Precious works of art in Westminster Abbey, London, are to be
restored ahead of the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in
April.
The Dean of Westminster, The Very Reverend Dr John Hall,
congratulated the couple on the occasion of their engagement in November
and said at the time, “We assure them of our prayers and best wishes as
they prepare for their wedding. May God bless and protect them with
his love.”
Fifteen royal weddings have been held in Westminster Abbey ranging
from Prince William’s grandparents, the current Queen and Duke of
Edinburgh, right back to King Henry I, who married in 1100.
For royal
wedding in 2011, up to 3,000 guests are expected including royalty and
heads of state from around the world.
Before they arrive, eleven of the Abbey’s most famous treasures are
to be returned to their full glory, thanks to a donation from America
estimated to be £1million (€1.2m).
Bank of America Merrill Lynch,
through its new Art Conservation Programme, is funding the work at the
Abbey.
It is just one of 10 international restorations funded this
year.
Another is The Marriage of Strongbow and Aoife, which is
considered an iconic painting and in the National Gallery of Ireland.
The Louvre Museum in Paris and the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg also receive grants this year from the charity.
In Westminster Abbey restoration works include the Cosmati Pavement.
This crowning glory of the Abbey is a mosaic tile with 88,000 pieces
and measuring 50 square metres.
It is situated in front of the High
Altar where Prince William and his bride are expected to take their
vows.
Portraits on wooden panels and stained glass, silk embroidery, church
music, and a coronation chair are among other items for restoration.
So too is the Liber Regalis, one of the Abbey’s great treasures, a
manuscript outlining the shape of the liturgy for coronation.
It was
first used in the crowning of Ann of Bohemia and remains the basis for
the order of service today.
Also for restoration is the Charter of 1560 written under Elizabeth
1, which established the Abbey as Collegiate Church of St Peter
Westminster, and as a Royal Peculiar, making it accountable directly to
Sovereign and not the Archbishop of Canterbury.
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