Royal Portrait

The Bank marked the Queen's Golden Jubilee with an exhibition celebrating the connection between the institution and the monarch.

The Bank's founding charter bears the Great Seal of King William III and Queen Mary and the joint monarchs headed the list of investors in the revolutionary new project, a national bank of England. And that connection continues. Since 1946 members of the Court of Directors, the Bank's governing body, have been appointed by the monarch and, most significantly, the connection continues with the royal portrait which has appeared on and enhanced the nation's banknotes for more than forty years. The exhibition included banknotes bearing the royal portrait and Bank material associated with the monarchy such as the Distinguished Visitors Book. The exhibition concluded with a facsimile of the Bank's Loyal Address which was presented to the Queen on 21st March 2002.

Back to past exhibitions