Discovering the secret life of Queen Victoria since 2018
In October 1844 Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited the Isle of Wight for the first time to decide if they definitely wanted to purchase Osborne House as their family home. Located away from the hustle and bustle of the mainland, the young couple were instantly enchanted by the privacy of the large, scenic Osborne… Continue reading Delivering the Queen: Queen Victoria and Prince Albert get saved by the postman
Located on the large Osborne estate, the Swiss Cottage is one of the most tranquil, and perhaps most haunted, parts of Queen Victoria’s seaside home. One of the main characteristics that drew Queen Victoria and Prince Albert into buying Osborne House in 1845 was the large surrounding parkland. Unlike their previous residence, Brighton Pavilion, Osborne… Continue reading Haunted Osborne: Children play at the Swiss Cottage
With at least one ghost story associated with every main town and village, the Isle of Wight is famously one of the most haunted islands in the world. One place that regularly comes up as being home to wandering spirits is Carisbrooke Castle, which sits at the centre of the island. With over 1000 years’… Continue reading My ghostly experiences at Carisbrooke Castle
Whilst Prince Albert’s version Osborne House dates back to the mid-19th century, the newest part of the house was added in 1890 under the direction of Queen Victoria herself. Inspired by the Queen’s love for India, the affectionately named Durbar wing is perhaps the most striking part of Queen Victoria’s seaside residence, as well as… Continue reading Haunted Osborne: The Durbar wing
Presale tickets have gone live for the Royal Collection Trust’s 2027 exhibition, ‘Royal Jewellery: From Coronations to Keepsakes’ Exploring 500 years of royal jewellery, the exhibition will feature several personal pieces that once belonged to Queen Victoria, including her small diamond crown. Queen Victoria’s small diamond crown © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal… Continue reading Queen Victoria’s Small Diamond Crown is set to go on display in 2027
When hearing ghost stories about old buildings it is common to hear tales of the ghostly children that continue to cause mischief in the nursery. Having been used by Queen Victoria’s nine children, many of her 42 grandchildren, along with several of her great-grandchildren, it is no surprise that the squeals and giggles of children… Continue reading Haunted Osborne: Sailor suits and ball games in the nursery
Having been built in the mid-19th century, it’s easy to speculate that Queen Victoria’s Isle of Wight home, Osborne House, could be home to several wandering spirits. After all, the majestic Italianate walls witnessed countless tragedies during its time as both a royal residence and as a convalescence home. Like all old buildings, Osborne comes… Continue reading Haunted Osborne: The ladies by the window
Have you heard the news? Yesterday the Royal Collection Trust announced their new exhibition ‘Royal Jewellery: From Coronations to Keepsakes’, which will be housed in the King’s Gallery in London. Running from 25th June 2027 until 19th March 2028, the exhibition will explore 500 years of British Royal Jewellery. Amongst the pieces that have been… Continue reading Queen Victoria’s personal jewellery to go on display at the King’s Gallery in London in a new exhibition for 2027
Having grown up loving the ‘Night at the Museum’ film franchise, I have always loved the idea of museum items coming to life at night. However, there are some items at Carisbrooke Castle Museum that I hope never come alive! I love Blue Jenny but I feel like she’d start off would be really sweet… Continue reading Things I hope never come to life at Carisbrooke Castle Museum
Queen Victoria famously turned to spiritualism following Prince Albert’s death in 1861 but her fascination with the paranormal had been going on much longer. In 1845 Victoria and Albert purchased Osborne House on the Isle of Wight and soon after they began holding seances in the Horn Room, a small room which is tucked away… Continue reading Haunted Osborne: The seance room at Osborne House
In the early 1840s Queen Victoria and Prince Albert began looking for a new country home where they could bring up and embrace time with their growing family. Like many visitors, Victoria soon fell in love with Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. However, she set about buying the house and estate before she… Continue reading “We are quite enchanted”: Queen Victoria visits Osborne House for the first time
Like many Victorians, Queen Victoria was a firm believer in the spirit world and would regularly discuss “magnetism, ghosts, dreams” [1]. Throughout the early years of her reign, Victoria would regularly sit with her Prime Minister and close companion, Lord Melbourne, to discuss various topics. On 6th May 1838, Lord M had spent some time… Continue reading Queen Victoria’s ghostly encounters