Discovering the secret life of Queen Victoria since 2018
On Saturday (7th March 2025) I had the pleasure of visiting Tamworth Castle in Staffordshire. Despite growing up just half an hour away from the castle, I have never had chance to visit and moving to the Isle of Wight naturally made visiting trickier to arrange. However, in January I heard about the castle’s temporary… Continue reading ‘Threads of Victoria’: Celebrating Queen Victoria’s 1843 visit to Tamworth
© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust RCIN 980024.ck This Sketchbook Saturday we’re looking at this beautiful full length illustration of Queen Victoria’s second child, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. Drawn by his mother in 1849, Prince can be seen in full highland uniform. Queen Victoria and Prince… Continue reading Sketchbook Saturday, week 38
King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, when Prince and Princess of Wales, in their wedding clothes, 1863 © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2870063 On 10th March 1863 Queen Victoria’s eldest son, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales married Princess Alexandra of Denmark at St George’s Chapel in Windsor. Whilst the… Continue reading Queen Alexandra’s wedding dress
Today is World Book Day and as many children celebrate characters of the modern world, I feel it is only right that we celebrate a lost character from the past… Alice Laselles. The staring character of ‘The Adventures of Alice Laselles’, Alice was created in the mind of Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent, later Queen… Continue reading An Author Queen: Queen Victoria’s love for Storytelling
© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust RCIN 981696 Dated January 1847 this watercolour by Queen Victoria beautifully depicts a costal landscape. I can’t find any information about where this scene is depicting but the rich blue sea and green leaves of the trees suggest that the Queen may have been fantasising… Continue reading Sketchbook Saturday, week 37
Queen Victoria's wedding dress © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection TrustRCIN 74853 Commonly attributed to Queen Victoria, this stunning dress dates back to 1851. Wanting to support British trades Queen Victoria regularly wore fabrics made by local manufacturers. This particular dress is made out of blue watered Spitalfields and features a design… Continue reading Queen Victoria’s floral dress
© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust RCIN 980024.gg Watercolour by Queen Victoria of her first grandchild, Prince Wilhelm of Prussia during a trip to Coburg in September and October 1860. The Prince was born in Berlin in January 1859 and was the son of Prince Friedrich and Princess Victoria of Prussia.… Continue reading Sketchbook Saturday, week 36
© Historic Royal Palaces Made between 1840-1850, this Russian-styled wool tunic is a rare survival from the wardrobe of Queen Victoria’s eldest son, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII). Whilst Bertie, as he was known amongst his family, appears to have worn several similar tunics throughout his childhood, this particular one was… Continue reading King Edward VII’s childhood tunic
In 1863 Queen Victoria began looking for eligible bachelors for her fifth child, Princess Helena. While the Princess was a keen nurse and artist, Helena was mostly known for her tomboyish nature. On top of this, Helena was the middle child of the sovereign, who was considered “plump”, “dowdy” and “without charm” by her own… Continue reading Unexpected love: Princess Helena and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein
© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust RCIN 980056.aa Thus Valentine’s Day we’re looking at a pencil and watercolour sketch by Queen Victoria, which shows her eldest child, Princess Victoria, kneeling at the altar of the Chapel Royal at Sf James’s Palace. Vicky, as the princess was known, married Prince Friedrich of… Continue reading Sketchbook Saturday, week 35
© Historic Royal Palaces This ‘Royal Fashion Friday’ we’re looking at this stunning dress that was once worn by Queen Victoria. Made in 1843, this silk satin dress is an unusual survival from Queen Victoria’s wardrobe as it doesn’t have any recognised links to a specific day or event in the Queen’s life. This dress… Continue reading Queen Victoria’s silk dress
© Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust RCIN 980024.ag Sketch by Queen Victoria finger eldest son, Prince Albert Edward, dated 15th October 1843. While this sketch isn’t mentioned in Queen Victoria’s journal, we do know that it was completed in a poignant anniversary in the Queen’s life as it marked four years… Continue reading Sketchbook Saturday, week 35