Eugenie’s announcement of her Instagram series comes just days after it was revealed that she will star in a landmark documentary on ITV1, broadcast at the end of this month. My National Gallery will explore the iconic institution’s history and future through the personal stories of its staff and most famous visitors. The programme, which has been made to celebrate 200 years since the London gallery first opened in 1824, will feature an interview with the Princess, as well as chats with a host of other famous faces.
A photograph of the youngest York sister has been released to promote the show, which showed the Princess standing alongside one particular artwork, which she has chosen as it particularly resonates with her. The piece is Antonio da Correggio’s ‘The Madonna of the Basket’, painted in around 1524: the scene shows the Virgin Mary with Christ on her lap, with Joseph in the background, at work in his trade as a carpenter. ‘The holy family’s simple home has been built alongside grandiose ruins – a symbol of the new faith rising out of the wreckage of pagan antiquity,’ reads the National Gallery’s description. ‘The picture is a soft harmony of grey-pinks and grey-blues with the gentle, smoky quality for which Correggio is famous.’
Royal fans will have to wait until My National Gallery airs on 30 December to find out exactly why this painting has captured the imagination of the Princess – but as a mother of two, one can imagine that Eugenie relates to the sweet portrayal of family unity. The Princess will be joined by other celebrities on the show, including Claudia Winkleman, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and Jacqueline Wilson, who will each discuss their favourite works and their significance.
‘We are delighted to have such a great film about the National Gallery on its 200th birthday. [It is] a real Christmas treat,’ said controller of factual at ITV, Jo Clinton-Davis, before comparing the show to last year’s widely praised film, Vermeer – the Greatest Exhibition. With a senior role at one of the world’s most prestigious galleries, a TV appearance and now a social media series to her name, it’s clear that Princess Eugenie appears to be hitting a new high when it comes to her art career.