This website presents our knowledge and research on this important aspect of the Royal Collection. As of April 2026 it will not be regularly updated and new research on this topic will sit within the main website.

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Glass plate negatives

Albert and Victoria’s collection of glass plate negatives show photographers’ working methods

Memorial works

      Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's marriage lasted 21 years until his premature death in 1861. Throughout their lives together, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert collected and commissioned art to celebrate their relationship, family and shared history. In her enduring grief, Queen Victoria continued this tradition, regularly commissioning new photographs, artworks and monuments that memorialised Prince Albert.

      Mourning portraits

      Whilst in mourning, Victoria commissioned photographic portraits to memorialise Albert and disseminate her image during her absence from public life

      Memorial sculpture and architecture

      Victoria commissioned many photographs that documented memorial works to Albert following his death

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      Royal 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.