Prince Albert proudly designed Osborne House on the Isle of Wight as a seaside residence for his wife, Queen Victoria, and their nine children as a way to enjoy time together away from the bustle of London.
Between the time they purchased the house in 1845 until Albert’s premature death in 1861 the house was a joyous place, where Victoria relished in the precious time with her husband. However, following that tragic December night that took her beloved Albert, Victoria retreated to Osborne where any sense of joy was to be overshadowed by the absence of her loved one.
As a result of her extensive grief, Victoria was determined to keep Albert’s memory alive and soon commissioned William Theed to create this bust of the Prince, which was to be placed at the centre of the pavilion wing, allowing Albert to continue to be seen by all important guests and forcing him to be part of everything that went on.
An impressively overpowering piece, the bust depicts Albert wearing a classical toga which is clasped at his left shoulder with a profile cameo of Victoria. The bust took around six months to complete, however it wasn’t displayed at Osborne until the couple’s 24th wedding anniversary on 10th February 1864. Despite it being three years since Albert’s passing, Victoria still felt the same level of grief that she had at the time of commissioning the piece. ‘Oh! how strange & different this day to what it used to be, excepting for the reflection of past happiness, & gratitude for those 22 years at the side of such a husband. How meaningless does the present seem’ she confided in her journal, adding ‘A splendid mild morning, all, so beautiful & I — alone! The last 10th of Feb: we spent together, dear Mama was unfortunately not with us, wrote so full of affection & blessings, so full of security, talking of our having our Silver Wedding in 4 years!!’
Th plinth that the boat stands on, also made by William Theed, was designed by Victoria’s third child, Princess Alice, who passed away precisely seventeen years after her father. Capturing the nature of their family home, the plinth was designed by Victoria and Albert’s third child, Princess Alice, an shows cherubs and swags on each of the eight sides, with the addition of a floral and fruit arrangement with large shells around the base.
Today the bust remains at the bottom of the grand staircase at Osborne alongside two busts of the Queen’s youngest son, Prince Leopold, and her grandson (and second in line to the throne), Prince Albert Victor of Wales, both of whom passed away during the Queen’s lifetime.
Whilst this wall of memorials is a sad reminder of the grief experienced by the Queen, it also captures the level of love that once gathered within Osborne’s walls and reminded visitors of its role as a family home rather than a palace.
© Queen.Victoria.Roses 2026
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