Albert’s papers and collections go public

The papers and collections of Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert are to be published for the first time.

A major new digitisation project by the Royal Collection Trust will see some 23,500 items uploaded online, ranging from Albert’s official letters and private papers, to the thousands of photographs he commissioned.

It aims to shed new light on Albert’s contribution as consort, unofficial private secretary, and guide and mentor to some of the greatest national projects of his day.

Oliver Urquhart Irvine, librarian and assistant keeper of the Queen’s archives, said: “The Prince Albert Digitisation Project will increase understanding of material held in the Royal Archives, Royal Collection and the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 and enable a comprehensive study of the life, work and legacy of Prince Albert on a scale that does justice to his contribution to 19th Century Britain and the world.”

Mr Urquhart Irvine said the resource will “transform academic and public access to this unparalleled collection, and will allow a fresh assessment of this influential man”.

The three year initiative is due to be completed by the end of 2020 and the first tranche will be published in the summer of 2019 to mark the bicentenary of Albert’s birth.

Material will include catalogues of Albert’s private library, inventories of paintings commissioned or collected by Albert, a study collection of more than 5,000 prints and photographs after the works of Raphael, and a collection of 10,000 early photographs collected and commissioned by Albert.

Albert and Victoria were enthusiastic supporters of the new medium of photography and in 1853 became patrons of the recently established Photographic Society.

Picture: Getty. An image of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.