BENDIGO.- Tudors to Windsors traces the history of the British monarchy through the outstanding collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London. This exhibition highlights major events in British (and world) history from the sixteenth century to the present, examining the ways in which royal portraits were impacted by both the personalities of individual monarchs and wider historical change.

Australian audiences have an extraordinary opportunity to come face-to-face with the fascinating figures of British royalty, and explore the story of Britain’s monarchy through masterworks of painting, sculpture and photography.

Presenting some of the most significant royal portraits, Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits explores five royal dynasties: the Tudors, the Stuarts, the Georgians, the Victorians and the Windsors; shedding light on key figures and important historical moments. Among the many works on view are portraits of King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, King George III, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge.

Jacinta Allan, Member for Bendigo East, said: “The Tudors to Windsors exhibition will draw thousands of local royal enthusiasts to the Goldfields region which is great for local business.

“We’re bringing these exhibitions and major events to regional Victoria so the entire state can reap the economic benefits that come from being Australia’s major events, sports and culture capital.”

Bendigo Art Gallery is one of Australia’s largest regional galleries. Over the last decade and with a major expansion in 2014, the gallery has delivered a series of outstanding international exhibitions including Grace Kelly: Style Icon, Bendigo Art Gallery and Twentieth Century Fox Present Marilyn Monroe, Undressed: 350 Years of Underwear in Fashion (in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum) and The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greece (in collaboration with the British Museum) to name a few.

Dr. Nicholas Cullinan, Director, National Portrait Gallery, London, said, “Royal portraits have long held a special place in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London. Drawn almost entirely from the Gallery’s collections, this unprecedented exhibition provides visitors to the Bendigo Art Gallery with the opportunity to encounter some of history’s most fascinating personalities as well as many of the most accomplished portraits produced in the last five hundred years. I am delighted that this exhibition will tour internationally, bringing the Gallery’s collections to new audiences.”

Karen Quinlan, Director, Bendigo Art Gallery, said, “We are delighted to work with the National Portrait Gallery of London to bring this unparalleled collection of British Royal Portraits to Australia. This exhibition presents an opportunity for our audience to experience works by significant artists commencing in the era of Hans Holbein, through to the 21st century with artists such as Chris Levine and Annie Leibovitz.

“Artists such as Sir Joshua Reynolds, Lord Snowdon, Andy Warhol and Cecil Beaton will be featured as this extraordinary collection reveals a British narrative depicted by some of the most prominent international artists over a 500 year period from the medieval times of Henry Tudor through to the current House of Windsor.”

To bring these royal figures to life, Bendigo Art Gallery has secured key loans of historic fashion and personal effects which are being featured alongside these magnificent and imposing portraits.