The ceremony took place on the morning of 10 february 1840 in the chapel royal, st jamess palace. The cake, which has survived from queen victorias wedding to prince albert in 1840, was sold by jersey collector david gainsborough roberts. The wedding in february, the first marriage of a reigning english queen since bloody mary almost 300 years before, was held at 1pm in the chapel royal at st jamess palace. Prince albert married his first cousin, queen victoria of the united kingdom, at the age of 20, and after his untimely death at age 42, the queens memory of him guided her for the next 40 years. The young queen married albert of saxecoburg and gotha on 10 february 1840. The sumptuous wedding breakfast included a 300pound. The obstacles to queen victoria and prince albert s relationship came in the years before their grand wedding. Queen victoria and prince albert marry at at st jamess palace in london on february 10th, 1840. Wedding of queen victoria and prince albert of saxecoburg and.
Though queen, as an unmarried young woman victoria was required by social. The headdress was a wreath of orange flower blossoms, and over this a beautiful veil of honiton lace, worn down. The sumptuous wedding of queen victoria and albert of saxecoburg and gotha took place on 10 february 1840 at st jamess palace. She chose to wear a white wedding dress, which was considered an unusual choice at a time when colours were more usual, made from heavy silk satin. Wedding of queen victoria and prince albert of saxecoburg. The honiton lace used for her wedding dress proved an important boost to devon lacemaking. Writing for history extra, tracy borman recounts the nuptials, from the young queen s preparations to the public reaction to the new prince this competition is now closed.
In 1840, victoria married her cousin, prince albert of saxecoburg and gotha, the son of her mothers brother. Victoria 18191901 was queen of the united kingdom of great britain and ireland 18371901 and empress of india 18761901. The wedding of queen victoria and prince albert of saxecoburg and gotha later prince consort took place on 10 february 1840 at chapel royal, st. An illustration of queen victoria and prince albert s wedding in 1840. The dress, and the famously patterned lace, were designed by william dyce, head of what was known at the time as the government school of design. Not only did she detest childbirth, she also suffered from postnatal depression. Queen victorias coronet is gifted to the victoria and.
Like any number of traditions, the white wedding dress comes to us straight from the victorian erain fact, from queen victoria herself, who was married to prince albert of saxecoburg and gotha. What was queen victoria and prince alberts wedding really. The marriage of queen victoria and prince albert was solemnized on the 10th of february 1840, at the chapel. Lucy worsley introduces the team of experts who join her in preparing to reconstruct the wedding that changed history. It was a political union that became the greatest royal love story of all. Heres what you need to know about their affair, wedding, and marriage.
Queen victoria of the united kingdom married her cousin prince albert of saxecoburg and gotha on 10 february 1840. Prince albert gave queen victoria a sapphire and diamond coronet for their wedding. Queen victoria credited with popularising indoor christmas. Slice of queen victorias wedding cake sold at auction. The young queen victoria was nervous before her 1840 wedding to albert. The early life of queen victoria, from her ascension to the throne at the tender age of 18 to her courtship and marriage to prince albert. Lucy worsley restages the wedding of queen victoria and prince albert. Queen victoria and prince albert clasp hands at the altar. Sir george hayter 17921871 the marriage of queen victoria, 10. Victoria and albert got married in a church, and then there was a feast afterwards. Getty at the time, white was an unconventional colour for a bride to wear, with coloured wedding dresses far more common. Our sites are currently closed, but you can browse the collection or shop online. The 20yearold monarch unwittingly influenced nearly two centuries worth of bridal decisions. What was queen victoria and prince alberts wedding really like.
Queen victorias coronet is gifted to the victoria and albert museum the small crown was designed for victoria by prince albert in the couples wedding year of 1840. But the unearthly feel the new bride rapturously described in the days following was quite at odds with her eras. The marriage of queen victoria to prince albert of saxe coburg was a pivotal moment in british history. Three years ago, it almost disappeared from england forever, until a billionaire irishman saved the day. The wedding airing on pbs january and 20, time spoke to worsley about royal weddings, what history can teach us.
How queen victoria set one incredible trend and every bride has followed queen victoria and her german husband prince albert were. How 20yearold queen victoria forever changed wedding. Queen victoria and prince albert had their first child victoria, princess royal on nov. Queen victoria and prince albert royal collection trust. Matters were sorted out, however, and albert was invested with the order of the garter and escorted back to london from gotha in january 1840. The obstacles to queen victoria and prince alberts relationship came in the years before their grand wedding. A depiction of queen victoria and prince alberts wedding. Queen victoria s dress was of rich white satin, trimmed with orange flower blossoms. Each detail is brought back to life in a spectacular ceremony as lucy reveals how. After the ceremony, the newlyweds snatched half an hour together in victorias room before facing the crowds at the wedding banquet.
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