Art, Passion and Power: The Story of the Royal Collection

The two great monarchs who founded the Royal Collection projected their personalities through art. Henry VIII tried to overwhelm with magnificence, but for Charles I art was a way to compete with other kings through taste. Andrew Graham-Dixon investigates the early history of the Royal Collection and reveals how artists such as Titian and Tintoretto changed the way Britain viewed painting.

In the year 1660, something miraculous began to happen. After the execution of King Charles I, the Royal Collection was sold off and artworks scattered across Europe. But with the restoration of Charles II, the monarchy was back. Andrew Graham-Dixon tells the story of the collection's remarkable resurrection, when some of history’s most important artists returned to adorn royal palace walls.

The flamboyant George IV was known for his ballooning debts and waistline. But, as Andrew Graham-Dixon argues, he was also one of the great artistic figures of the Romantic age, collecting vitally important artists. For Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, collecting was an integral part of their happy marriage. They also believed that learning how to make art was the best way to understand it.

In the 20th century, many European royal families vanished due to world wars and revolutions. This is the story of the British monarchy's remarkable survival. And, as Andrew Graham-Dixon discovers, it’s also an age when women took charge of royal collecting. From Victoria to Elizabeth II, queens have used art to steady the ship of the monarchy through uncertain periods of history.