Geoffrey de Bellaigue

Who was Geoffrey de Bellaigue?

Sir Geoffrey de Bellaigue, GCVO, FBA, FSA was Surveyor of the Queen's Works of Art from 1972 to 1996. His was the first full-time appointment to the office, and he did much to professionalise the Royal Collection department after being made the Director of the Royal Collection in 1988.

De Bellaigue was born in 1931, son of Viscount Pierre de Bellaigue and Marie-Antoinette Willemin, and was educated at Wellington College, and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he obtained a BA in 1954. He also attended the École du Louvre. From 1954–59, de Bellaigue worked for J Henry Schroeder and Co., and later joined the National Trust and worked for them at Waddesdon Manor 1960-63, where he was Keeper of Collection 1962-1963.

He joined the Royal Household in 1963, as Deputy Surveyor of the Queen's Works of Art. In 1972 he was promoted to Surveyor of the Queen's Works of Art, and from 1996 was Surveyor Emeritus. He held the positions of Surveyor of the Queen's Works of Art and Director of the Royal Collection concurrently from 1988–96.