Princess of Wales curates V&A exhibit

The Princess of Wales has curated an exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s V&A East Storehouse.

Catherine created the “mini display” after her visit to the London museum’s new working store and visitor attraction.

The new “Makers and Creators” exhibit will be unveiled today. It is made up of objects the Princess selected to honour previous makers and creators to highlight “how historic objects can influence fashion, design, film, art and creativity today,” according to Kensington Palace.

Oliver Messel’s costume for the Fairy of the Woodland Glades, worn by Diana Vere in The Royal Ballet’s 1960 production of The Sleeping Beauty. Photo by David Parry for the V&A.

Catherine selected a sculpture by Clemence Dane, a Qing dynasty porcelain vase, an oil painting entitled ‘A Woman Holding a Mirror and a Rose’ by Anglo-American artist George Henry Boughton, a hand quilted bedcover, a watercolour study of a forest glade by Beatrix Potter, a childhood photograph album belonging to Potter’s father, a 15th century earthenware tile, a Morris & Co furnishing screen, and Oliver Messel’s costume for the Fairy of the Woodland Glades.

“Makers and Creators” is a first of its kind in size, scale and ambition. Catherine’s display is one of 100 that shows how unique objects can be brought together to help the viewers explore both cultural and social experiences.

According to the Palace, “V&A East Storehouse immerses visitors in over half a million works spanning every creative discipline from fashion to theatre, streetwear to sculpture, design icons to pop pioneers. A busy and dynamic working museum store with an extensive self-guided experience, V&A East Storehouse allows visitors to get up close to their national collection, be inspired and follow wherever their curiosity leads.”

The Princess visited V&A East Storehouse on 10 June for a behind-the-scenes tour by the curatorial team. There, she was able to see the working store and meet the curatorial team. Catherine also learned about what objects are collected and how they are preserved and displayed.

She also spoke to the V&A East Storehouse’s new collections access team, which consists of a locally recruited group that will help facilitate free access to any object at V&A East Storehouse.

Catherine also saw many of the objects gathered for the exhibit.

Her Royal Highness’s exhibit is on display until early 2026 as part of the V&A East Storehouse’s extensive free self-guided experience. The East Storehouse is the first of two new cultural destinations within the V&A East.

The V&A East Storehouse is open seven days a week from 10:00-18:00, except on Thursday and Saturday. On those days, it remains open until 22:00.

The Princess of Wales is the patron of the V&A Museum.