Visit to the National Portrait Gallery

24^th February 2026

On a winter’s morning in February, 13 of us met at the National Portrait Gallery with much anticipation to have a private tour of a selection of artworks within the gallery.

David Lloyd, who is an experienced City, Camden and Westminster guide led us on his “Highlights Tour” – taking in around 15 works of art from the Tudors to the present day, looking at monarchs and medics, prime ministers and protestors, poets and playwrights and or course writers and musicians.  From Shakespeare to the Suffragettes – paintings and occasional sculptures – by the most famous portrait artists in our history – Van Dyke, Kneller, Hogarth, Reynolds, Lawrence, Millais and Singer Sargent.

David is a hugely knowledgeable guide, and we learnt a great deal.  One of the saddest stories being the portraits of Lord Horatio Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton hanging side by side.  In his will, Nelson stated that she should be “provided for” after his death, but as we know, she died in poverty in Calais in 1805, having been largely ignored by the government and Nelson’s family.

After the tour, which we so enjoyed, we adjourned to Cote St Martin’s Lane – just a short walk away - and had a delicious lunch with lots of chat.

The National Portrait Gallery was refurbished during Covid and is such a wonderful place to visit at one’s leisure.

by Camilla Hooper