The Duchess of Cambridge was among the first to see two exhibitions at the V&A museum as it opened to the public.

Kate who is royal patron of the cultural attraction in central London, was given a guided tour of a series of works by the old master Raphael.

Wearing a face mask and a dress by Alessandra Rich, she viewed the museum’s Raphael Court, home to the Raphael Cartoons, now open to the public following a nine-month refurbishment to mark the 500th anniversary of the artist’s death.

Raphael was commissioned in 1515 by Pope Leo X to create seven full-scale designs for tapestries known as cartoons for the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, and are considered to be one of the greatest treasures of the Renaissance.

During the visit the duchess learnt about the gallery’s new interpretive approach, which features an on-site digital experience, and how it will transform the way visitors view Raphael’s work.

The cartoons have been lent to the V&A from the Royal Collection by the Queen.

Kate also visited the V&A’s exhibition Alice: Curiouser And Curiouser, ahead of its opening this weekend.

It features more than 300 objects spanning film, performance, fashion, art, music and photography related to Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.