Art and the decorative arts

The Royal Collection

Much of the fine and decorative art on display across our palaces remains part of the Royal Collection, one of the largest and most important art collections in the world. The Royal Collection is held in trust by The Queen for her successors and the nation, and is housed in 13 royal residences and historic palaces across the UK.

Many artworks can be seen in the historic settings and royal apartments for which they were originally commissioned or acquired. Others are displayed in temporary exhibitions or in purpose-built galleries, including the Cumberland Art Gallery and Mantegna Gallery at Hampton Court Palace.

You can find further information at rct.uk/collections, the online catalogue for the Royal Collection.

Meet the Masters

Download the Historic Royal Palaces podcast and join Andrew Graham-Dixon in a panel discussion analysing the lives of iconic artists Rembrandt, Van Dyck and Caravaggio. This podcast is a recording of a ticketed event called 'Meet the masters', which was held ahead of the opening of the Cumberland Art Gallery. This free podcast was first made available on iTunes in December 2014.