The Kingsley Collection works to document, preserve and present the visual and material culture of self-proclaimed and ephemeral monarchies of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Our growing collection consists of artifacts and documents of official or personal nature that mark monarchical rule.  It privileges the visual, symbolic, and performative elements which embody the idea of monarchy that newly-minted Kings and Emperors were keen to project. Through objects that are of direct relevance to the monarchs and to the branding they employed to publicly represent and legitimize their dignity, we hope to illustrate their experiences as newly-established monarchs.  

The collection is the heartfelt initiative of Emanuel Kingsley. Initially trained as a communications designer (Parsons School of Design), Kingsley obtained Master's degrees in Art History (City University of New York) and in Education (Columbia University), and is currently a teacher.

As a youngster, Kingsley spent endless hours in libraries, bookstores and museums, and became fascinated with the mystique of monarchy. It was a quirky aspect of monarchy—that of "ordinary" (or rather, extraordinary) people who endeavored to join the ranks of long-established kings and emperors—that most piqued his curiosity. However, it took him many years to understand that there was a unifying theme to his interests.

Kingsley's interest in heraldry is manifest in the selection of objects in this collection. He is an armiger, having been granted arms by Her Majesty's College of Arms (London) in 2022 — the last year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign. 

His fascination with the art of heraldry and the institution of monarchy led to the creation of this collection.

Currently, public access to the collection is virtual via our website or through short-term loans to museums and cultural institutions. If you are an institution and wish to secure a loan, please contact us at [email protected]. Not all objects in our collection are on display. We are actively acquiring objects, and once an adequate collection is assembled, a suitable home for it will be established. 

There is a need for an international Museum of Monarchy that would explore the history and evolution of monarchy across time and space, without approving or disapproving of the institution. Self-proclaimed, ephemeral, and adventurer-founded monarchies — our area of expertise — would comprise a key collection area therein. If you are aware of the existence of such an organization, or of a plan to establish one, we would like to take part in it. Please contact us at [email protected]g 

Help our collection grow! As a non-incorporated not-for-profit sole proprietorship with a public ethos, our allocation for acquisitions is limited. If you are passionate or merely curious about self-proclaimed or short-lived monarchies, or monarchy in general,  and you appreciate the value of our collection, please consider donating funds or pertinent artifacts. Please contact us at [email protected]
if you are interested in donating.

Please note that your contribution is not tax-deductible, as the collection does not yet have 501(c)(3) tax status in the United States.

You may email us at [email protected] with any questions, comments or information you wish to share with us.

The following are links to organizations that engage with the study of Monarchy, which may include newly-minted monarchs. 

• Centre for the Study of Modern Monarchy at Royal Holloway, University of London
• The Center for the Study of Monarchy, Traditional Governance, and Sovereignty
• Wikipedia page on self-proclaimed monarchies

Please note that these external links are provided for informational purposes. The views expressed on these external sites are not necessarily those of the Kingsley Collection, and we take no responsibility for the information contained within them.