Greek women from BL Royal 18 D II, f. 160

Detail of a miniature of Greek women journeying to Thebes. Image taken from f. 160 of Troy Book, Siege of Thebes, Testament and The reignes of the kyngis of England; A Treatise between Information and Truth; On the Death of the Earl of Northumberland; Le assemble de dyeus; Descent of the Lords Percy.

The BL Royal Manuscript Collection, also known as the Royal Collection, consists of over 2,000 manuscripts that were once owned by the British monarchs, including English and later British kings and queens from the late 12th to the 19th centuries. These manuscripts are notable for their historical and artistic value.

The collection was initially stored in various royal libraries and palaces, such as the Tower of London and Westminster Palace. During the English Civil War in the 17th century and the subsequent Interregnum, many royal treasures, including manuscripts, were dispersed and sold. Some manuscripts were lost, destroyed, or ended up in private hands.

In 1757, King George II donated the Old Royal Library to the British Museum (which later became the British Library), where the manuscripts were integrated into the museum's collections. This marked the formal establishment of the Royal Manuscript Collection within the British Museum.