It seems diamonds are a monarch’s best friend and next year visitors can explore never-before-seen treasures at The Kings Gallery.
Royal Jewellery: From Coronations to Keepsakes will open at the Buckingham Palace gallery on 25th June 2027 and run for nine months, closing on 19th March 2028. The exhibition is said to be the first to explore 500 years of British royal jewellery, bringing together more than 300 pieces dating from the 16th century to the present day.
Many items will be displayed publicly for the first time, including pieces worn by Henry VIII, Charles II, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II and more. Tickets will go on sale on 3rd November 2026.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a book of the same name, hailed as the first comprehensive study of the British royal jewellery collection, available for visitors to buy.
What can visitors expect
Visitors can expect to see items from some of the most celebrated jewellery houses in the world, including Garrard & Co, Cartier, Boucheron and Fabergé throughout the exhibition. Alongside these pieces, visitors will see historic paintings, jewellery designs and documents from the Royal Collection.
Some of the highlights will include:
- Diamond Diadem, made for George IV’s coronation. This is a silver and gold-lined crown surmounted by four crosses-pattée, 1,333 diamonds and with pearls encrusted.
- Queen Victoria’s Small Diamond Crown, which was closely associated with the monarch and placed on her coffin during her lying in state.
- A Fabergé aquamarine and diamond pendant given to the future Queen Elizabeth II by her grandmother Queen Mary. Created in 1909, this was originally a gift from King George V to his wife, Queen Mary who later passed it onto Queen Elizabeth.
- A diamond sapphire brooch given to Queen Victoria by Albert on the eve of their wedding.
- Greville emerald and diamond necklace, part of Dame Margaret Greville’s celebrated bequest to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. This necklace has been worn by many members of the royal family including Queen Camilla.
- Visitors will also see jewellery linked to Charles I after his execution, including the cufflinks he is said to have worn on the scaffold (a wooden platform formerly used for public executions). These were supposedly handed to his supporters after his death and will be shown publicly for the first time next year.
The crown jewels won’t feature in the exhibition and will remain in the Tower of London.
Beyond the sparkle
Many of the items on show will explore the lives of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, displaying jewellery from their courtship, marriage, adulthood and later bereavement.
Co-curators of the exhibit, Caroline de Guitaut and Kathryn Jones, said: “Each jewel carries with it a human story: of love and loss, power and politics, family and faith.
“Together, they have borne witness to the defining moments of royal lives and offer a deeply personal insight into the individuals and relationships that have shaped the monarchy across generations.”
Tickets, bookings and more
Exhibition tickets go on sale on 3rd November.
Tickets will be available for groups of up to 15 via the website.
Alternatively, for larger groups or private viewings, organisers will need to contact the Ticket Sales and Information Office on 030 3123 7321.
