- Introduction
- Visits and events (UK)
- Visits and events (overseas)
- Investitures
- International media in the UK
- Filming and photography policy
- Interviews
Introduction
These pages provide guidance for UK and international members of the media who wish to cover Royal events.
Media teams
Royal media arrangements are managed by three separate teams:
The Royal Communications Team
The Royal Communications Team - based at Buckingham Palace - deal with media logistics and enquiries relating to The King and Queen, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, The Princess Royal, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, The Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra. The team is also responsible for releasing the annual Sovereign Grant financial report.
Contact: [email protected]
X: @royalfamily
Instagram: @theroyalfamily
Facebook: The Royal Family
YouTube: @TheRoyalFamilyChannel
Kensington Palace Communications Team
The Prince and Princess of Wales have their own communications team, based at Kensington Palace.
Contact: [email protected].
X: @KensingtonRoyal
Instagram: @princeandprincessofwales
The Royal Collection Trust Press Office
The Royal Collection Trust’s Press Office welcomes media enquiries about the public opening and history of the royal palaces and residences, exhibitions at The Queen’s Galleries in London and Edinburgh, and works of art in the Royal Collection.
Instagram: @royalcollectiontrust
Facebook: The Royal Collection Trust
YouTube: @RoyalCollectionTrust
Information and announcements
Royal visits and events are announced periodically in our Royal Diary section. An operational note with details about the engagement is released approximately 5-10 days prior to the event by Royal Communications.
Press releases, with the exception of those under embargo, are made available in the media centre immediately upon release.
Visits and events (UK)
Members of the media wishing to attend Royal visits and events in the UK should contact Royal Communications.
Most Royal engagements in the UK operate under a Royal Rota System; a group of stills photographers, broadcast media and print journalists affiliated to the following organisations:
- News Media Association (NMA)
- Wire Picture Agency (WPA)
- Council of Photographic News Agencies Limited (CPNA)
- Independent Photographers Association (IPA)
- UK Broadcast (BBC, Sky News and ITN)
All Royal Rota material is made available to regional and national media, as well as overseas media when appropriate.
Furthermore photographs and videos can be taken on behalf of host organisations for private circulation, for in-house magazines and, in certain circumstances and by prior agreement with Royal Communications, in trade and specialist papers, or an organisation’s website/social media channels. More information can be found here:
Download host photography information pack
Limited fixed point media facilities are usually provided for non-rota media. Positions are often allocated by either the host organisation or, on occasion, Royal Communications. Operational notes provide further details.
Visits and events (overseas)
Royal Communications assists in the provision of media facilities in countries hosting State Visits (or Realms hosting Royal visits by their Sovereign) and offers appropriate administrative arrangements for the British media covering the visit, in conjunction with the relevant British Embassy or High Commission; in the case of Realms, arrangements are made in consultation with the federal and provincial government media coordinators.
An operational note detailing media facilities and administrative arrangements including accreditation, accommodation and transport is issued by Royal Communications ahead of an overseas visit.
Members of the media wishing to attend State Visits and Royal tours overseas should contact Royal Communications in the first instance.
The guidelines on photography and filming during State Visits/overseas tours are the same as those for visits in the UK.
Investitures
British Ceremonial Arts (BCA) is contracted to film inside Royal Residences during Investiture ceremonies, and occasionally at other Royal events, such as State Banquets.
Investiture footage can be released for broadcast purposes, provided the recipient has given their permission. Please contact BCA for further information.
A media position is available for members of the Royal Rota, and on occasion, other accredited press, to interview and/or photograph recipients (who have given their permission) with their awards after the Investiture ceremony. Should media like to use this facility they must contact Royal Communications in advance.
International media in the UK
International photographers, reporters and television crews who wish to cover Royal engagements in the UK, or who are researching documentaries or books on Royal subject matter should contact Royal Communications.
International media who want to cover major Royal ceremonial occasions should contact their umbrella organisation, such as the Foreign Press Association or the European Broadcasting Union, in the first instance.
Filming and photography policy
Royal Communications deals with all filming requests relating to programmes on the Royal Family and the Royal Household, including certain filming facilities within the occupied Royal Palaces (Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the State Rooms at St James's Palace) and Royal ceremonies both inside and outside the occupied Royal Palaces.
These requests can range from a landmark documentary series to a feature on the Changing of the Guard.
There is a wide range of photographic and video footage relating to the British Monarchy and the Royal Family, past and present.
It should be noted that, in the case of some archive material, re-broadcasting extracts depends on the approval of Royal Communications, which will decide each case on its individual merits in consultation with the copyright holder.
Permission for the re-use of extracts from previous Christmas Messages is rarely given.
Please note that we are unable to supply images of members of the Royal Family for commercial reprographic purposes.
Filming requests should be submitted to Royal Communications. For further details please refer to the Media information pack - filming policy.
Please note that all media requests relating to The Prince and Princess of Wales and their family should be directed to the Kensington Palace Press Office, and filming requests relating exclusively to the Royal Collection Trust, The Queen's Galleries and to the public opening of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse should be directed to the Royal Collection Trust.
Interviews
Interviews with members of the Royal Family for press or broadcast media are relatively rare. However, due consideration is given to all requests by bona fide organisations for interviews with members of the Royal Family to talk about their work and related issues.
Requests for interviews must be submitted in written form to Royal Communications with a detailed explanation of the reason for the interview, its intended focus and areas of questioning, the proposed interviewer and any other supporting information such as recording deadline. Royal diaries are booked weeks, if not months in advance, so at least three weeks' notice should be given.
Some members of the Royal Family will give written interviews, or write occasional articles under their own name.
