Two months, four babies – that was something to celebrate!
The Windsors have built up many impressive archives over the years – from sculptures and paintings, to photographs and portraits. Yesterday the Royal Collection Trust opened a unique exhibition showcasing a century of royal snapshots, unveiling a unique photo of four royal sprouts.
Beautiful pictures
The Royal Collection Trust has long been responsible for managing the Royal Collections of the British royals. From guided tours of palaces to an impressive collection of works of art: the Trust does it all.
Their latest exhibition is called Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography, and (as the name suggests) it revolves around the most beautiful and special photos of the Windsor family taken over the past century. Naturally, photographs were seen during this exhibition by Cecil Beaton, who, among other things, was allowed to shoot Queen Elizabeth’s coronation portrait. The work of other leading photographers such as Dorothy Wilding and Annie Leibovitz is also featured.
Intimate portraits
But the collection also includes a number of statues that give you a unique look inside the palace walls. One of these unique photos is a never-before-seen image of Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, Princess Alexandra, and Katharine, Duchess of Kent. All four gave birth to a little one within two months, and in the special photo the four proud mothers with their offspring were captured by Antony Armstrong-Jones, the then husband of Princess Margaret.
Of the little ones in the photo, James Robert Bruce Ogilvy was the first to see the light of day on February 29, 1964, as Princess Alexandra’s first child. Less than two weeks later, Prince Edward, the current Duke of Edinburgh, followed as Queen Elizabeth’s youngest son. This was followed on April 28 by Lady Helen Marina Lucy, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and finally on May 1 by the daughter of Princess Margaret, the current Lady Sarah Chatto.
Souvenir
In addition to this photo, the exhibition features a unique handwritten letter from Princess Margaret to her sister. Because guess what? The photo was intended as a sweet thank you to Doctor John Peel. This midwife was responsible for all four deliveries.
For example, Margaret writes her ‘Darling Lilibet’ asking if she would like to sign the back of the photo. “As a souvenir of an extraordinary two months of childbirth.” Aww!
If you would like to take a look at this exhibition yourself, you have until October 6, 2024 to plan your visit to The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace.
Source & Image: Royal Collection Trust
