PERSONAL PAPERS REVEAL PRIVATE LIVES OF THE HANOVARIANS

Personal papers of the Hanoverian Kings and their consorts, publicly available for the first time, offer a unique glimpse into the private thoughts and feelings of 18th and 19th century monarchy.

In Phase III of the Georgian Papers Programme, a further 10,000 pages of material from the later Georgian period have been digitally scanned and published online, available free for anyone to access at www.royalcollection.org.uk/georgianpapers. This follows on from the 50,000 pages released in two phases since its launch, making a total of 60,000 pages publically accessible so far.

Papers released offer an unprecedented insight into the mind of William IV, whose reign is often overshadowed by the unprecedented political change of the time. William IV’s personal papers include his own report of a visit to New York when under siege in the American War of Independence and a letter to his father George III in which he reflects on the ‘terrible course of life’ led by his brother The Prince of Wales. Also included is his last will and testament, detailing the money and effects he left to both his wife Queen Adelaide and the children born from his long relationship with the actress Mrs Jordan.

The papers also include letters from George III about his long bouts of illness and a deeply personal account in his own hand of The King and Queen’s ‘blow’ and ‘distress’ following the death of their beloved son Octavius. Letters between Queen Charlotte and her children include a lengthy plea from the then Prince of Wales for The Queen’s support for a Regency.

Queen Charlotte’s diary offers detailed accounts of the family’s day to day life, including significant events such as the family’s first public outing following George III’s recovery from his first bout of illness. Queen Charlotte writes, ‘…the Kgs first appearance at a Public entertainment since His Illness, & His reception was beyond the possibility of my pen to express, but such as must have convinced Him of the greatest loyalty of His Subjects.’

The papers include the ‘commonplace books’ of Lady Augusta Murray, whose marriage to George III’s son, Prince Augustus Frederick, was quickly declared illegitimate. The scrapbooks of quotations, writings and speeches offer a previously unseen insight into the feelings of the woman who bore him two children.

The Georgian Papers Programme (GPP) is a partnership between Royal Collection Trust, lead academic partner King’s College London and international institutions, including primary U.S. partners the Omohundro Institute of Early American History & Culture and William & Mary, as well as other key U.S. organisations such as the Library of Congress, Mount Vernon and the Sons of the American Revolution.

With Her Majesty’s full authority, the project is part of Royal Collection Trust’s objective to increase public access to and understanding of primary source material held in the collection. It follows the success of the digitisation of Queen Victoria’s journals in 2012, which has encouraged wide public appreciation.

The Georgian Papers Programme’s academic partners have established a series of more than 50 visiting postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate fellowships and five visiting professorships, based at the Royal Archives to support the programme over the coming years.

Since 1912, the papers have been stored, with restricted physical access, within the Royal Archives in Windsor Castle’s Round Tower. In 2016 the Round Tower floor was refitted to allow the digitisation, cataloguing and conservation work for the Georgian Papers Programme to begin. Further refurbishments created a new research room, open five days a week, increasing capacity to support external research from 500 hours a year to 6000 hours a year, a twelve-fold increase.

THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE TO UNVEIL PATRON’S TRAIL AND VISIT ‘VICTORIAN GIANTS’ EXHIBITION AT THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

London

Wednesday 28th February, 2018

The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron of the National Portrait Gallery, will visit the exhibition Victorian Giants: The Birth of Art Photography. Forming the Gallery’s first Patron’s Trail, Her Royal Highness has selected images from the exhibition for which she has written personal captions that will be displayed alongside the photographs. The Duchess of Cambridge has also written a foreword to the exhibition catalogue (see below). On the 28th February, Her Royal Highness will take a tour of the exhibition and then meet lenders and supporters in the Gallery’s Ondaatje Wing Main Hall.

The exhibition Victorian Giants: The Birth of Art Photography will show together for the first time portraits by Oscar Rejlander, Lewis Carroll, Julia Margaret Cameron and Lady Clementina Hawarden. These four artists would come to embody the very best in photography of the era, experimenting with new approaches to picture making, and shaping attitudes to the medium that have informed artistic practice ever since. The exhibition explores the birth of art photography in England and provides a fresh perspective on one of photography’s formative periods.

The Duchess has been Patron of the National Portrait Gallery since 2012.

THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE WILL LAUNCH NURSING NOW CAMPAIGN

St Thomas’ Hospital, London

Tuesday 27th February, 2018

The Duchess of Cambridge will visit St Thomas’ Hospital on Tuesday 27th February to officially launch a campaign to promote nursing worldwide. Her Royal Highness will visit a specialist ward, take part in a roundtable discussion and deliver a speech to mark the launch of the Nursing Now campaign.

Nursing Now is a major global campaign aimed at raising the profile and status of nursing worldwide, so that nurses can make an even greater contribution at the heart of efforts to tackle rising burdens of disease.

As the health professionals closest to the public, nurses are the lynchpin of effective health teams, playing a crucial role in health promotion, disease prevention and treatment. The Nursing Now campaign will support nurses to become leaders so they can play a greater role in health policy decision-making, helping countries meet the pressing health challenges of the 21st century.

The Duchess of Cambridge will first visit the Snow Leopard ward at St Thomas’s Hospital, where she will see first-hand the expertise and dedication of nurses as they care for children in the Ward. The Snow Leopard Ward at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, which is part of St Thomas’, cares for children who need help breathing to stay alive. The nurse-led team train carers and relatives how to use the child’s ventilation equipment to prepare them for going home.

Her Royal Highness will then join a roundtable discussion with nurses across the career spectrum, from trainees to consultant nurses, and from a range of different countries to find out what it means to be a 21st century nurse and what impact the Nursing Now campaign could have on the profession. Finally, The Duchess will join a launch event in the Main Hall to deliver a speech to mark the launch of the Nursing Now campaign.

The three-year global campaign is being run as a programme of the Burdett Trust for Nursing, in collaboration with the International Council of Nurses and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Nursing Now was founded by nurses and other health experts based on the findings of the 2016 Triple Impact report, produced by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health Co-Chaired by Lord Nigel Crisp, Co-Chair of the Campaign Board of Nursing Now. The report found that as well as improving health globally, empowering nurses would contribute to improved gender equality and build stronger economies.

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THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE WILL VISIT THE ROYAL COLLEGE
OF OBSTETRICIANS AND GYNAECOLOGISTS 

London

Tuesday 27th February, 2018

The Duchess of Cambridge will visit the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) on Tuesday 27th February. Her Royal Highness will learn more about the College’s global health programmes to reduce maternal and newborn mortality worldwide, and will attend a roundtable discussion on tackling the stigma around women’s health.

The RCOG works to improve healthcare for women everywhere, by setting standards for clinical practice, providing doctors with training and lifelong learning, and advocating for women’s healthcare worldwide. Founded in 1929, the College now has over 16,000 members worldwide, and works with a range of partners both in the UK and globally to encourage the study of obstetrics and gynaecology and advance its science and practice.

The Duchess will firstly hear about the RCOG’s education and training programmes for doctors wishing to specialise in this field, and how practical examinations fit into the training process. Her Royal Highness will then see how the College’s workshops and continued training support trainee doctors to develop safe surgical techniques and essential clinical skills in obstetrics and gynaecology.

The Duchess will then learn more about the work carried out by the RCOG’s Centre for Women’s Global Health, which supports communities across the world with women’s maternal and gynaecological health, and aims to reduce maternal and newborn fatalities. Her Royal Highness will in particular hear about the Leading Safe Choices programme, which operates in South Africa and Tanzania.

Finally, The Duchess will attend a roundtable discussion focussed on exploring how the stigma which surrounds women’s health, and in particular maternal mental health, can be challenged.

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THE QUEEN WILL VISIT THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS

Central London

Tuesday 20th February 2018

Her Majesty The Queen will visit the Royal College of Physicians of London to mark the 500th anniversary of the body’s founding Charter.

During the visit to the College’s headquarters near Regent’s Park, The Queen will be shown the original Charter document from 1518, together with the RCP’s portrait of Henry VIII and historical exhibits covering innovation in medicine. Her Majesty will meet College staff and members of the medical profession, before unveiling a plaque and a new commemorative Charter to mark the anniversary.

Founded in 1518 by Henry VIII, the Royal College of Physicians of London is the oldest medical college in England. It plays an important role in improving patient care and shaping public health. As the professional membership body for physicians, the College has 34,000 members and fellows across the globe.

To mark the 500th anniversary of the body’s original 1518 Royal Charter, the College will be organising a series of events throughout 2018. It has also produced a commemorative RCP500 Charter, to reaffirm the College’s commitment to seeking and championing excellent in healthcare – through research, training and support for members of the medical profession.

Her Majesty laid the foundation stone for the College’s Regent’s Park building in 1964. This visit comes at the start of a year which will also mark the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service.

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THE WEDDING OF HRH PRINCE HENRY OF WALES AND MS. MEGHAN MARKLE

The Wedding Day

Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle are hugely grateful for the many good wishes they have received since announcing their engagement. They are very much looking forward to the day and to being able to share their celebrations with the public. They have made the following decisions about their wedding day on Saturday19th May, 2018:

 The Wedding Service will begin at St George’s Chapel at 1200. The Dean of Windsor, The Rt Revd. David Conner, will conduct the Service. The Most Revd. and Rt Hon. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, will officiate as the couple make their marriage vows.

 At 1300, the couple, now married, will undertake a Carriage Procession along a route from St George’s Chapel, leaving Windsor Castle via Castle Hill and processing along the High Street and through Windsor Town, returning to Windsor Castle along the Long Walk. They hope this short journey will provide an opportunity for more people to come together around Windsor and to enjoy the atmosphere of this special day.

 Following the service, there will be a reception at St George’s Hall for the couple and guests from the congregation. The couple will join this on return from the Carriage Procession.

 Later that evening, The Prince of Wales will give a private evening reception for the couple and their close friends and family.

We look forward to sharing further details about the wedding day in the weeks and months ahead.

To purchase a copy of our Royal Wedding Special and share in the love story of Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle, click here.

THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE WILL VISIT TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES
AND MIRA TECHNOLOGY PARK

Nuneaton, Warwickshire

Tuesday 20th February, 2018

The Duke of Cambridge will visit Triumph Motorcycles and MIRA Technology Park on Tuesday 20th February, for a day that celebrates world-class British vehicular manufacture, research and development.

At Triumph Motorcycles The Duke will tour the factory and walk the assembly line, meeting technicians and apprentices working on-site. His Royal Highness will then officially open the triumph Motorcycles Factory Visitor Experience, which showcases a collection of Triumph’s historic and modern achievements in motorcycle design, engineering, and racing. First established in 1902, Triumph Motorcycles celebrated 115 years of motorcycle manufacturing in 2017, and builds around 67,000 iconic bikes per year, which are sold in 57 countries across the world.

The Duke will then visit to MIRA Technology Park to see how HORIBA MIRA provides pioneering engineering, research and test services to the transport industry. His Royal Highness will view a selection of vehicles and equipment that have been developed at the Technology Park, which provides expansive Research and Development services utilising 38 separate facilities. The Duke will experience new technology that has been developed on the site, including driverless vehicles, as well as the high speed and wet weather handling test tracks. Finally, The Duke will attend a reception to meet apprentices and PhD students at various stages of their journey within the company. Since its launch in 2013, the MIRA Academy has been providing fundamental support to young people and apprentices. Currently, HORIBA MIRA employs 18 Apprentices through its MIRA academy programme, which offers salaried employment for each Apprentice from day one, with a structured programme of both academic and on-the-job training.

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THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE WILL VISIT SUNDERLAND

Wednesday 21st February, 2018

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit Sunderland on Wednesday 21st February.

The visit will showcase the city’s vibrant arts scene and engineering talent. Their Royal Highnesses will first visit The Fire Station, one of Sunderland’s most iconic buildings, recently converted into a music and arts hub.

On arrival, Their Royal Highnesses will have the opportunity to meet members of the local community who will be gathered outside The Fire Station. Inside they will enjoy colourful performances of music, dance and theatre from local children and young people, and will finish by officially opening The Fire Station.

The Duke and Duchess will then travel to see the Northern Spire, an ambitious and striking new bridge over the River Wear, due to open in spring 2018. The 1,550-tonne pylon structure is twice as high as Nelson’s Column and taller than Big Ben’s clock tower.

As a Sunderland City Council project, Northern Spire is a key part of a wider transport plan to improve links between the Port of Sunderland and the city centre with the A19. It will help attract new jobs and investment and will be the catalyst for major economic and regeneration benefits to Sunderland and the region.

Their Royal Highnesses will first meet local children whose generation will benefit from the bridge in the future, before officially crossing the bridge and meeting the engineers and construction workers who have made this a reality.

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Prince Harry to attend England Rugby Team Open Training Session

Twickenham Stadium, London

Friday 16th February, 2018

In his role as Patron of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), Prince Harry will attend the England rugby team open training session at Twickenham Stadium on Friday 16th February.

The training day is an opportunity for England Rugby to thank the rugby community for their continued support. The event at Twickenham Stadium will see around 10,000 supporters from clubs and schools filling the stands to watch the England senior squad in a training session. This will include young people who have benefited from Try for Change, an England Rugby programme which uses the power of rugby as a force for good to improve the lives of disadvantaged people in England and across the world.

Prince Harry will join these young people to learn more about the rugby projects they have
benefited from, thanks to funding from Try for Change. Prince Harry will then take his seat in the stands alongside the young people to watch the England team prepare for their next Natwest 6 Nations match. While the training session is taking place, Prince Harry will chat to the young people to hear about how rugby has helped to turn their lives around.

Prince Harry will then make his way on to the pitch to meet players from the England team as they finish their training session. Finally, the Try for Change team will be taken onto the pitch for a masterclass with some England players.

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THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE WILL ATTEND
THE EE BRITISH ACADEMY FILM AWARDS

Royal Albert Hall, London

Sunday 18th February, 2018

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will attend the EE British Academy Film Awards ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall. The Duke, President of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), and The Duchess will meet BAFTA representatives and watch the ceremony. The Duke will also present the Fellowship award.

BAFTA is a world-leading independent arts charity that brings the very best work in film, games and television to public attention and supports the growth of creative talent in the UK and internationally. While BAFTA is well-known for celebrating excellence and  championing creativity through its awards, it is a charity committed to identifying talented individuals, and making sure they receive the encouragement, professional support and advice that will enable them to succeed, regardless of their background or other circumstances.

The Fellowship, which The Duke will present, is awarded annually at the ceremony, and is the highest accolade bestowed by the Academy to an individual in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, television or games. The recipient of this year’s Fellowship will be the British filmmaker, Sir Ridley Scott.

In addition to its Awards ceremonies, BAFTA has a year-round learning and new talent programme, including a campaign to support young people from all backgrounds entering the film, games and television industries, which The Duke helped relaunch in 2013, and a scholarships programme, which features the ‘Prince William Scholarships in Film, Games and Television’.

The Duke has been President of the Academy since February 2010, and both His Royal Highness and The Duchess have supported BAFTA’s charitable activities by attending events across the charity’s learning programmes, including Young Game Designers and BAFTA Kids events, as well as others related to building cross-cultural collaborations with the creative industries in China.

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