The gallery describes the pop star as "one of the defining cultural figures of her generation".

A portrait of the pop star Charli XCX has been added to the National Portrait Gallery's collection - the same week she is aiming for her second number one album of the year. The picture, which shows the singer leaning against a wall in a white crop top and unbuttoned black jeans, was taken in 2024 by British photographer Harley Weir. It became one of the key images in the promotion of her Brat album, matching the the music's debauched swagger and emotional candour. Announcing the acquisition, the National Portrait Gallery called Charli "one of the defining artists of our time". The photo will be displayed in the gallery's History Makers Now space, which celebrates figures who have shaped contemporary culture. The purchase was funded by a gift from the Bukhman Foundation. Praising the portrait, the gallery's senior curator Brandei Estes said: "Harley Weir has developed a distinctive photographic language that combines intimacy with a powerful sense of presence. "We are delighted to acquire this striking portrait of Charli XCX, which captures one of the defining cultural figures of her generation." The star has been making music since her teenage years, but achieved mainstream crossover with 2024's Brat album