What happens when two Victorian icons share a mutual interest in one another? Well, for Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens, the answer is nothing - or at least for about thirty years! Join me, Amelia Stephenson, as I discover the relationship between Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens and why it took so long for them to meet.
Having spent her childhood shielded behind the palace walls, Queen Victoria's perception of the real world had been tainted by her mother's strict control. So, when Oliver Twist was published in 1838, the young Queen was shocked to discover the harsh reality that lay within its pages. While the nineteen year-old Queen described the novel as "excessively interesting", she was naturally affected by the squalor conditions of the workhouse and gained sympathy for Britain's poorer classes.
On 7th January 1839, she wrote in her journal her the murder of Nancy was "too horrible, and made my blood run cold". She then went on to praise how the dark scene had been "beautifully done".
To Victoria, Oliver Twist was more than just a novel. For the first time, she could understand and empathise with her less fortunate subjects. In fact, the Queen was so affected by the book that she actively defended it - and her people - when Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, shared his dislike towards the story; which - according to him - spoke of "workhouses and coffin makers, and pickpockets", "things" that he actively tried to ignore.
While Melbourne tried to convert Victoria to his way of thinking, she simply fell more in love with the story and the author behind it. Her opinion on the matter could never be persuaded and she became a life long fan of Mr Dicken's novels.
Despite finding the monarchy to be unnecessary, Charles Dickens, too, shared a deep admiration towards the Queen. When twenty year-old Victoria married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha - known as the "German sausage" by Dickens - the author was undoubtedly heartbroken. That evening, he and his friend were walking around Windsor Great Park when he (Dickens) suddenly dropped to the ground and began rolling around in the dirt, wailing out - supposedly protesting against the royal match, which was being consummated in the nearby castle.
Three days later, on 13th February 1840, Dickens and his friend, Daniel Maclise, went on a tour of the Royal Apartments at Windsor Castle. Afterwards, he wrote to another friend about how he and Maclise were "raving in love for the Queen", adding how he was "utterly lost in misery and can do nothing [for his] heart is in Windsor". while all this seems dramatic, Dickens' infatuation didn't stop there. On one occasion he wrote of "heading some bloody assault on the palace and saving her [the Queen] by my own hand." However, when this option seemed impossible, his mind became filled with thoughts of suicide, simply because he couldn't save Her Majesty from her seemingly happy marriage.
In 1848, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert watched
Charles dickens perform for the first time in a production of Every man in his humour by Ben Jonson. The Queen was so impressed by the performance that in May 1851, she payed €50 to watch him perform Not so bad as we seem, by Sir Edward Bulmer Lytton, at a charity event at Devonshire House. Later that day, Victoria described in her journal that Dickens had preformed "admirably"
On 4th July 1857, Queen Victoria attended another fundraiser, where Dickens performed in Wilkie Colins' The frozen deep, alongside his brother and eldest daughter, Mary. When Victoria requested an audience with Charles Dickens to express her thanks, the author refused due to being in costume. Victoria naturally wouldn't take no for an answer and asked again, however Dickens continued to decline the offer.
On top of this, Victoria had also requested for a private performance of The frozen deep to take place at Buckingham Palace but this, too, was turned down by the author with the excuse that Mary hadn't yet been presented at court, making it inappropriate for her first appearance to be as an actress.
Over the next few years, Queen Victoria made countless attempts to meet the esteemed author, who turned down every single one; including a request to give the Queen a private reading of A Christmas carol, helping to raise funds for the Albert memorial in London and even an offer from the Queen to give him an honour.
In 1870, Queen Victoria sent Dickens a message requesting to thank him in person for some books he had loaned her. Perhaps softening with age, Charles felt like he had no choice but to accept. Recognising that the author suffered from extreme foot pain, Victoria offered to travel to Buckingham Palace specifically for the occasion in order to save her guest the hassle of going to Windsor. Their meeting took place on 9th March 1870, over thirty years after the Queen fell in love with Oliver Twist.
Unfortunately for Dickens, protocol insisted that he had to remain standing when in the Queen's presence.
It is believed that, as an act of solidarity, Victoria chose to stand throughout the meeting, although she did have the added advantage of leaning against the sofa! Unknown to Victoria's knowledge, Mr Dicken's had been suffering from a swollen left foot which he had been having poulticed since the previous year; this painful ailment made it rather uncomfortable for the aurthor to stand. During their meeting, Victoria presented Dickens with a copy of her own book Leaves from a journal of our life in the highlands, which was published in 1868. Despite previously describing it as "preposterous", Dickens politely and graciously accepted it.
Along with exchanging gifts, the two icons discussed countless topics, including the cost of food and how difficult it was to find good servants. As you would expect, Victoria made it clear that she still wished for a private reading of one of Dickens' books but he once again declined, claiming that his performance days were over. Instead, he offered to tell her the ending of his current project, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. For unknown reasons, the Queen turned down the offer, something she would possibly go on to regret. Dickens passed away exactly three months later on 9th June. Dickens never told anyone the ending to his final novel, nor did he write it down, causing the story to be lost forever.
Having been a lifelong fan of Charles Dickens, Victoria described his death as a "vy great loss. He had a large, loving mind and the strongest sympathy with the poorer classes. He felt sure that a better feeling, and much greater union of class would take place. And I pray earnestly it may."
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