Leadership and Empowerment

Prince Albert, 1819-1861

Display No. 136

Prince Albert was the German husband of Queen Victoria. Nightingale met the Prince when the Queen invited her to stay at Balmoral. Prince Albert was also a Governor of St Thomas’ Hospital, which was still located in Southwark at that time.

Nightingale spoke to the Queen’s secretary expressing her wish that Albert intervene in the matter of the hospital’s relocation. Albert went on to write to the Hospital’s treasurer, and the new buildings were duly located opposite Parliament. In this print Prince Albert is shown meeting veterans of the Crimean War.

Prince Albert wearing a military uniform; royal residence in the background. Mezzotint by C.E. Wagstaff after G. Patten, 24 May 1840. Credit: Wellcome Collection. CC BY 4.0

Exhibits from ‘Florence The Leader’

Discover the 200 Exhibits

Nightingale is respected worldwide for her pioneering role in developing the nursing profession, her statistical work, and her evidence-based approach to healthcare. In honour of her bicentenary the World Health Organisation have named 2020 the Year of the Nurse and Midwife.

In our special exhibition, you will find out about objects, people and places which tell interesting stories about Florence’s life and legacy. You’ll discover artefacts from her life, people she both inspired and challenged, and places she helped to shape. There’s many more insights too!

Please click on the different sections of her famous coxcomb diagram to explore various aspects of her life and legacy. We hope you enjoy exploring!