rincess Helena Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, who was the third daughter of Queen Victoria, started the Royal School of Needlework in 1872. The Royal connection continues to this day with Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II as the current Patron and Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester as President.

he Royal School of Needlework was started in order to provide acceptable employment for educated women of limited financial means and to improve the standard of art in needlework. The RSN was originally named the School of Art Needlework with the Royal prefix being granted in 1876; the word Art was dropped from the title in 1922.

rom modest beginnings in an apartment above a bonnet shop in Sloane Square, Knightsbridge, the RSN had outgrown three premises in as many years and decided to embark upon construction of an ambitious new building designed to display furnishings, as well as to accommodate the School. In 1899 King Edward VII laid the foundation stone for this and eventually opened the purpose built building on its completion in 1903.

y this time numbers within the RSN had risen markedly from the original twenty young embroiderers to 150. The achievements of the Royal School of Needlework had gained recognition from significant artistic authorities including William Morris and his daughter May, who came to teach at the RSN, Edward Burne-Jones and Walter Crane. With this recognition came a growth in prestige, at home and abroad, arousing particular interest among American designers. It is thought that the Royal School of Needlework inspired Candice Wheeler to found the Women’s Society of Decorative Art in New York, early in 1887.

he enormous social and economic changes following the two World Wars caused inevitable disruption to the finances and structure of the RSN. Re-organisation meant cutting back in some directions and adding new ideas in others. The expansion of the Lingerie Department between the wars proved popular with those who could still afford the exquisite hand workmanship. Shortly after World War II it became untenable for the RSN to continue on the same scale as before, and it moved to Princes Gate closing the Furnishing and Lingerie Departments; the cost of handwork was now too high and quality of manufactured clothing was much improved.

t the new address the RSN reverted to its original concept of teaching embroidery in all its forms, including the Apprenticeship. The Studio, or Workroom as it was then known, continued to repair and conserve historical works and to create new designs and interpretations.

n August 1987 the RSN moved to apartments on the East Front of Hampton Court Palace. Goldwork Ceremonial, Ecclesiastical and Traditional hand embroidery techniques work, have been taught and practised by the RSN for more than a century and we remain world leaders in traditional and contemporary stitch. Princess Christian’s aim was “to restore ornamental needlework to the high place it once held among the decorative arts …” and the RSN continues to strive in upholding this level of excellence.