HRH The Princess Royal visited the acclaimed Behind the Lines: Alfred Munnings, War Artist, 1918 at the Munnings Art Museum at Castle House in Dedham today (Monday 23 September 2019).
After touring the exhibition with Museum Director Jenny Hand – which included meeting renowned horse racing journalist, broadcaster and former jockey, Brough Scott, whose grandfather, Brigadier-General ‘Galloper’ Jack Seely enjoyed a decades-long friendship with Alfred Munnings that was forged on the Western Front, and whose portrait is in the exhibition – she explored the rest of the Museum, including the artist’s studio, and signed the Visitors Book.
During her visit HRH The Princess Royal met exhibition curators Brenda Parrish and Charles Proudfoot, along with Trustees of the Museum, and three of the seventy-five volunteer room stewards.
HRH The Princess Royal was accompanied by Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Jennifer Tolhurst and met a number of notable Essex guests during her visit. These included the High Sheriff of Essex, Dr James Bettley, Harwich and North Essex MP Sir Bernard Jenkin, Essex Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington, Essex County Council Chairman Cllr John Jowers and the Mayor of Colchester Cllr Nicholas Cope
Museum Director Jenny Hand said “We felt extremely privileged to have the princess royal visit today. It affirms the museum’s rising profile as a significant centre for the appreciation of the work of Sir Alfred Munnings.”
