This Napoleonic silver travelling service was acquired by Queen Mary in 1934 and has been on display at Windsor Castle for much of the time since. Its contents – which range from tea caddies to candlestick holders – are made from silver, which can tarnish and darken over time as it reacts to the environment. As a result, the service required cleaning to restore its surfaces to their original bright appearance.

Royal Collection Trust conservators used solvents and a mild chalk abrasive to remove the tarnish. A whole range of silver pieces in the Collection has been prepared in this way for a catalogue.

Watch the video below to learn more about the cleaning of this extraordinary object.