Around The World Without Flying: A tribute to Queen Victoria at Kensington Palace

It is hard to believe that I have been away from home for over 6 months and my 4-month journey around Europe and Britain is now at an end. I have now re-boarded Queen Mary 2 for my journey to New York. So it is very timely I continue my story of British Royalty and Kensington Palace. However, the internet service on this ship is very slow and expensive, so I will not talk about any of the other exhibitions at the palace or of its history. In my next post I will instead talk about our trip to York the next day.

Another member of the Royal Family I have come to admire is Queen Victoria. And not because I live in the state of Australia that is named after her.

Hers was a story of a great love for her German cousin Albert, then of a great loss when he died in his early 40s from smallpox.

I have already shown Victoria’s golden memorial to him opposite the Royal Albert Hall, and spoken of her great grief. She and Albert were extremely close and even wrote music for each other. Although they had been leaders of society and society’s fashions up to Albert’s untimely death, from that day on Victoria only ever wore black. In fact, such was her profound grief, she shut herself away for some years before being persuaded to rejoin society.

Both Victoria and Albert were very actively involved in bringing up their nine children, and took a special interest in their education. I remember learning at a lecture at the Victorian Arts Centre in Melbourne that they used to take the children away to a small summer place - I am not sure of its name - where the children were made to do everything for themselves, including cooking. Victoria and Albert wanted their children to be independent and resourceful, and saw this as a way of training them for that. Interestingly, one of their daughters became a sculptor of great talent. Her sculpture of her mother is amongst the photos I attach. I should imagine that was pretty rare for those days, yet she would have been encouraged by Victoria to make the most of her talent.

At the display on Queen Victoria in Kensington Palace, I noticed that one of the doctors who attended Albert as he lay dying was Doctor William Jenner, who became a pioneer in vaccinating people against diseases like small pox. I also discovered that Victoria then had her daughters vaccinated against small pox to show her confidence in him and to persuade her people to do the same. We all should be very grateful for her legacy, given so generously despite her own broken heart, no doubt so that others would not have to suffer the loss of a loved one to small pox as she did.

Vale Queen Victoria, and Prince Albert.

A portrait of Queen Victoria at the exhibition celebrating her life. She was actually born in Kensington Palace.

Victoria and Albert both loved music. This is their piano.

Some interesting information about Victoria.

Victoria's dolls house and other toys.

The young Victoria with her mother.

Victoria and Albert.

One of Victoria's dresses.

This photo and the next captured part of a photographic account of Albert's death, with words written by Victoria. It was a very powerful presentation.