World history and culture: “Treasures of the Royal Courts” Exhibition in London

March 2013 in Victoria and Albert Museum will open the “Treasures of the Royal Courts” Exhibition.

The V&A reveals the majesty of the courts of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I to Ivan the Terrible and the early Romanovs in a major exhibition celebrating 500 years of exchange between Britain and Russia.

Comprising more than 150 objects, from royal portraits, jewellery and luxury goods to processional armour and heraldry, Treasures of the Royal Courts chronicles the close relationship between the English monarchy and the Russian Tsars.

At the heart of the exhibition is a showcase of spectacular silver given to successive Russian Tsars, on exclusive loan from the Moscow Kremlin Museums. Highlights also include a rarely shown portrait of Elizabeth I and the legendary ruby-studded Drake Star, providing a stunning insight into the ritual and chivalry of the royal courts.