Prince Charles opened the new £31 million British Galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum on Tuesday evening despite having suffered a minor eye injury at the weekend. With a bandage over his left eye, the prince joked that he’d have to return soon to see the other half of the new exhibit.
“I wondered yesterday whether I’d dare come here looking like this,” he said at the London celebration. “I must apologise for this evening looking like someone who has been discharged prematurely from hospital. But during a long career of talking to trees you inevitably come across the odd argumentative arbutus.
“In my present unjocular condition I regret to tell you that I only saw the Victoria half of the gallery. I will have to come back and see the Albert a bit later.”
Charles, who chatted with comedian Jim Davidson and Generation Game co-host Lea Kristensen at the star-studded opening, was forced to cancel a string of public appearances early in the week after he injured his eye in a gardening mishap on Sunday. “The Prince of Wales was sawing tree branches in the garden at Highgrove House. Some sawdust got into his left eye, which became irritated,” reports a spokesperson for the heir. Doctors gave the Prince an eye patch and expect a full recovery within the next couple of days.
But if the Prince was suffering any discomfort at the celebration he certainly didn’t show it as he eagerly toured the gallery. “He kept asking questions and looking at things and seemed delighted about what he saw,” said chief curator Christopher Wilk. “He has a keen interest in the history of British craftsmanship and its relevance today.”
In his trip to the galleries Charles took in over 3,000 items including Henry VIII’s writing desk and film footage of Queen Victoria.
The British Galleries, including an extra 15 rooms, opens to the public on Thursday.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
