Royal collecting without the palace crowds — changing exhibitions reveal extraordinary treasures from one of the world’s great collections.
- Old Master paintings
- Drawings and works on paper
- Decorative arts
- Furniture
- Photography
- Royal fashion and jewellery
- Rare objects from the Royal Collection
- Major thematic temporary exhibitions
Don’t confuse it with visiting Buckingham Palace itself. Treat The King’s Gallery as a standalone exhibition venue — and always check what’s on before deciding whether to go.
Nearby route ideas
Royal Art London
The King’s Gallery → Buckingham Palace State Rooms → Royal Mews
The obvious route when the palace itself is open to visitors.
Art + Royal Collecting
The King’s Gallery → National Gallery → Wallace Collection
A much more Artlovers-focused route exploring three very different models of collecting.
Buckingham Palace → Mayfair Galleries
The King’s Gallery → Green Park → Royal Academy → Cork Street → Mayfair galleries
This would probably be my preferred Artlovers route. It takes you naturally from royal collecting into London's commercial contemporary-art scene.
Slow London Art Walk
The King’s Gallery → St James’s Park → Royal Academy → Burlington Arcade → Mayfair galleries
A particularly good half-day route combining art + architecture + London walking.
About the venue
About
The King’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace is a major London exhibition venue presenting changing displays from the Royal Collection, one of the world’s most significant collections of art and decorative objects. Located beside Buckingham Palace, the gallery hosts focused temporary exhibitions featuring Old Master paintings, drawings, photography, furniture, decorative arts, fashion and objects connected to British and European royal history. Rather than displaying a fixed permanent collection, The King’s Gallery is programme-driven, making it particularly important to check the current exhibition before visiting. In 2026–27, the gallery presents Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, the largest exhibition of the late Queen’s fashion ever staged. For art travellers, it is an excellent focused cultural stop that can easily be combined with the Royal Academy, National Gallery or the galleries of Mayfair.
Worth the trip
Because this is where the vast Royal Collection becomes manageable: focused exhibitions bring together exceptional objects around a single artist, period, collector or theme.
Buckingham Palace
