The Funeral Procession of the Duke of Wellington passing Apsley House, London, 18th November 1852

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, was a colossal figure of the early Victorian era; fêted for his victory at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, he served as Prime Minister from 1828 to 30. Victoria and Albert greatly admired the Duke and gave his name to their third son, Arthur. This watercolour, showing Wellington’s funeral cortege passing his London residence Apsley House, conveys the magnitude of the public response to the death of a national hero.