The Royal Collection Trust – the charitable organisation responsible for the art collection of the British Royal Family – has named Tim Knox as its new director.

The Queen has appointed Knox to the position from 2018, with the Trust also responsible for Queen’s official residences that are open to the public.

Between 1989 and 1995, Knox was assistant curator at the Royal Institute of British Architects Drawings Collection. He joined the National Trust as its architectural historian and in 2002 became the body’s head curator.

From 2005 to 2013 he was director of Sir John Soane's Museum in London, before joining Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum – a position he will hold until the end of the year.

The Royal Collection Trust has a full schedule for 2018, starting with Charles II: Art & Power, which starts on 8 December and runs through to 13 May at the Queen’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace.

From 8 June to 14 October, the palace will host Splendours of the Subcontinent: A Prince's Tour of India 1875–6 before Splendours of the Subcontinent: Four centuries of South Asian Paintings and Manuscripts, which runs from 8 June to 14 October.

From 9 November, Buckingham Palace will host two exhibitions on Russian art and photography, running through to 28 April 2019.

A full lineup is also set for the Palace of Holyroodhouse and an end-of-year Christmas event is set for Windsor Castle.