Queen Victoria Revival

Welcome to Queen Victoria Revival

If you have found this section of my website you are probably fascinated by Queen Victoria and the era she gave her name to. I thought it just right to attach my blog and research to my historical interpretation website, which of course is all things Queen Victoria!

I have made it my mission to show that there is more to Queen Victoria than most people realise. From a vivacious young lady to the widow of Windsor in her weeds my research and posts will take you from the start of her life to the very end of it. Across this section of my website you will find a series of blogs, which cover a wide range of events and topics relating to her life and reign. You will also find a series of life stories about her children and grandchildren. I will also cover her fashion, regalia and jewellery which is an incredibly important part of portraying my role as Queen Victoria.

Queen Victoria's Windsor Uniform

The Windsor uniform was designed for King George III in 1779 as a distinctive private evening and court dress for male members of the Royal Family and senior courtiers to wear at Windsor Castle. On the 28th September 1837, Queen Victoria held her first review of the troops at Windsor. The Queen being a woman, was not eligible to wear a military uniform thus a feminine adaptation of the Windsor uniform was tailored for the Queen. Although the Windsor uniform was designed and w

Amelia Stephenson

Aug 242 min read

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's first visit to Guernsey - August 24, 1846

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited the Channel Island of Guernsey for the first time. It was the first visit by a reigning British monarch to the island for roughly six centuries, and Victoria and Prince Albert were only intending to spend a short time ashore. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert landing at St Pierre, Guernsey dated 1846 © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust Victoria and Albert were travelling aboard the royal yacht Victoria

Amelia Stephenson

Aug 242 min read

Queen Victoria visits the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte - 24th August 1855

On 24th August 1855, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their two eldest children visited the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte in the Church of Invalides. The sarcophagus was then in the small chapel of St Jérome in the church. Napoleon was initially buried on St Helena Island in 1821 but In 1840 his remains were reburied in a temporary tomb inside Les Invalides at the request of King Louis Phillip. The permanent resting place The Dôme des Invalides would not be complete until two d

Amelia Stephenson

Aug 246 min read

Queen Victoria’s Orange Blossom Jewellery

Queen Victoria not only started the popularisation of the white wedding dress but also brides wearing orange blossoms. Orange blossoms have their links to wedding traditions through Greek and Roman mythology, where Gaia gifted a golden-appled orange tree to Hera. The physical use of the blossoms in bridal attire later gained popularity in ancient China as a symbol of fertility, spreading to Europe during the Crusades. It was only until the 1840's that fashionable brides incor

Amelia Stephenson

Aug 224 min read

Queen Victoria’s bodice goes up for auction

A rare bodice worn by Queen Victoria is heading for auction in London. The auction photographs have an absolutely delicious photograph of the inside of the bodice. As a historical costume maker and historical interpreter i almost jump out my seat when i am given a rare glimpse of inside these absolutely special garments. © Kerry Taylor Auctions Dating from mid 1890's, the garment is a classic example of the clothing worn by Queen Victoria in her later years. The bodice itself

Amelia Stephenson

Jul 242 min read

Q&A with Karen from Karianne's Secret

I have been following Karen's social media Karianne's Secret since 2023 when i spotted her replica of Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee brooch on Etsy. I have been in awe of seeing her various creations progress. Unlike many replica jewellery companies, Karen ensures that even the stones are the correct cut to reflect the original pieces she has recreated. Not only are the replicas accurate but they are affordable letting you feel like royalty without breaking the bank! I want

Amelia Stephenson

Jul 143 min read

Queen Victoria's Warrant - Wife of Mr John Netter Radcliffe.

In February i received my second signature of Queen Victoria's to add to my collection. This signature is rather special and not just because it is Queen Victoria's. After some research I discovered this document awarded a pension of £100 to the wife of famous epidemiologist Mr John Netter Radcliffe. In 1866 Radcliffe investigated the cholera outbreak in East London, which he traced to the infected supply of the East London Water Company. Early in his career and shortly a

Amelia Stephenson

Jul 143 min read

Queen Victoria's Military Uniform

As head of state Queen Victoria was also commander-in-chief of the army. At the beginning of her reign her Windsor uniform had provided a suitably pseudo-martial image, but her numerous pregnancies inevitably ruled out horseback appearances in successive years. In 1856, however, the return of the troops from the Crimea prompted a succession of reviews to welcome them home. Where possible she tried to appear on horseback, at first wearing a dark green riding habit with a round

Amelia Stephenson

Jul 144 min read

Not one word of the truth - An unimpressed Queen and an embarrassed author.

Queen Victoria in 1840 & Agnes Strickland in 1846 © National Portrait Gallery, London Agnes Strickland’s Queen Victoria from her birth to her bridal, an early biography of Queen Victoria almost stripped from existence by its shaken author shows us a glimpse into Queen Victoria's rather passionate and unwavering determination on her public figure. Agnes was commissioned in 1839 by London-based publisher Henry Colburn to write a biography of Queen Victoria to commemorate her we

Amelia Stephenson

Jul 145 min read

Queen Victoria's cotton lawn petticoat

This fine cotton lawn petticoat has been widely photographed and features in Historic Royal Palaces most viewed video 'Queen Victoria's petticoat takes a bath' The chelating agent triammonium citrate combined with anionic detergent Orvus WA paste was used to clean the petticoat and i must say it has done a brilliant job! © Historic Royal Palaces 2026 Dating between 1840-1841, this petticoat was worn by Queen Victoria during the earlier years of her reign, when she was in her

Amelia Stephenson

Jul 132 min read

Queen Victoria's silk and organza dress

This ball gown is made from an almost paperlike gauze which is backed onto a silk satin. The bodice is style in a fashionable 1840's V point at the waist and has a low neckline which would has a lace bertha attached. The lace bertha currently on the dress is not the original. The original bertha was likely reused on another dress. Queen Victoria is known for reusing lace and even diamonds on her dresses (including her wedding lace which was often sewn on dresses she wore to h

Amelia Stephenson

Jul 132 min read

Prince Albert's Waistcoat

This brown silk crepe (also known as Crepe de Chine) single breasted waistcoat embellished with blue soutache braid was once owned by Prince Albert, husband and later consort to Queen Victoria. © London Museum 2026 Featuring a low cut neckline with shawl lapels (with hidden a button to secure each lapel) and a curved hem line, dipping lower in front than back reflecting the 1840-50's cinched waist of mens fashion. There is a pair of welt pockets either side of centre front. T

Amelia Stephenson

Jul 132 min read

Queen Victoria’s 1854 Green Court Dress

This famous photograph of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert from May 1854 is often described as showing the couple in their wedding costumes from fourteen years earlier. However, the history of this photograph and the dress itself have been well documented not only by a colourised version of the image from the same time period but throughout other temporary sources, which all show that she was in fact wearing court dress. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, 11th May 1854 by Rog

Amelia Stephenson

May 113 min read

‘It brought home painfully to me, the break with the past’: The death of Queen Victoria’s highland servant, John Brown

On 27th March 1883 Queen Victoria’s Highland servant John Brown, passed away at Windsor Castle. According to the Queen’s journals, Brown had fallen ill erysipelas on 25th March, however, he had been suffering for some time beforehand but still remained by her side. The following day his face had become swollen, leading him to fall unconscious and pass away on 27th March. John Brown, 1868 © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026 | Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2914390 Queen

Amelia Stephenson

Mar 274 min read

Queen Victoria's Paisley Shawl

This white wool shawl with a embroidered border of floral paisley motifs was owned by Queen Victoria some time after 1876. The shawl features beautiful paisley motifs and Queen Victoria's monogram in various bright colour. The shawl is lined with red silk. © Queen Victoria’s Revival / Amelia Stephenson The official date in the museums archive is dated as 1850 but Queen Victoria only began using the monogram VRI after becoming Empress of India in 1876. Although we think of Que

Amelia Stephenson

Jan 251 min read

Queen Victoria's black silk slippers

In September 2025 I was lucky enough to have a private viewing at Historic Royal Palaces archives. One of the various items I viewed and measured was this pair of slippers believed to have been worn by Queen Victoria. © Historic Royal Palaces 2026 The shoes are made of a black silk satin and fasten with black satin ribbons. The oval label in the right-hand shoe gives us a very useful insight into the makers and their customers. The shoes were made by Gundry & Son who were the

Amelia Stephenson

Jan 252 min read

Queen Victoria and Belvoir Castle - Royal splendour and stately homes

Last Christmas I visited Belvoir Castle not only as a research opportunity but I was working there as a historical interpreter for their Christmas event at The Engine Yard. I was incredibly lucky to have a tour around the castle and a three night stay at Croxton Lodge but of course seeing the bed Victoria once slept in and being able to be having exclusive access to The Elizabeth Saloon really topped the visit off. The lodge we was incredibly lucky to stay in a hunting lodge

Amelia Stephenson

Jan 36 min read

Advent Day 24: Christmas Eve 1860 – Queen Victoria’s Journals

Roger Fenton, “The Round Tower, Windsor Castle”, 1860, albumen print, RCIN 2100049, © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust “Already this dear Festival returned again, & this year with true Xmas weather, snow on the ground & sharp frost. — Albert & the Princes our shooting, but Louis preferred remaining with Alice. Walked down with them to the skating pond, where we found the other girls, &c. — All skated again after luncheon, when there was a reg

Amelia Stephenson

Dec 24, 20252 min read

Advent Day 23: Christmas Eve 1859 – Queen Victoria’s Journals

Princess Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse & by Rhine, “Madonna and Child”, dated Xmas 1859, pencil, watercolour wash, touches of bodycolour, RCIN 980925, © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust “This dear day again returned. — Full of bustle, business, & agitation, preparing presents, &c. — Walked with Alice to the Farm, where we looked at the animals & all Albert’s beautiful bulls & cows (100) & calves, — great beauties. Stopped a moment at Frogmore

Amelia Stephenson

Dec 23, 20252 min read

Advent Day 22: Christmas Eve 1858 – Queen Victoria’s Journals

Mary Thornycroft, “Princess Beatrice (1857-1944) in the Nautilus Shell”, signed and dated 1858, RCIN 41291, Royal Collection Trust/© His Majesty King Charles III 2022 “Already Xmas Eve! It seems but yesterday, that we celebrated it, & now 2 dear Children are far away! — Fine, bright, fresh day. — Albert out shooting. I, walking with Louise & Arthur. — Very busy arranging for Xmas, sending off presents to Claremont, &c —. — Thinking much of poor dear Vicky today. — Took a shor

Amelia Stephenson

Dec 22, 20252 min read