The Princess of Wales has turned into a cultural curator, working with the V&A East Storehouse to put together a ‘Makers and Creators’ exhibit tying the past with the world of modern arts.
Kensington Palace announced that Catherine, who serves as Royal Patron of the V&A Museum, has put together an exhibit that will be on display through early 2026.
Among the pieces Catherine chose to display include a forest glade watercolour painting by famed children’s author Beatrix Potter; a Royal Ballet costume from their 1960 production of The Sleeping Beauty designed by Oliver Messel and worn by Diana Vere as the Fairy of the Woodland Glades; a Welsh hand-quilted bedcover made between 1830-1840; a Qing dynasty porcelain vase made between 1662-1722; a sculpture by Clemence Dane; the oil painting ‘A Woman Holding a Mirror and a Rose’ by George Henry Boughton; an earthenware tile dating to the 15th century, which features a design of interlacing bands from Somerset’s South Cadbury Church; and a Morris & Co. furnishing screen dating to the mid-1880s.
Princess of Wales’s Display at the V&A East Storefront Photo: V&A Press OfficeThe Princess of Wales’s display is meant to show how “individual, unique objects can come together to create a collective whole that helps us to explore our social and cultural experiences, and the role we play in the wider tapestry of life,” per the V&A Museum.
Her display will be ‘hacked’ into storage racking and is one of over 100 such displays that will showcase the vast collections stored within the V&A East Storehouse.
The future queen paid a visit to the V&A East Storehouse in June, which removes the barrier and allows the wider public the chance to see more of the pieces stored within the V&A Museum complex.
At the time, Catherine said, “What an opportunity for everyone to see these historic pieces. It’s so eclectic. And all parts of the process of displaying and curating.”