summer months. The room’s coral pink velvet wall coverings, which dated back to 1976, were replaced with vibrant emerald-green silk damask. This change was driven by the deterioration of the previous material.
The physical labor behind the shift was significant. The process of hanging the new presentation of artwork required 875 hours of work. This effort resulted in a display that now features 120 masterpieces, nearly twice the previous count of 63. The update also included the installation of new lighting to better highlight the artworks, ensuring that the expanded collection is visible to the public under optimal conditions.
“This re-hang is an exciting and rare opportunity to significantly increase the number of world-class paintings on display for visitors, in line with our charitable aim to share as much of the Royal Collection as possible.”
Anna Reynolds, surveyor of the King’s pictures, via BBC
Key artworks and the return of the Uffizi painting
The redisplay brings back several high-profile works, including Johan Joseph Zoffany’s The Tribuna of the Uffizi (1772–77). While commissioned by Queen Charlotte, she disliked the painting’s crowded and unconventional composition, meaning it was never displayed in her apartments. The work had not been hung in the Picture Gallery since 1841.
Other notable additions and highlights include:
- A Rough Dog by George Stubbs: A piece believed to depict the large pet dog of George IV.
- Portrait of Johann Christian Fischer: A work by Thomas Gainsborough.
- Rubens’s Self Portrait (1623): Now displayed facing a portrait Rubens painted of his friend Anthony Van Dyck.
- Rembrandt: Five paintings by the master are now on show.
- King Charles III: A large 2023 oil painting by Jonathan Yeo.
Not all works were simply moved; some required extensive restoration. A Young Man with a Falcon, attributed to Jan van Boeckhorst around 1630, underwent the most conservation to prepare it for the public.
The evolution of the gallery’s design and use
The Picture Gallery was originally designed by architect John Nash as part of the transformation of Buckingham House into a palace. It was intended to showcase the collection of George IV, though he died before the project was finished. The first paintings were not hung until 1837, after Queen Victoria ascended the throne.
The room’s aesthetic has shifted frequently to match the tastes of different eras. The gallery has previously been decorated in:
| Color Period | Context/Era |
|---|---|
| Golden Yellow | |
| Lilac | Fashionable during the Victorian period |
| Crimson Red | |
| Olive Green | Dominant for most of the 20th century |
| Coral Pink | Installed in 1976; replaced recently |
Beyond public tours, the room serves a diplomatic purpose. The Royal Family uses the gallery to host heads of state and monarchs. For example, Donald Trump was taken on a tour of a special exhibition in the gallery during a state visit in 2019. Currently, the room attracts more than half a million visitors annually, making these visual updates critical for the visitor experience.
Royal residence shifts and the cost of renovation
The unveiling of the gallery comes amid broader changes to how the monarchy utilizes the palace. Despite a £369 million renovation of Buckingham Palace, King Charles and Queen Camilla will not live there. Instead, they will reside at nearby Clarence House.
This “once-in-a-generation re-display” aligns with a tradition of renovating the gallery following a change in reign.
“It continues the longstanding tradition of renovations and rehangs in the Picture Gallery that have commonly taken place following a change of reign, and we are delighted to be able to share it with as many people as possible this summer.”
Anna Reynolds, surveyor of the King’s pictures
The project ensures that the historic collection remains accessible to the public while maintaining the architectural integrity of the royal residence for visitors to enjoy throughout the upcoming summer season.
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