Their majesties request the pleasure of your company.
A rare collection of original letters and documents written or signed by kings and queens of Great Britain goes on display in Dunedin tomorrow.
"Our Will and Pleasure: Royal Autographs, Letters and Memorabilia of the British Monarchy" features more than 20 letters and documents from Dunedin City Library's Reed Autograph, Letters and Manuscripts Collection.
Rare books librarian Anthony Tedeschi spent two months researching and curating the exhibition.
"This is the first exhibition where items from the Reed Autograph Letters and Manuscripts Collection have taken centre stage," he said yesterday.
"They're part of the collection Alfred [Reed] bought in the 1920s and 1930s.
"It's a very rich collection.
"There are about 5000 letters and documents, ranging from the 17th century to the 20th century."
The exhibition includes a letter hand-written in German by George Ludwig, three years before he ascended the English throne as George I; a 1704 document signed by Queen Anne; a royal pardon signed by Queen Victoria in 1842; and the signatures of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, from their 1954 Dunedin visit.
"We wanted to highlight the collection and it is also timed to coincide with the wider events celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II," Mr Tedeschi said.
"New Zealand still has strong ties to England and I think a lot of people are still fascinated by the monarchy.
"I expect it will be a very popular exhibition."
"Our Will and Pleasure: Royal Autographs, Letters and Memorabilia of the British Monarchy" opens tomorrow in the Reed Gallery, Heritage Collections, at the Dunedin City Library and runs till August 19.
