Discovering the secret life of Queen Victoria since 2018
Queen Victoria’s final Christmas was filled with nothing but heartache for the 81 year old monarch. 1900 had been Victoria’s annus horribilis, with the deaths of her third child, Prince Alfred, and her grandson, Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein. On top of this, the second Boer War was in full swing and the elderly… Continue reading “This has indeed been a terribly sad Christmas for us all”: Queen Victoria’s final Christmas
Until the Victorian era Christmas was a reasonably uncelebrated festival amongst the ordinary people. However, in the 1840s, something changed. The publication of Charles Dickens’ novel ‘A Christmas Carol’ on 19th December 1843 not only brought people’s attention to the religious event, but also created a new perspective on the joys that the otherwise depressing… Continue reading 1832: Christmas with Queen Victoria at Kensington Palace
In the evening of 30th November 1936, the Crystal Palace was tragically destroyed by fire, exactly 85 years after it housed the 1851 Great Exhibition. Designed by botanist, Joseph Paxton, the Crystal Palace was made of iron beams and 300,000 panes of glass, which helped preserve the pre-existing trees in Hyde Park where the exhibition… Continue reading The Crystal Palace is destroyed by fire
Christmas at Osborne House, 20th November 2025 © Shannon McInulty / Queen.Victoria.Roses Christmas had always been a special time for Queen Victoria as a child; with decorated trees, sugary treats, lavish gifts and trips to the theatre. However, Christmas 1840 was much more poignant as she was no longer the ‘unmarried girl’ who had spent… Continue reading 1840: Queen Victoria’s first Christmas as a wife and mother
Quite unusually for the time of year, on 10th March 1847 a snowstorm struck Queen Victoria’s Isle of Wight home, Osborne House. In her journal the Queen writes that it had ‘began snowing early & continued all the morning, the ground and trees being covered in snow, which I tried to make a sketch of’… Continue reading ‘The whole accident has upset us’: Tragedy strikes at Osborne House
In October 1849 Queen Victoria and her family were staying at Windsor Castle when illness spread amongst them. The first to fall ill was the thirty-year-old monarch. For seveal days the Queen had felt unwell, with aching limbs, headaches, muscle weakness and difficulty sleeping. However, on 24th October her symptoms began to worsen when a… Continue reading “Dreadful irritation, which is most unpleasant”: Queen Victoria and chickenpox
1st August 1842 Queen Victoria was involved in an accident, which almost changed the British Monarchy forever, when she was thrown from her horse while out riding at Windsor
On 24th September 2025, it was announced that a ‘galloping gig’, believed to have belonged to Queen Victoria and used by her grandchildren/ great-grandchildren will soon be going up for auction. However, this isn’t the first time I have heard about this historical object, which has spent years in the private collection at The Grange,… Continue reading A ‘galloping gig’ (pushchair) once owned by Queen Victoria is set to sell at auction, 2025
On 19th September 1819, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, husband of Queen Victoria, was christened in the Marble Hall at Schloss Rosenau, Coburg. He was given the names Franz August Karl Albert Emanuel. © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust RCIN 403074 For the Princes birthday in 1842, Queen Victoria gave… Continue reading Prince Albert’s 1842 birthday gift from the Queen
Tomorrow (26th August 2025) is international dog day so it only seems right to celebrate by talking about Queen Victoria’s childhood companion, Dash. ‘A beautiful spaniel of King Charles’s breed,’ Dash first entered Princess (later Queen) Victoria’s life on 14th January 1833 when he was given to her mother, the Duchess of Kent, by her… Continue reading “Dear little Dash”: Queen Victoria’s childhood companion
“Fortunately a beautiful day for the Opening of the Crystal Palace. — We walked in the garden. — Lunched early, & at 2 we started with our whole numerous party for Sydenham, we Ladies in very elegant morning dresses, & the Gentlemen, in uniform. Our nephews went with us in the carriage. Our 4 eldest Children… Continue reading Queen Victoria’s journal: The opening of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, 10th June 1854
Recognised as one of the greatest icons of the nineteenth century, Florence Nightingale was a leading voice in establishing modern nursing. Through her selfless work, Miss Nightingale found herself acquainted with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who were great admirers of her efforts to improve the conditions of injured and sick men during the Crimean… Continue reading Influencing the royals: Florence Nightingale and the Royal Family