This summer, the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace will open their doors to a remarkable display of art. A special exhibition titled The King’s Tour Artists will showcase over 70 works of art from His Majesty The King’s personal collection – many of which are being revealed to the public for the very first time.
Luke Martineau, Balsamand Palace, 2010. © Luke Martineau Photograph: Royal
Collection Trust
The exhibition celebrates a unique royal tradition spanning four decades, in which an artist has been invited to accompany overseas royal tours. This initiative began in the spring of 1985 when the then Prince of Wales personally invited British artist John Ward to join a royal visit to Italy. With a simple but inspiring brief – to capture whatever moved him – Ward’s participation marked the beginning of a deeply personal and ongoing artistic journey. Since then, 42 artists have joined 69 royal tours, collectively visiting 95 countries and capturing the essence of these journeys through their own creative lenses.
Each artist was selected and funded directly by His Majesty, continuing his enduring support for the arts. This initiative has provided both established and emerging artists a rare opportunity to experience and record royal travel firsthand, resulting in a dynamic body of work that reflects the tone, atmosphere, and character of the countries visited—often in ways far more emotive and nuanced than photographs could convey.
Warwick Fuller, Waratah and Eucalyptus, Australian National Botanic Gardens, 2024. © Warwick Fuller Photograph: Royal Collection Trust.
Displayed in the Palace’s Ballroom, the works represent a handpicked selection from the King’s private collection. From sun-drenched landscapes to intimate moments behind the grandeur of state visits, the exhibition offers an evocative window into the life and legacy of royal tours through the eyes of the artists who lived them.
Works will include those from Susannah Fiennes (who produced pieces of HMY Britannia during the 1997 visit to Hong Kong when Charles represented Elizabeth II for the handover to China), Paul Reid (who captured the 2004 tour to Italy, Turkey and Jordan), Colin Watson (who work is from the tour to Japan, Brunei and Indonesia in 2008).
Phillip Butah, Elephant Sanctuary, 2023. © Phillip Butah Photograph: Royal
Collection Trust
Recent paintings will include those of Phillip Butah, who accompanied Their Majesties during their State Visit to Kenya in 2023 and Warwick Fuller who joined the royal visit to Australia and Samoa in 2024.
Kate Heard, curator of The King’s Tour Artists said: ‘This fascinating group of works tells the story of forty years of official travel and artistic patronage. The freedom given to each artist to capture a personal impression of the countries visited has led to the formation of a rich and varied collection. Encompassing landscapes, figure studies and still life subjects, these works are testament to His Majesty’s deep engagement with and encouragement of artists over the past four decades.’
John Ward, From the Afterdeck of HMY Britannia, 1985. © The Estate of the Artist. Photograph: Royal
Collection Trust
Accompanying the exhibition is an illustrated publication, The Art of Royal Travel: Journeys with The King. With over 100 images and personal recollections from the artists themselves, the book provides a rich, behind-the-scenes narrative of these royal journeys, giving readers a unique insight into how art and diplomacy have quietly intertwined through decades of travel.
The Earl of Rosslyn (Lord Steward and Personal Secretary to The King and Queen), who conceived and edited The Art of Royal Travel: Journeys with The King, said: ‘By inviting an artist to join a royal tour in 1985, The King started a tradition that has continued unbroken to the current day. Some were at the start of their careers, others more established, but when interviewed for this book all were united in gratitude for the memorable artistic adventure it represented, knowing also that they were working for someone in sympathy with the artistic craft, a patron of the arts and a passionate advocate for cultural life.’
Richard Foster, Their Royal Highnesses on North Seymour Island, 2009. ©Richard Foster. Photograph: Royal Collection Trust
The King’s Tour Artists exhibition will be included as part of a visit to the Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace, 10th July – 28th September 2025.
