Royal watercolours to be unveiled in Wolverhampton

More than 70 works from the Royal Collection will be shown in the city's Art Gallery – with some displayed for the first time.

The exhibition, Victoria & Albert: Our Lives in Watercolour, has been put together to mark the bicentenary of the royals.

Councillor Harman Banger, Wolverhampton Council's cabinet member for city economy, said: "There is a strong connection with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in the city. The Queen’s visit to Wolverhampton in 1866 was her first public engagement in six years following Prince Albert’s death, and to commemorate that visit, High Green was renamed Queen Square, and Cock Street was renamed Victoria Street.

"These watercolours, some of which are being seen for the first time, will really showcase work by many talented artists, and explore the lives of a family that was united.

"Throughout the exhibition there are a number of activities that visitors can get involved with and I urge everyone to go along and visit the exhibition."

The paintings capture family events – including christenings, birthdays and christenings – and includes works painted by Queen Victoria herself.

The royals commissioned works by watercolourists Franz Xaver Winterhalter and Eugenio Agneni, who depicted the royal children on many occasions.

The pieces depict the frequent travels the couple made around the British Isles and France – including a painting of their visit to Guernsey in 1846 by Paul Jacob Naftel.

Documents and images from Wolverhampton City Archives, relating to Queen Victoria's time in the city, will be shown.

It will be shown for free at the city's Art Gallery between March 7 to May 31 during the gallery's normal opening hours.

The Lichfield Street site opens from 10.30am to 4.30pm from Monday to Saturday and on Sunday, from 11am to 4pm.

An accompanying publication is available to buy at the Art Gallery for £19.50.