Category: Windsor castle

On 29th March 1871 London witnessed the opening of one of its most iconic buildings, the Royal Albert Hall, in a grand ceremony attended by the highest members of society. Located in South Kensington, the Hall is one of several buildings to have been built in the wake of the 1851 Great Exhibition. Headed by… Continue reading ‘An impressive spectacle of its kind’: Queen Victoria opens the Royal Albert Hall

© Historic Royal Palaces This ‘Royal Fashion Friday’ we’re looking at this stunning dress that was worn by Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII. Dating from around 1911-1912, the dress was worn by the Queen to attend one of the most iconic royal events, Ascot. While the light colours and floral pattern capture the… Continue reading Queen Alexandra’s Ascot dress

Children wearing sailor’s suits is commonly associated with the upper classes of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, but have you ever wondered where this trend began? Well, just like the tradition of the white wedding dress, we have Queen Victoria to thank. Sailor suit worn by King Edward VIII, 1902© Historic Royal Palaces King Edward… Continue reading Influencing childrenswear: How Queen Victoria popularised the sailor’s suit

Queen Victoria by George Koberwein © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust RCIN 406884 On 28th November 1843 Queen Victoria arrived at Drayton Manor for a three night stay with Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel. Upon arriving at the Manor, Queen Victoria was greeted by Lady Peel and the Duchess of Buccleuch,… Continue reading Queen Victoria’s pink evening dress

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

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

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

© 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

© 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

Following the conclusion of the Crimean war in March 1856 many military reviews welcoming back brave soldiers were held. As Commander-in-chief of the Military it was Queen Victoria’s duty to attend. However, Victoria was female so didn’t own a military uniform and attending such poignant reviews in her usual green riding habits was off the… Continue reading Queen Victoria’s military uniform

On 29th January 1856 Queen Victoria issued a Royal Warrant introducing the most prestigious award, the Victoria Cross. Designed and made by London jewellers, Hancocks & Co., the 1.4 inch medals were awarded by the designed to celebrate the acts of extreme bravery during the Crimean War. The idea of a new gallantry award was… Continue reading ‘The new & honourable order of valour’: The history of the Victoria Cross