National Portrait Gallery reopens after three years

Media caption,

Behind-the-scenes ahead of the gallery's reopening

At a glance

  • The National Portrait Gallery, closed since 2020, is reopening after a revamp

  • The Princess of Wales, Tracey Emin and Sir Paul McCartney marked the occasion

  • The gallery will be opening to the public later this week

  • Published

The Princess of Wales met Sir Paul McCartney and Tracey Emin to mark the National Portrait Gallery's reopening after a £41m facelift.

Emin has designed new doors for the central London gallery depicting 45 hand-drawn female portraits which have been cast in bronze.

A collection of Sir Paul's personal photographs taken between 1963 and 1964 is due to go on show in the gallery on 28 June.

The gallery will be opening to the public later this week.

Image source, National Portrait Gallery
Image caption,

The Contemporary Collection at the West Wing

Emin said: "When I arrived, I was anxious.

"There was all these other things that were on my mind, and I totally forgot about the doors!

"So when I came up, I gasped - it was a big surprise and that lifted my energy."

Sir Paul and his wife Nancy Shevell met the princess to discuss his upcoming exhibition.

Kate waved to crowds gathered outside the gallery as she departed.

Nicholas Cullinan, director of the gallery, said the princess was "fantastic" and "really passionate".

He added: "To have a senior member of the Royal Family that really cares about culture, museums, art and is knowledgeable and supportive is such a great thing for this country."

Opened in 1856, the National Portrait Gallery moved to its current location off Trafalgar Square 40 years later. It houses over 11,000 portraits of historically famous and important British people in its Primary Collection.

Image source, National Portrait Gallery
Image caption,

The Princess of Wales met Tracey Emin ahead of the opening

Image source, Nation Portrait Gallery
Image caption,

Emin designed the doors featuring 45 female portraits

Image source, National Portrait Gallery
Image caption,

After a tour, Kate Middleton spoke to Paul McCartney and his wife Nancy Shevell about his upcoming exhibition

Image source, Nissen Richards Studio
Image caption,

The Tudor Gallery, featuring Lady Margaret Beaufort by Meynnart Wewyck, loaned by St John's College, Cambridge

Image source, Olivier Hess
Image caption,

A look into the Romantics display through to Queen Victoria by Sir George Hayter

Image source, Nissen Richards Studio
Image caption,

The Art, Science and Society display

Image source, Jim Stephenson
Image caption,

The Blavatnik Wing