A never-before-seen portrait of the Princes of Wales will be on display at Kensington Palace as part of a royal photography exhibition.
Life through the Royal Lens, which opens on Friday, will include iconic photos of Royal family for the last 200 years – including the stunning image of Diana made by David Bailey in 1988.
The black-and-white image was part of a famous collection commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery, but preserved by a famous photographer for his personal archive.
The striking portrait, taken at the height of Diana’s popularity, was one of a number of formal and informal images and clearly demonstrates the nascent sense of style of the royal person.
An unprecedented portrait of the Princes of Wales will be on display at Kensington Palace as part of a royal photography exhibition tomorrow
Life through a royal lens will include iconic photos of the royal family over the past 200 years – including a stunning image of Diana taken by David Bailey in 1988.
Bailey, 84, is a famous fashion and portrait photographer who photographed the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2014 to celebrate her 88th birthday.
She was originally asked to take pictures of English portrait photographer Norman Parkinson, but Diana herself chose Bailey – who had previously photographed Princess Margaret’s wife, the Earl of Snowden.
As a respected photographer, the work of Anthony Armstrong Jones will also be featured in the exhibition, along with other images made by members of the Royal Family themselves.
Parkinson will be present in the collection along with famous photographers, including Rankin, Annie Leibovitz and Cecil Beaton, who spent three decades photographing Her Majesty.
Parkinson will be in the collection with renowned photographers, including Cecil Beaton, who spent three decades photographing Her Majesty. She is pictured in 1953
Her Majesty is depicted dressed in garters in a portrait taken by the famous royal photographer Cecil Beaton in 1969.
Princess Margaret, whose husband Lord Snowden is represented in the exhibition, is depicted in a portrait taken by Cecil Beaton at the age of 19 in 1949.
Among the images are 19th-century photographs of Queen Victoria sitting for her 1897 Diamond Jubilee portrait.
Among the images are portraits taken by Beaton, of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, as well as 19th-century photographs of Queen Victoria sitting for her diamond anniversary portrait.
The exhibition includes photos of Queen Victoria visiting Balmoral and King George digging potatoes with Queen Mary.
Photo shoots such as the cover of the Duke of Cambridge at Attitude Magazine and the centennial issue of the Duchess of Cambridge on British Vogue in 2016 will “explore how photography and imaging remain central to public perception of the modern royal family today”.
Along with the professional staff, the exhibition will also show photos of the royal family taken by members of the public.
The photos were sent by royal observers around the world in response to a request from the Royal Historic Palaces.
Queen Victoria is depicted in Balmoral riding her horse Five, with her servant John Brown in 1863.
Queen Elizabeth is pictured in Buckingham Palace Garden by Cecil Beaton in 1938.
Queen Mary was digging with a shovel into a potato plot in Windsor, with King George next to her in May 1917.
The exhibition includes a long portrait of Princess Alexandra of Denmark in 1860, sent to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as they consider potential brides for their eldest son, Albert Edward.
The photos had to be on official engagements and there was a special interest in the walks. Paparazzi-style photos taken by the audience of royalty spending time alone were not accepted.
Claudia Acot Williams, curator of the Historic Royal Palaces, said: “Since Queen Victoria and Prince Albert first embraced the revolutionary new technology of photography, the medium has shaped the way the world views the British monarchy.
“This allowed the royal family to offer fascinating insights into their lives and work, transforming the royal image and creating an unprecedented bond between the crown and the subjects.
“Through our new exhibition at Kensington Palace, Life through a Royal Lens, we look forward to welcoming our visitors to the world of royal photography to explore the history behind the iconic image of the modern monarchy we know today.”
“Life through a Royal Lens” opens at Kensington Palace on March 4, 2022 and is included at the entrance to the palace.