Our incredible history…

  • 1842 Talent combined

    With a groundbreaking team of writers, artists and production experts, ILN sparked a media revolution: the illustrated newspaper.

  • 1855 Content worth keeping

    We printed the first colour newspaper, making history with the latest technology. Our work is still found in museums around the world.

  • 1877 Pioneering production

    ILN has never rested on its laurels: we like to try new things. In 1877, we even patented our own printing press.

  • 1893 Engaging new audiences

    Recognising a new appetite for a lighter reading, ILN launched The Sketch, which put luxury in the hands of its readers.

  • 1914 Getting the message out

    ILN reported from the front lines of WW1: our artists and journalists travelled the war-torn world to bring stories to our readers

  • 1923 Creative Legends

    Agatha Christie published her first short stories with ILN, joining legendary contributors from Cruikshank to GK Chesterton

  • 1927 Perfect partners

    In the 1920s we united the Great Eight publications under the ILN umbrella, creating the ultimate publishing team.

  • 1942 Exclusive Access

    ILN celebrated its centenary in style, featuring an exclusive, intimate portrait of the Royal Family – as we had 100 years before.

  • 1963 Global Vision

    Life transformed in post-war Britain, and ILN joined the Thomson News Corporation, working with partners across the globe.

  • 1985 Tailor-made content

    With Orient Express magazine, ILN launched a new era of targeted content, straight from the editorial room to global luxury travellers.

  • 2003 Digital First

    New technology brought new opportunity: ILN led the way for engaging digital audiences. In 2010 we digitised our incredible archive.

  • 2017 This is ILN

    Our record is what inspires us. We are 175 years of talent combined: engaging content at the cutting edge of print and digital.

The ILN Story

ILN has been in the storytelling business for more than 170 years. From world events to heritage brands, engagement through creativity and content is what we do best

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the record reign

To mark the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II becoming the UK’s longest-reigning monarch, Illustrated London News Ltd has published this stunning, limited edition two book set of exceptional quality.

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license our archive images

After 173 years of publishing, our archive is a rare collection of historic images and articles cover two centuries of society, culture and politics. All images are available for licensing, research and marketing.

Image Licensing

illustrated first world war

Our dedicated archive platform allows readers to search and browse the ILN archive and explore content by specialist historians. For the first time in a century, our readers can uncover the war as it happened.

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we help heritage brands

We help brands and organisations to leverage their heritage through storytelling and content marketing

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©2016 Illustrated London News Ltd, 46-48 East Smithfield, London E1W 1AW, U.K. Call +44 (0) 20 7426 1010