A SPECIAL Jubilee exhibition has been mounted at the Elgar Birthplace Museum in Lower Broadheath.

It contains a host of items from the Royal Collection, Royal Archives and the British Library and is being used to illustrate the wealth of the composer's royal links.

From May 1 to October 31, Elgar and Royalty - from Victoria to Elizabeth II features letters, concert programmes, musical scores, medals and honours and other items tracing Elgar's many links with royalty.

Museum director Catherine Sloan said: "We're delighted that HM the Queen has graciously agreed to lend works from the Royal Collection and Royal Archives and that the British Library is also generously loaning us items for this special exhibition, to be displayed alongside treasures selected from our own unique collection.

"Many of Elgar's works were written for royal occasions or dedicated, with permission, to members of the royal family, and his musical genius was honoured with a knighthood, the Order of Merit, a KCVO, a baronetcy, and appointment as Master of the King's Musick.

"It's rather poignant," she added, "That this wealth of royal links should be displayed at the Elgar Birthplace Museum, whose location reflects Elgar's much more humble origins, of which he remained conscious all his life."

Items from the royal collections include a letter from Elgar accepting the Order of Merit, an original score of lines to be sung at the unveiling of a memorial to the late Queen Alexandra, signed and dated by the composer in August 1932 and a manuscript score of King Edward VII's Coronation Ode from 1902.

Additional "royal" events over the period include an illustrated talk on "Royal Elgar" by Donald Hunt on May 1, "The Victorian Legacy" - an evening of music and poetry on May 14, "Victoriana - pleasures and pastimes" on June 1-7, and "The Victorian Era comes to life" with musical performance by Richard York on June 5.

From May to October, visitors can enjoy another temporary exhibition "Celebrating Worcester's Royal Connections", which depicts royal visits to the city and royal connections with The Commandery and The Museum of Worcester Porcelain.

The Elgar Birthplace Museum opens daily between 11am and 5pm (last admission 4.15pm). For more information call 01905 333224.