The king of collections

The Royal Collection, a record of our monarchs’ personal tastes over 500 years, is one of the last great European assemblages to remain intact, says Huon Mallalieu

- Huon Mallalieu

AS well as becoming sovereign of numerous realms, Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England, Charles III has inherited more duties than he or anyone else could easily call to mind. One likely to give him great satisfaction is the oversight of the Royal Collection. His enthusiasm for art and history is evident and his rescue of Dumfries House, turning it into an important cultural asset, bodes well for his management of the collection. His late mother may not have shared these interests to the same degree, but here, as in so much else, she was an admirable exemplar.

The Royal Collection is unlike any other assemblage of art. Although not a museum, and subject to different constraints, in terms of size, scope and quality it bears comparison to any of the world’s greatest national museums and galleries. The paintings, Leonardo drawings and Fabergé are probably what come most imme- diately to mind, being its most visible elements through exhibitions and publications, but this is a ‘collection of collections’, brought together over generations, rather than one focused on specific areas or artists.