Podcasts about royal archives

Saira Baker chats with senior curator of photographs at the Royal Collection Trust and curator of the exhibition, Alessandro Nasini, in The King's Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh.‘Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography' charts the evolution of royal portrait photography from the 1920s to the present day, revealing the stories behind the creation of some of the most iconic images of the British Monarchy.Bringing together more than 90 photographic prints, proofs and documents from the Royal Collection and the Royal Archives, the exhibition – which follows a successful run in London – will also consider the artistic and technological advances in photography as it evolved into a recognised art form.Visitors will see glamorous images from the first half of the 20th century, taken by some of the most respected photographers of the era. All of the photographs in the exhibition are vintage prints – the original works produced by the photographer – and the earliest works date from the 1920s and 30s, the golden age of the society photographer. In the mid-20th century, no royal photographer had a greater impact on shaping the monarchy's public image than Cecil Beaton. The exhibition will present some of Beaton's most memorable photographs, taken over six decades. These include Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's famed 1939 shoot in the Buckingham Palace Gardens, dressed in gowns designed by Norman Hartnell, and Beaton's original Coronation portraits of Queen Elizabeth II – arguably the most prestigious photography commission of the century.The bold and colourful later photographs in the exhibition will demonstrate the extraordinary variety, power, and at times playfulness of royal portrait photography over the past four decades. These works range from Andy Warhol's diamond-dust-sprinkled screen print of Queen Elizabeth II to well-known photographs by David Bailey, Nick Knight, Annie Leibovitz and more. The exhibition runs until 7 September 2025. For more information about the portraits discussed in this podcast, visit the Royal Collection Trust website and visit the exhibition in person. To book tickets and discover the events programme, see: https://www.rct.uk/collection/exhibitions/royal-portraits-a-century-of-photography/the-kings-gallery-palace-of-holyroodhouseTo find out more about visiting the other royal residences and exhibitions mentioned in the episode, see: https://www.rct.ukRoyal Collection Trust is a charity caring for the Royal Collection and welcoming visitors to the royal palaces. We bring our shared history to life through world-class experiences that involve and inspire people, wherever they are. Income from tickets and retail sales helps us to conserve the Collection so that it can be enjoyed by everyone for generations to come.

This week, we have a special guest, author Jane Tippett, who has written a new book about Edward VIII called Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII. Tippett discusses her book on the abdication crisis and the life of King Edward VIII. She talks about her research process and the surprising access she had to the Royal Archives. Tippett explores Edward's role as a writer and the significance of his memoirs. She also addresses the controversy surrounding Edward's relationship with Nazi Germany and dispels misconceptions. Tippett highlights the complex dynamics between Edward, his ghostwriter Charles Murphy, and figures like Winston Churchill. Overall, this interview and her book offer a fresh perspective on Edward's life and the challenges prevailing in the narratives. Links Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII on Amazon Abdication Crisis Article on Anglotopia Win a signed copy of Once a King Jane Tippett Official Website Edward and Mrs Simpson Drama The Royal Archives Takeaways Author Jane Tippett had surprising access to the Royal Archives for her research on King Edward VIII and the abdication crisis. Edward's memoirs, written with the help of ghostwriter Charles Murphy, offer a new perspective on his life and challenge prevailing narratives. Tippett dispels misconceptions about Edward's relationship with Nazi Germany and highlights his role as an appeaser. Winston Churchill played a complex role in the abdication crisis and had a strained relationship with Edward during the writing of his memoirs. The book provides a fresh lens on significant moments in history and offers insights into Edward's humanity and individuality. Sound Bites “Edward's memoirs offer a new perspective on his life and challenge prevailing narratives.” “Churchill's role in the abdication crisis was complex and had implications for his own political career.” “One of the most surprising threads in the research was discovering Edward's talent as a writer.” Chapters 00:00 The Abdication Crisis and King Edward VIII 04:08 Charles Murphy: Shaping Edward's Memoir 13:54 Edward's Relationship with Nazi Germany 23:17 Edward's Life in the Bahamas 25:17 The Fictionalized Portrayal of Edward's Story 28:51 Edward's Memoirs and Misconceptions 31:05 The Royal Family's Reaction 32:57 Accessing the Royal Archives 35:39 Edward as a Writer 40:19 Winston Churchill's Role 46:13 A New Perspective on Edward 47:00 Jane Tippett's Next Book Video Version

This week, we have a special guest, author Jane Tippett, who has written a new book about Edward VIII called Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII. Tippett discusses her book on the abdication crisis and the life of King Edward VIII. She talks about her research process and the surprising access she had to the Royal Archives. Tippett explores Edward's role as a writer and the significance of his memoirs. She also addresses the controversy surrounding Edward's relationship with Nazi Germany and dispels misconceptions. Tippett highlights the complex dynamics between Edward, his ghostwriter Charles Murphy, and figures like Winston Churchill. Overall, this interview and her book offer a fresh perspective on Edward's life and the challenges prevailing in the narratives. Links Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII on Amazon Abdication Crisis Article on Anglotopia Win a signed copy of Once a King Jane Tippett Official Website Edward and Mrs Simpson Drama The Royal Archives Takeaways Author Jane Tippett had surprising access to the Royal Archives for her research on King Edward VIII and the abdication crisis. Edward's memoirs, written with the help of ghostwriter Charles Murphy, offer a new perspective on his life and challenge prevailing narratives. Tippett dispels misconceptions about Edward's relationship with Nazi Germany and highlights his role as an appeaser. Winston Churchill played a complex role in the abdication crisis and had a strained relationship with Edward during the writing of his memoirs. The book provides a fresh lens on significant moments in history and offers insights into Edward's humanity and individuality. Sound Bites “Edward's memoirs offer a new perspective on his life and challenge prevailing narratives.” “Churchill's role in the abdication crisis was complex and had implications for his own political career.” “One of the most surprising threads in the research was discovering Edward's talent as a writer.” Chapters 00:00 The Abdication Crisis and King Edward VIII 04:08 Charles Murphy: Shaping Edward's Memoir 13:54 Edward's Relationship with Nazi Germany 23:17 Edward's Life in the Bahamas 25:17 The Fictionalized Portrayal of Edward's Story 28:51 Edward's Memoirs and Misconceptions 31:05 The Royal Family's Reaction 32:57 Accessing the Royal Archives 35:39 Edward as a Writer 40:19 Winston Churchill's Role 46:13 A New Perspective on Edward 47:00 Jane Tippett's Next Book

We talk to the young American archivist and writer who stumbled across hitherto unused material from Edward VIII's personal archives and autobiographical notes, including his scribbled opinions about Wallis Simpson.   Jane Marguerite Tippett's  new book about, ‘Once a King: The Lost Memoir of Edward VIII' has been published to much acclaim, for being beautifully written, immaculately researched and for drawing timely parallels between the situations of Edward and Wallis and Harry and Meghan. She's also ruffled the feathers of more established biographers of Edward VIII for being the first to recognise that pencil notes in the Charles Murphy Archives at Boston University and in the Royal Archives had not been mined before.  Coming across it changed the direction of the book she set out to write and she says the newly discovered material speaks for itself, presenting Edward VIII in a new light.  Listen in to find out how.

EPISODE 1408: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to the author of GEORGE VI AND ELIZABETH, Sally Bedell Smith, about the 20th century royal marriage that , she believes, saved the British monarchy Sally Bedell Smith is the New York Times best-selling author of eight biographies. Her latest, George VI and Elizabeth: The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy (Random House 2023) is the definitive biography of the late Queen Elizabeth II's mother and father, based for the first time on special access to their letters and diaries in the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle that was granted to the author by the Queen. Ms. Smith has also written best-selling biographies of King Charles III, Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales, John and Jacqueline Kennedy, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Pamela Harriman, and William S. Paley. Translations of her books have been published in more than a dozen countries. An on-air contributor to CNN since 2017 offering analysis and commentary on the British royal family, Ms. Smith was a contributing editor at Vanity Fair from 1996 to 2018. She previously worked at Time and The New York Times, where she was a cultural news reporter. She received the 2012 Washington Irving Medal for Literary Excellence, an award presented by the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York, and Elizabeth the Queen won the 2012 Goodreads Choice Award for best book in history and biography. In 2012 Ms. Smith was also the consultant to playwright Peter Morgan on The Audience, his award-winning drama about Queen Elizabeth II starring Helen Mirren. In 2020 she was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) by Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts, her alma mater. She received her M.S. from Columbia University. SoSally Bedell Smith is the mother of three children and resides in Washington, D.C. with her husband, Stephen Smith. Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, I have learnt a lot about the Queen – I have read a new book, and I don't think I am going to need to read another book on the Queen anytime soon!   A Queen of Our Times is a fabulous, comprehensive story of Queen Elizabeth the second, her life and the longest reign in British history.  The book was written by leading royal authority Robert Hardman. Robert was given unprecedented access to those who know her best, world leaders and even the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle.  Royal Biographer Robert Hardman joined Francesca Rudkin. LISTEN ABOVE 

George IV's impressive Library included all the novels of Jane Austen, for whom he had a particular fondness. But what was not known (until a receipt was discovered in the Royal Archives in 2018) was that the Prince Regent had almost certainly been Austen's very first customer - buying a copy of ‘Sense and Sensibility' for 15 shillings on 28th October, 1811.His admiration for the anonymous 35 year-old author's work lead to an awkward moment later in her career, when she felt obligated to dedicate ‘Emma' to His Royal Highness - a task she clearly wished to avoid.In this episode, Arion, Olly and Rebecca explain why Austen detested her royal patron; reveal the dry first draft of her dedication to him; and consider how the famously promiscuous, indulgent monarch could have so badly misread Austen's manifesto for moderation…Further Reading• ‘One of Jane Austen's earliest buyers revealed as Prince Regent – who she 'hated'' (The Guardian, 2018): https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jul/25/jane-austen-buyer-hated-prince-regent-sense-and-sensibility• ‘Jane Austen's First Buyer? Probably a Prince She Hated' (The New York Times, 2018):https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/24/books/jane-austen-prince-regent.html• ‘JANE AUSTEN, PRINCE REGENT & SANDITON' - excerpt from “Elegance and Decadence: The Age of the Regency” (BBC, 2011): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzrlpIjwKv0For bonus material and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/RetrospectorsWe'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/RetrospectorsThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2021. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jim Galgadet crosses the Atlantic on the trail of an arcane book linked to the British Royal Society. His search does not go unnoticed and those watching from the shadows have their own agendas.

Karin Wulf, the Executive Director of the Omohundro Institute, joins us to talk about many things.  We learn about the Georgian Papers Programme,a ten-year interdisciplinary project to digitise, conserve, catalogue, transcribe, interpret and disseminate 425,000 pages or 65,000 items in the Royal Archives and Royal Library relating to the Georgian period, 1714-1837.  We also talk about #vastearlyamerica, and exciting developments in archives and scholarship as we approach the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. 

King George V played a critical role in Britain's war effort during World War One, from the outbreak of war in 1914, until the King's Pilgrimage in May 1922, to visit cemeteries and memorials being constructed by the Imperial War Graves Commission. Alexandra Churchill has combed the Royal Archives to fully understand George's role in the war, including his frequent disputes with David Lloyd George. So bitter was this relationship, Lloyd George at one point attempted to place control of the British army under French commanders. Famously, King George V had to change his family surname from Saxe-Coburg to Windsor during the war, but Alexandra Churchill also tells Dan about the names that were suggested, including one that suggested George's family were bastards. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The official biography of Queen Mary, grandmother of the current Queen, originally commissioned in 1959 - with a new foreword by Hugo Vickers. When Queen Mary died in 1953, James Pope-Hennessy was commissioned to write an official biography of her - unusual for a Queen Consort. Queen Mary's life, contrary to popular belief, was essentially dramatic, and she played a far more important and influential role in the affairs of the British monarchy than her public image might have otherwise suggested. Using material from the Royal Archives, private papers and Queen Mary's personal diaries and letters, Pope-Hennessy's biography was a remarkable portrait of a remarkable woman and received rave reviews across the press. Long out of print, this new edition of Queen Mary will be accompanied by a new foreword from royal biographer and writer Hugo Vickers.

While work continues on the podcast's upcoming Season 5, we're pleased to offer you another summer interlude. For today's show, we bring you the audio version of Jim Ambuske's recent live stream chat with Professors Zara Anishanslin and Arthur Burns about the Georgian Papers Programme. Now, most of you probably know that some Americans had a little -  shall we say – disagreement with King George III two centuries ago. Something about taxation, tea, and tyranny. But did you know that researchers, librarians, and digital humanists on both sides of the pond are busy digitizing and interpreting the papers of the Georgian Monarchs, their families, and the members of the royal household from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries? What can we learn about early America, and especially the American revolution, from these documents? Stay tuned to find out. As always, if you'd like to see the images associated with this live stream, consider watching the video version by going to www.mountvernon.org/gwdigitaltalks. About Our Guests: Zara Anishanslin is Associate Professor of History and Art History at the University of Delaware.  She is the author of Portrait of a Woman in Silk: Hidden Histories of the British Atlantic World. She was the 2018 Mount Vernon Georgian Papers Programme Fellow, working at the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle, the Washington Library, and King's College London on her new project on the American Revolution, London Patriots. Arthur Burns is Professor of Modern British History at King's College London. He is currently academic director of the Georgian Papers Programme. Primarily a historian of later Hanoverian and Victorian Britain, Burns engages with the history of the Church of England over a much longer period, notably through his pioneering involvement in digital humanities. He co-founded the Boydell and Brewer monograph series Studies in Modern British Religious History, which has now published more than 35 volumes on this theme. About Our Host: Jim Ambuske leads the Center for Digital History at the Washington Library. He received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Virginia in 2016 with a focus on Scotland and America in an Age of War and Revolution. He is a former Farmer Postdoctoral Fellow in Digital Humanities at the University of Virginia Law Library. At UVA, Ambuske co-directed the 1828 Catalogue Project and the Scottish Court of Session Project.  He is the co-author with Randall Flaherty of "Reading Law in the Early Republic: Legal Education in the Age of Jefferson," in The Founding of Thomas Jefferson's University ed. by John A. Rogasta, Peter S. Onuf, and Andrew O'Shaughnessy (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2019). Ambuske is currently at work on a book entitled Emigration and Empire: America and Scotland in the Revolutionary Era, as well as a chapter on Scottish loyalism during the American Revolution for a volume to be published by the University of Edinburgh Press.

While work continues on the podcast's upcoming Season 5, we’re pleased to offer you another summer interlude. For today’s show, we bring you the audio version of Jim Ambuske's recent live stream chat with Professors Zara Anishanslin and Arthur Burns about the Georgian Papers Programme. Now, most of you probably know that some Americans had a little - shall we say – disagreement with King George III two centuries ago. Something about taxation, tea, and tyranny. But did you know that researchers, librarians, and digital humanists on both sides of the pond are busy digitizing and interpreting the papers of the Georgian Monarchs, their families, and the members of the royal household from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries? What can we learn about early America, and especially the American revolution, from these documents? Stay tuned to find out. As always, if you’d like to see the images associated with this live stream, consider watching the video version by going to www.mountvernon.org/gwdigitaltalks. About Our Guests: Zara Anishanslin is Associate Professor of History and Art History at the University of Delaware. She is the author of Portrait of a Woman in Silk: Hidden Histories of the British Atlantic World. She was the 2018 Mount Vernon Georgian Papers Programme Fellow, working at the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle, the Washington Library, and King’s College London on her new project on the American Revolution, London Patriots. Arthur Burns is Professor of Modern British History at King’s College London. He is currently academic director of the Georgian Papers Programme. Primarily a historian of later Hanoverian and Victorian Britain, Burns engages with the history of the Church of England over a much longer period, notably through his pioneering involvement in digital humanities. He co-founded the Boydell and Brewer monograph series Studies in Modern British Religious History, which has now published more than 35 volumes on this theme. About Our Host: Jim Ambuske leads the Center for Digital History at the Washington Library. He received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Virginia in 2016 with a focus on Scotland and America in an Age of War and Revolution. He is a former Farmer Postdoctoral Fellow in Digital Humanities at the University of Virginia Law Library. At UVA, Ambuske co-directed the 1828 Catalogue Project and the Scottish Court of Session Project. He is the co-author with Randall Flaherty of "Reading Law in the Early Republic: Legal Education in the Age of Jefferson," in The Founding of Thomas Jefferson's University ed. by John A. Rogasta, Peter S. Onuf, and Andrew O'Shaughnessy (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2019). Ambuske is currently at work on a book entitled Emigration and Empire: America and Scotland in the Revolutionary Era, as well as a chapter on Scottish loyalism during the American Revolution for a volume to be published by the University of Edinburgh Press. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mountvernon/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mountvernon/support

King George V played a critical role in Britain's war effort during World War One, from the outbreak of war in 1914, until the King's Pilgrimage in May 1922, to visit cemeteries and memorials being constructed by the Imperial War Graves Commission. Alexandra Churchill has combed the Royal Archives to fully understand George's role in the war, including his frequent disputes with David Lloyd George. So bitter was this relationship, Lloyd George at one point attempted to place control of the British army under French commanders.Famously, King George V had to change his family surname from Saxe-Coburg to Windsor during the war, but Alexandra Churchill also tells Dan about the names that were suggested, including one that suggested George's family were bastards.For ad free versions of our entire podcast archive and hundreds of hours of history documentaries, interviews and films, signup to History Hit TV. Use code 'pod3' at checkout to get a 30 day free trial and your first 4 months for £4/$4. All of the books discussed in the History Hit podcast are available at History Hit books. We'd love it if you supported what we do by using our affiliate link: https://books.historyhit.com/ Producer: Peter Curry See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

King George V played a critical role in Britain's war effort during World War One, from the outbreak of war in 1914, until the King's Pilgrimage in May 1922, to visit cemeteries and memorials being constructed by the Imperial War Graves Commission. Alexandra Churchill has combed the Royal Archives to fully understand George's role in the war, including his frequent disputes with David Lloyd George. So bitter was this relationship, Lloyd George at one point attempted to place control of the British army under French commanders.Famously, King George V had to change his family surname from Saxe-Coburg to Windsor during the war, but Alexandra Churchill also tells Dan about the names that were suggested, including one that suggested George's family were bastards.For ad free versions of our entire podcast archive and hundreds of hours of history documentaries, interviews and films, signup to History Hit TV. Use code 'pod3' at checkout to get a 30 day free trial and your first 4 months for £4/$4. All of the books discussed in the History Hit podcast are available at History Hit books. We'd love it if you supported what we do by using our affiliate link: https://books.historyhit.com/ Producer: Peter Curry See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

England's Windsor Castle has been home to 39 British monarchs, with its history stretching back nearly 1,000 years to William the Conqueror. My guest today is Deborah Cadbury, the author of Queen Victoria's Matchmaking: The Royal Marriages That Shaped Europe, among many other books. We chat about the illustrious history of the castle, what historical events took place within its walls, and what it was like to do research in the Windsor Castle archives. British history buffs will not want to miss this episode. Windsor and William the Conqueror Windsor Castle is the oldest occupied castle in the world, but it's even more than that. As Deborah tells me in this episode of History Fan Girl, the grounds of Windsor Castle are 13 acres, so it has the feel of a town. But it's also a private residence and a window into 1,000 years of British history. It was originally picked by Saxon kings as a fortress, but in the 11th century, William the Conqueror chose it as one of nine castles to form a defensive ring outside of London. And it was chosen because of its elevation, its close proximity to the Thames, and just a day's march from the Tower of London. It started out as a very simple design, with the round tower at the heart of the castle being one of the very first structures erected. The Royal Archives of Windsor Castle Anyone who loves history can appreciate the excitement in Deborah's voice when she describes visiting the Windsor Archives. You have to, of course, first get permission to view the archives, and then you go right into the heart of the castle, climbing 200 stone steps to, as she said, “another world.” The first time she was granted permission, she was researching King George VI's experience in World War II. And having those diaries from the king opened up the royal family to the historian in a whole new way. Deborah shares some fascinating insights into the monarchy, but also shares the enthralling process of the historian at work. From William the Conqueror to King Edward The stories Deborah has researched in Windsor Castle could fill a book (in fact, they've filled several of her books). When I ask her about events that have taken place in the castle, she speaks of King Edward abdicating the throne, Queen Victoria falling in love, and King Albert passing away. She told me about how William the Conqueror began building the castle, but his grandson made it into the stone structure it is now. But perhaps no event is more significant than the signing of the Magna Carta, which happened with Windsor Castle as the backdrop. And when you're talking about 1,000 years of British history, you know there's a lot more going on than that, and Deborah is an amazing storyteller to revel in that drama. Windsor Castle: Where Britain unfolded If you can't climb the 200 steps to view the Royal Archives, the next best thing is listening to a wonderful historian like Deborah spin tales of Britain's history. In addition to all of the stories that unfolded within Windsor's walls, she gave us a sense of what architectural highlights to look for should you visit, like the dollhouse and St. George's Chapel. We also discuss Queen Victoria's legendary matchmaking skills, and Deborah's beautiful book. If you love British history, or have binged your way through The Crown on Netflix and are suffering withdrawals, you need to listen to this episode. Outline of This Episode [2:15] What Windsor Castle is like [7:22] The Windsor archives [11:34] Major events in Windsor Castle [15:25] Beginnings of the castle [22:06] Architectural highlights [25:07] Queen Victoria's matchmaking [32:07] The marriage of the tsar and tsarina [37:27] How Deborah came to write her book [40:30] Visiting Windsor Resources Mentioned Queen Victoria's Matchmaking Connect With Stephanie stephanie@historyfangirl.com https://historyfangirl.com Support Stephanie on Patreon Featuring the song “Places Unseen” by Lee Rosevere. More info and photographs for this episode at: https://historyfangirl.com/windsor-castle/  

September 14, 2017 at the Boston Athenæum. Author and historian William Kuhn discusses his recently published satirical war novel, a lighthearted work of fiction that recounts Prince Harry’s wartime experiences in Afghanistan. A former historian in the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle, Kuhn will share personal anecdotes, including his impressions of a Christmas party at Buckingham Palace.

The 150,000 documents which comprise the Stuart Papers are housed in the Royal Archives at Windsor. They give a detailed overview of the exiled Jacobite world of the 18th century. Only a small proportion, the first few years, have been published. … Continue reading →

Dr Cordula Van Wyhe (University of York) The fabric of Female Rule in Leone Leoni's statue of Mary of Hungary, c. 1555 Desmond Shawe-Taylor (Surveyor of the Queen’s Pictures) Abstracts Desmond Shawe-Taylor As part of a campaign to capture all of the information from the inventories held within the Royal Collection and Royal Archives, Royal Collection Trust is examining the comprehensive inventories of the collection made during the Regency period and at the same time considering William Henry Pyne’s The History of the Royal Residences of 1819. Together, these provide one of the most comprehensive accounts of an historic paintings collection. Accordingly, this talk provides an opportunity to stand back from what is essentially a mechanical task and examine what these inventories tell us about the display and appreciation of paintings in this period. The purpose of the session is more to ask questions and to gather feedback from the audience than to provide theories, however, a number of key themes emerge. Firstly, the way in which, within the Royal Collection, long outdated decorative schemes survive alongside completely up-to-date ones and, secondly, how Old Master paintings seem to be valued for two, often quite separate, reasons, the aesthetic and the antiquarian. This period also allows us to contrast the collection of The Prince of Wales at Carlton House with the paintings accumulated at other royal residences.