A former Gwent Young People’s Theatre member has been appointed as the chief curator of the Historic Royal Palaces (HRP), the independent charity responsible for six of the UK’s most iconic palaces—including Kensington Palace, Hampton Court Palace, and the Tower of London

Eleri Lynn - a renowned expert in fashion history and textiles, award-winning author, and accomplished curator will lead HRP’s curatorial team, overseeing research and presentation of its world-class palaces and collections.

Eleri has dedicated her career to exploring fashion history, image-making, and the power of dress as a form of communication. Her special interests include inclusive storytelling and research, the intersection between fashion and politics and the performance of power through dress in the Tudor court. Lynn shares HRP’s commitment to ensuring the rich and diverse histories the charity’s six sites and 60,000-strong collection are explored, sharing the stories of the palaces, and ensuring overlooked histories are brought to light.

As chief curator, she will guide HRP’s curatorial team in researching and presenting these extraordinary historic sites and collections, ensuring their stories continue to inspire audiences worldwide. She will also spearhead innovative exhibitions and curatorial projects that celebrate the rich and complex histories of these palaces.

This appointment marks Eleri’s return to Historic Royal Palaces, where she previously served as curator of collections from 2013-2021. During her tenure, she curated landmark exhibitions including Diana: Her Fashion Story and The Lost Dress of Elizabeth I, the latter showcasing her work on the Bacton Altar Cloth, a rare survival of Elizabethan court dress. She also oversaw the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, one of the world’s most significant holdings of historic fashion, comprising 10,000 items of historic dress and related materials.

Her career spans some of the UK’s most prestigious cultural institutions. She spent a decade at the Victoria and Albert Museum, contributing to blockbuster exhibitions such as Savage Beauty: Alexander McQueen and The Golden Age of Couture. Most recently, she led the exhibitions and international touring strategy for Museums Wales, overseeing programming across seven national sites.

Adrian Phillips, Director of Palaces & Collections at Historic Royal Palaces, said: "Eleri is an exceptional curator with a passion for bringing history to life. Her expertise, creative vision, and commitment to inclusive storytelling make her the perfect leader to guide our curatorial team into the future."

On her appointment, Eleri Lynn said: "It’s an honour to take on this role at Historic Royal Palaces. These palaces and their remarkable collections hold some of the most fascinating stories in British history, and I look forward to working with the team to share them with new audiences in fresh and exciting ways."

A former member of Abergavenny-based GYPT Lynn is a fluent Welsh speaker and writing in a publication marking the group’s 50th anniversary she credited the theatre company with giving her the confidence to further her own career saying she still felt the benefits of its training.

“ In my career today I feel the benefits. I have to give lectures frequently and I can still rely on the skills and confidence I developed at GYPT.”