Queen Victoria famously only wore black following the death of her beloved husband, Prince Albert, in December 1861. As a result of Victoria spending half of her life in mourning we are fortunate to have many surviving garments from her time of sorrow, including this dress from 1898.
Made by Martha Dudley, this dress consists of two parts; a decorated bodice and a simple skirt with a train. Both pieces are made out of shimmering black satin, with contrasting additions of matt crepe. While Victoria wore black all year, the chiffon sleeves on the bodice suggest that this particular outfit was made to be worn during the warmer months. This is also suggested by a note and seal which accompanied the dress when it joined the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection at Historic Royal Palaces.
The note states that the dress had been worn by the Queen in 1898 before being sent from Osborne House by the Queen’s dresser, Christina Newig, in October 1899. Unfortunately the note doesn’t state who the receiver of the dress was but it was most likely given to a member of the Queen’s household as a thanks for good service.
© Queen.Victoria.Roses 2026
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