Advent Day 18: Christmas Eve 1854 – Queen Victoria’s Journals

George Housman Thomas, “Napoleon III and Prince Albert in Boulogne”, 1854; mistakenly dated 1853, pencil, watercolour, bodycolour and gum arabic, RCIN 920050, Royal Collection Trust/© His Majesty King Charles III 2022

“Yesterday evening also received a letter from Ld Aberdeen & the Draft to Mr Henderson relative to the Sardinian Treaty. None of secret articles are to be agreed to. We amended the Draft a little, ourselves, this morning, as it had some passages in it which appeared ambiguous. — Out walking with the 7 Children, before service at 11, at which the Bishop of New Zealand preached. — In the afternoon we took a short walk. A very high wind. —

We were very busy arranging all the Christmas gifts, as we were also yesterday & began giving our’s to the Governesses, Maids, &c — Poor Christmas Eve, that happiest of festivals, comes this year at such a sad troubled time, which is quite distressing. How many, many a home is sad & mourning dear ones, & how cold & dreary are our beloved & noble heroes, in the Crimea, — in an enemy’s land. — At ½ p. 6 everything being ready our joyous band of happy Children & Mama accompanied us into the usual room where her’s & the Children’s trees were placed & all the presents arranged on tables. It looked the quite like a Bazaar. All the gifts we had chosen seemed to give great pleasure.

Albert then took me to when our tree & things were. Amongst his gifts to me were scenes of his visit to the Camp at Boulogne, painted in water colours, one being framed. I really had lovely things, & many so useful. The good Children, all 6, worked, wrote & drew charmingly for me. Lastly went into dearest Albert’s room & gave him my presents. The Children also did quantities for their dear Papa, & Vicky a most beautiful drawing, for which she has a great talent. At 7 we had the tree for the Ladies & Gentlemen, after which we took them to our rooms, & the Children’s, remaining there some time all together, the Children making a famous noise. It was quite a happy Christmas Eve. — No one to dinner, but the Duke of Newcastle, who stays over tomorrow. He was low & anxious as everyone must be, about the state of health of our noble Army in the Crimea. —”

RA VIC/MAIN/QVJ (W) [24 December 1854] (PRINCESS BEATRICE’S COPIES), VOLUME 38, p253-255, RETRIEVED [30 November 2025]. Supplied by Royal Collection Trust / © HM King Charles III