Art lovers will get a new close-up view of one of Britain's greatest collections from Friday when pieces kept at Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II's London residence, will be better displayed to the public.
The paintings by Rubens, Van Dyck, Canaletto and others usually hang in the Picture Gallery, one of the palace’s state rooms often used for grand events.
But the old masters’ artworks were cleared out during renovations and moved to a different part of the royal household in London, into the more modern exhibition space of the Queen’s Gallery.
While tourists may have previously spotted the paintings from afar during palace tours, they will now be able to view them up closer with fewer distractions, said Desmond Shawe-Taylor, surveyor of the queen's pictures.
“What this does is bring the paintings down to eye level, put them in stronger lighting in a modern gallery setting and just allow you to focus on them and nothing else,” he said.
The palace is undergoing a 10-year refit to replace ageing electrical wiring, boilers and other infrastructure, a programme that will cost about £370 million ($500m) and is scheduled to finish in 2027.
As part of the work, the 200-year-old roof of the Picture Gallery will be replaced and all its paintings have been removed for the first time in almost 45 years.
The show Masterpieces from Buckingham Palace runs until January 31, 2022.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
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- Duration: Can linger for days
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UAE v United States, T20 International Series
Both matches at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free.
1st match: Friday, 2pm
2nd match: Saturday, 2pm
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Amjad Gul, CP Rizwan, Mohammed Boota, Abdul Shakoor, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
USA squad: Saurabh Netravalkar (captain), Jaskaran Malhotra, Elmore Hutchinson, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Jannisar Khan, Xavier Marshall, Monank Patel, Timil Patel, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor, Hayden Walsh
MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 0 Wolves 2 (Jimenez 3', Saiss 6)
Man of the Match Romain Saiss (Wolves)
