Advent Day 20: Christmas Eve 1856 – Queen Victoria’s Journals

Franz Xaver Winterhalter, “Charles, Prince of Leningen (1804-1856), signed and dated 1850, oil on canvas, RCIN 400913, © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust.

“Already we have returned to this festive day. — much busied, ever since our return here, & particularly today with the enormous number of gifts & presents to so many relations, friends, &c —. It rained early, but cleared by 10. — George left us after breakfast. — We took an hour’s walk, & I took a hurried turn after luncheon with Vicky. — Stockmar came to see us in the morning, to talk over various matters. —

After arranging some of the presents, rested. Albert was also very busy, running backwards & forwards, & seeing that all was properly & prettily arranged. — At 6 Mama, Amalie & my nephews arrived. Ernest gave us 2 trifles, which had belonged to & been constantly used by poor dear Charles. And then we went with them & all the Children (dear Affie being the only one missing) to the rooms with the Xmas trees & presents. We gave Mama some plate, a copy of Winterhalter’s picture of dear Charles, &c — It would take too long to enumerate all the presents we gave, & the beautiful ones we received. Vicky’s 2 drawings for us are lovely.

Albert arranged a surprise for the Children. In Germany the old saying that St. Nicholas appears with a rod for naughty children, & gingerbread for good ones, is constantly represented, & Arthur hearing of this begged for one. Accordingly Albert got up a St. Nicholas, most formidable he looking, in black, covered with snow, a long white beard, & red nose, — of a gigantic stature! He came in asking the Children, who were somewhat awed & alarmed, — “are you a good child, & giving them gingerbread & apples. I since heard that it was Cowley (the Jäger) who Albert had taught his part beautifully, but the children went on guessing every kind of person, & even now have not been told for certain.

Soon after this, Mama went away, & then I gave the Ladies & Gentlemen their tree & presents, in the Oak Room, after which we went back to the rooms, remaining there with the happy Children & the Company. In the midst of all this gaiety, poor dear Charles, whose picture was there, & whose poor sons & sorrowing mother were with us, was always recurring to my mind, making me feel the sad reality. — Sir Colin Campbell dined, & sat next to me. He talked much of his tours of inspection & of India &c —. He is going to Berlin, to give the Pce of Prussia the Gd Cross of the Bath, on the occasion of his Jubilee, viz: the 50th anniversary of his entry into the Prussian Army.”

RA VIC/MAIN/QVJ (W) [24 December 1856] (PRINCESS BEATRICE’S COPIES), VOLUME 42, p271-273, RETRIEVED [30 November 2025]. Supplied by Royal Collection Trust / © HM King Charles III,