Advent Day 6: Christmas Eve 1842 – Queen Victoria’s Journals

Charles Wild, “Windsor Castle: The Upper War”, c1819, pencil, watercolour and touches of bodycolour, RCIN 922096, © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust

“A clear, bright, frosty day, which I hail with joy on this ever treasured Xmas Eve. We walked out after breakfast. – Read & wrote. – Albert had been out shooting. – In the afternoon, we again took a short walk. – On our return we gave presents to our personal servants, & my maids, & later to Ly Lyttleton, Ly Canning & the 2 maids of Hanover.

‘Pussy’ was with me & watched all the things being brought into our room. Went up to the Nursery where the Boy was in a beautiful dress of blue cloth, trimmed with red valued, to represent a sort of Windows Uniform, with the correct buttons. When I came down again, I arranged the present tables for Albert & Mama. We then called Mama into our room, where her tree & table stood, after which I took Albert to the little corner room, where I had arranged his tree & table. He was delighted with my gifts of Plate, pictures & c. My table & fine frosted tree, were in the middle little blue room.

Splendid indeed were the presents my beloved one gave me, amongst them the rearrangement of some of my Jewels, to be worn in different ways, a complete antique Parure, a sketch of him by Ross, unfortunately a great failure &c. Mama gave me also some very nice things. ‘Pussy’ was quite delighted with all the lights, & her toys, & remained sometime. Baby only coming down for a little while, still in his Windsor Uniform. –

We played part of Mendelssohn’s last Symphony, he has just sent us. – Mama, & her Lady, Ly Lyttleton & her daughters, Ly Canning (came for a few days), the Ansons & Gen. Wemyss dined. Before dinner Albert gave all the Gentlemen trifles from me. The Band played afterwards in the Red Drawingroom amongst other things a ‘Toy Symphony’ by Hayden which is very pretty & made us laugh very much owing to all the Children’s instruments introduced into it, which has a very comic effect. –

I am always sorry when this dear day is over, with the excitement & read pleasure of the afternoon & evening. – The preparation & giving to one’s dear ones, of ones little gifts, the Xmas trees & the surprise, of all the beautiful things one receives oneself – all, is so delightful.”

RA VIC/MAIN/QVJ (W) [24 December 1842] (PRINCESS BEATRICE’S COPIES), VOLUME 14, p246-248, RETRIEVED [25 November 2025]. Supplied by Royal Collection Trust / © HM King Charles III