During his life he was honoured, and after his death a statue was erected to his memory, chiefly by subscriptions from the University. The site chosen was in the Fitzwilliam Museum, a memorial worthy of the noble benefactor, who bequeathed to the University his valuable collection of pictures and books, with a sum of £100,000 to be spent in providing a building suitable for their reception. The statue of Prince Albert was here fittingly placed. It was one of the best works of Mr. Foley, in his later years, and is universally admired as a striking and worthy representation of the illustrious Chancellor.
It was for the ceremony of unveiling this statue that the Prince of Wales visited Cambridge on the 22nd of January, 1878. He was met at the gate of the Museum by the Chancellor, the Duke of Devonshire, the Lord High Steward, the Vice-Chancellor, and a distinguished company. On entering the vestibule an address was read by the Chancellor, setting forth the services to the University of the Prince Consort, during his fifteen years' tenure of office. The address thus concluded:—
"This memorial of the Prince Consort cannot but serve to remind us also as Englishmen of the signal benefits conferred by His Royal Highness upon our Queen and country by his wise and far-seeing counsels, his never-wearying vigilance and attention to the public welfare, and his entire devotion to the duties of his exalted station at the sacrifice of all personal interests and objects.
"We thank your Royal Highness for the distinguished honour conferred upon the University by your presence among us this day. It remains only for us to prefer our request that your Royal Highness will now be graciously pleased to uncover the statue. To no one does this honourable office more appropriately belong."
The Prince of Wales returned the following reply:—
"My Lord Duke, Mr. Vice-Chancellor, Members of the Senate, and Gentlemen,—I thank you for your address. I feel that it is hardly necessary for me to assure you what pleasure it affords me to be present on this occasion for the purpose of unveiling the statue of my illustrious father and your late Chancellor, in compliance with the special desire and invitation of the Chancellor and the Members of the Senate of the University. But, apart from the performance of this duty, I must express my great satisfaction at having an opportunity of revisiting Cambridge as a member of your University, and recalling to my mind the agreeable recollections which I have always retained of my undergraduate's days. The interest which the Prince Consort took in everything relating to the welfare of the University is well known to us all, and it is a source of deep gratification to me to witness the respect which the members of the University show to his memory by the erection of this fine statue. I will now proceed to execute the task imposed upon me of unveiling the statue."
The Prince then walked up to the Statue, and having pulled a string, it stood unveiled before the assembly, who contemplated it for a few moments in silence.
The Chancellor again addressing the Prince, thanked him for the honour which he had done the University in being present on so interesting an occasion. It was, however, a source of regret to him that so many had passed away who had the best means of becoming acquainted with the views and thoughts of the Prince Consort—such as Professor Sedgwick and Dr. Whewell—who, if they were alive, would gladly have borne testimony to his great virtues that day. There were, however, many now in that hall who, he had no doubt, entertained the liveliest recollections of the deep interest which was taken by His Royal Highness in the work in which the University was engaged.
The Earl of Powis also bore testimony to the unwearied interest which was taken by the Prince Consort in the development of new studies in the University, even amid the weighty cares of State.
Dr. G. Paget, Regius Professor of Physic, spoke in highly eulogistic terms of the Prince Consort's love of science and art, observing that it was under his auspices that the Moral and Natural Science Triposes had been established, to the great advantage of teaching in the University.