HRH The Princess of Wales can now add ‘Curator’ to her CV — following the announcement that she has handpicked her own display at the now open V&A East Storehouse.
The Princess, who is the V&A Royal Patron, has chosen an Oliver Messel-designed costume, worn by actress Diana Vere in The Royal Ballet’s 1960 production of The Sleeping Beauty; a watercolour study of a forest glade by Peter Rabbit author Beatrix Potter; and a 17th century Qing dynasty porcelain vase from Jingdezhen, China, among other treasures.
A member of the V&A East Storehouse team carefully arranges some of the items selected by the Princess of Wales.
(Image credit: Victoria & Albert Museum)
The assortment of objects is one of more than 100 ever-changing ‘mini displays’, available to view on the sides and ends of the museum’s storage racking. A totally unique concept, V&A East Storehouse will immerse visitors among more than half a million works, spanning a multitude of creative disciplines. It will operate along the lines of a ‘working museum’ with guests encouraged to embark on an extensive, self-guided experience through the hundreds of metres of storage space. Something specific that you want to see? You’ll be able to guarantee time in front of it using the V&A’s new ‘Order an Object’ service — which is free of charge and available seven days a week.
The Princess of Wales has form when it comes to all things art and culture. She studied History of Art at the University of St Andrews, is a keen amateur photographer and earlier this year opened an interactive trail for young children at the National Portrait Gallery, intended to help support their mental and emotional development. Last month, she was given a behind-the-scenes tour by the V&A’s curatorial team who explained why certain objects are collected and how they are cared for and conserved. According to the Museum, her own ‘Makers and Creators’ display ‘brings together objects [that] celebrate past makers and creators, and show how historic objects can influence fashion, design, film, art and creativity today.’
V&A East Storehouse is open Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, 10am to 6pm, and on Thursday and Saturday, 10am to 10pm; The Princess of Wales’s curated edit is on display until early 2026