Elizabeth I:
Queen & Court
14th May - 10th July 2026
This spring, the gallery presents Elizabeth I: Queen and Court, an exhibition exploring how portraiture shaped one of Britain’s most iconic reigns. Featuring outstanding Tudor works drawn from private collections, the exhibition includes the earliest surviving life-size, full-length portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, alongside portraits of some of the key figures from her close circle of courtiers and confidantes. These rarely seen paintings reveal how portraiture functioned as a tool of power and was used to project authority, secure allegiance, and, in rare cases, register dissent.
Philip says, “We are very fortunate, through the generosity of our private lenders, to be able to assemble a cast of the key figures of the first Elizabethan age. Above all is the compelling presence of Elizabeth herself, who, working with the most resourceful artists of her time, continually reshaped her image to meet the monarchical ambitions of a single woman on a stage of extraordinary challenge.”
More details soon
