Royal Collection Trust / PA Media
It's considered one of the top jobs in the art world, but Desmond Shawe-Taylor might well be the last ever Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures, as per a report in
The Royal Collection confirmed as much to the newspaper, explaining that the move was part of a restructuring process: 'As part of the Royal Collection Trust restructure, Desmond Shawe-Taylor, surveyor of the Queen’s pictures and chief surveyor, and Rufus Bird, surveyor of the Queen’s works of art, will leave the organisation under the voluntary severance programme.
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'The posts of surveyor of the Queen’s pictures and surveyor of the Queen’s works of art will, for the time being, be lost and held in abeyance. The director of the Royal Collection, Tim Knox, will assume overall responsibility for the curatorial sections, supported by the deputy surveyors of pictures and works of art.'