PART 1
Never-before-seen photo of four royal mothers, including Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret with their newborn babies, as a personal token to doctor who delivered them to go on display at Buckingham Palace
By Rebecca English, Royal Editor and Mark Duell
16 May 2024
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It is a remarkable and never seen before snapshot of royal motherhood.
The image, taken by Lord Snowdon, shows Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, Princess Alexandra, and the Duchess of Kent holding their newborn babies in 1964.
It was captured by Princess Margaret's celebrated photographer husband as a personal token of thanks for Sir John Peel, the royal obstetrician who delivered all four babies within two months — Prince Edward, Lady Sarah Chatto, James Ogilvy, and Lady Helen Windsor.
And it will be one of the highlights of a new exhibition Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography, opening tomorrow at The King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace.
The charming picture will be displayed along with a handwritten letter from Princess Margaret to her sister, asking her 'Darling Lilibet' to sign a print 'as a souvenir of an extraordinary two months of delivery.'
The new exhibition — the first to be held at the The King's Gallery since it was renamed following the death of Queen Elizabeth — will also include The Queen Mother's personal copy of her daughter's Coronation portrait and the earliest surviving colour photographic print of a member of the Royal Family.
It charts the evolution of royal portrait photography from the 1920s to the present day through more than 150 items from the Royal Collection and Royal Archives.
The photographs presented in the exhibition are vintage prints – the original works produced by the photographer – most of which are on display for the first time.
Alessandro Nasini, curator of Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography, said: 'The Royal Collection holds some of the most enduring photographs ever taken of the Royal Family, captured by the most celebrated portrait photographers of the past hundred years – from Dorothy Wilding and Cecil Beaton to Annie Leibovitz, David Bailey, and Rankin.
Alongside these beautiful vintage prints, which cannot be on permanent display for conservation reasons, we are excited to share archival correspondence and never-before-seen proofs that will give visitors a behind-the-scenes insight into the process of creating such unforgettable royal portraits.'
'Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography' is at The King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, from tomorrow (May 17) until October 6, 2024.
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Prince Christian of Denmark's godson, 5 month old Prince Gustav Albrecht of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, attended his godfather's 18th birthday celebrations in Copenhagen on 15 October 2023 alongside his parents, Princess Carina and Prince Gustav, and was seen in the window of Amalienborg Palace ✨
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King Felipe on his first birthday, in 1969 as his mother prepared the parties for him in La Zarzuela. That little frown and his party hat!!! 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥳 little Felipe has my heart!!
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Prince Edward of Kent (later Duke of Kent) in Belgrave Square, December 1936
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Double Royal babies
HRH Princess Nova and HRH Princess Stella have announced alongside Duchess Venus and Newly Minted Duke Jax about 2 new royal babies on the way. The pairs decided as good friends to do their baby announcements and photos together. We for one are quite happy about the new royal babies and know HRM Queen Aurora must be overjoyed at the news.
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Another Royal Baby Is Forthcoming
By our count, they will be 13th in line to the throne.
https://www.thecut.com/2023/01/princess-eugenie-is-pregnant-with-her-second-child.html
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