Sir Roy Strong donates his archive to the Bodleian Library

"The celebrated writer, museum director and chronicler of British cultural life, Sir Roy Strong is donating his archive to the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford. This archive comprises of personal material, letters and manuscripts relating to a distinguished career in the arts which began in 1967 when, aged just 32, he became the youngest Director of the National Portrait Gallery. His remarkable and comprehensive archive includes manuscripts of his many books on historical, cultural and artistic subjects; personal diaries including the ones covering the period between 1967 and 1987 which caused a sensation when published in 1997 and letters from illustrious society figures including Gianni Versace, Antonia Fraser, Sir Frederick Ashton, the late Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Sir Hugh Casson, Lady Diana Cooper and Sir Cecil Beaton. His letters also include complete runs of correspondence with close friends who made a great impact on his life such as his history teacher at his grammar school with whom he kept in touch between 1953 and 2002 and a Dutch academic friend with whom he exchanged correspondence from 1959 to 1985"