HRH The Duke of Kent visited The Elgar Birthplace Museum on Tuesday 3^rd June 2008.  It was the first visit to the Museum by The Duke of Kent and one that he had specially requested.

Michael Messenger, Chairman of The Elgar Birthplace Management Committee together with Catherine Sloan, Museum Director escorted the Royal party around the Birthplace Cottage and Elgar Centre, followed by the Civic Party guided by Mr. David Hawkins.  This was followed by a Reception in the Carice Elgar Room to which guests, staff and volunteers had been invited.

Elgar connections with royalty date back as far as 1844 when Elgar’s father, William Elgar was appointed piano tuner to Witley Court, when Queen Adelaide, widow of William IV came to live there. 

The royal connections continued and in l898, Elgar’s cantata Caractacus was dedicated to Queen Victoria.  It was King Edward VII who suggested that words should be set to Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 resulting in Land of Hope and Glory.   His Second Symphony first performed in 1911 was dedicated “to the memory of His Late Majesty King Edward VII”, who had died the previous year. 

The Coronation March was written for the Coronation of King George V and in 1912 Elgar composed The Crown of India, an ‘Imperial Masque’ to mark the royal visit to India.  In 1924, Elgar was appointed as Master of the King’s Musick and as one of his duties, he composed a carol to mark the King’s recovery from a severe illness in 1929.  In 1931, inspired by the birth of Princess Margaret Rose, Elgar composed the Nursery Suite, which he dedicated to “Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of York and the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose”.

Catherine Sloan said “We are very honoured that HRH The Duke of Kent expressed a wish to visit to The Elgar Birthplace Museum. It also gave us the opportunity to say a further big thank you to the staff and volunteers who worked so hard to make last year’s 150^th anniversary celebrations so successful and for their continuing invaluable support of The Elgar Birthplace Museum.”