Afternoon:
8°c
Gallery gets royal approval
Louise Jury11 May 2009
The people's gallery of the East End got royal endorsement today.
Prince William officially inaugurated the Whitechapel Gallery after its £13.5 million revamp and extension.
But before he unveiled a plaque marking his visit, the young royal joked he was there in disguise. “I'd just like to admit to something today - I'm actually Banksy,” he said, adding to much laugher: “I thought this would be a good forum to bring it out. Any autographs I will do afterwards.”
Prince William, who studied history of art for a period at St Andrews University, said he was particularly delighted to open the new extension since his great grandmother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, had opened the last one in 1985.
“She was devoted to this place and this morning I learnt why,” he said.
On a tour of the exhibition, he saw work by David Hockney, Damien Hirst and an optical illusion painting of wavey lines by Bridget Riley which prompted William to tell her: “It's like one of those eye games - it's fantastic.”
Artist Michael Craig-Martin, who showed the prince around, said: “Because he studied art history, you could tell he was comfortable looking at the works. He showed a natural interest in all the things we were showing him.”
