Advent Day 8: Christmas Eve 1844 – Queen Victoria’s Journals

Sir Charles Lock Eastlake, “Zia Theresa: The Visit to the Nun”, 1844, oil on canvas, RCIN 405854, Royal Collection Trust/© His Majesty King Charles III 2022

'With joy & gratitude I hail this day’s return, & it has ever been so dear to me & to my dearest Albert! How time flies it seems to me but yesterday, that we celebrated the festival. — After breakfast & attending Prayers, we walked to the Aviary & Frogmore, & it was very cold. On coming home, we found Alice sitting to Winterhalter. — Wrote, & read, &c. — Immediately after luncheon, we drove down to Frogmore with the 3 Ladies & all the Gentlemen, & part of the water being sufficiently frozen over to skate, & quite safe, Albert played at hockey. We got home by 4 & then began all the arrangements for the “Bescherung”, Gave my maids &c our presents, & our “offrandes” to Ly Lyttelton.

Poor dear Albert was in a great way, at his 2 principal presents for me not having arrived, & I felt so sorry for his disappointment. At 6 we took Mama & the 3 Children to the White Drawingroom where their presents & tree were arranged. There were 2 large Xmas trees & quantities of toys for the Children. We gave Mama besides other small things, silver dishes for her dinner table. The whole arrangement looked so pretty & bright. The eldest Children were enchanted, & it put me so in mind of my childhood’s days.

We remained here looking at the things, &c. hoping that Albert’s gift for me would arrive but they did not, so we went to the little music Room where I had arranged my offerings which were: a pretty picture by Eastlake of “A Visit to a Nun”, a very pretty group in enamel after an old picture, & various other things. Dear Albert was kind enough to be very much pleased which made me very happy. He then took me to the Closet, where for the 5th time, my “Bescherung” with a tree, was arranged. From Albert I receive a lovely antique ornament, to be worn round the neck, & an enamel, after Thorburn’s fine picture of him in armour, as well as a sketch of himself by Winterhalter from his large picture, — books &c. I received very nice gifts from the Queen Dowr Mama kind Grandmama, Ernest & Alexandrine Louise & Uncle Leopold, &c. —

Before dinner, Albert gave the Gentlemen, & I, the Ladies, their presents. — Mama &c, the Ansons & Gen Wemyss, dined I wore my beautiful pendant. This time of year makes me think so sadly of poor dear Papa, who was well & happy & making so many happy, this day last year. He had such a peculiarly delightful manner which no one possesses as our dear Papa did! And then he always so kindly, sent us presents! After dinner one of Albert’s gifts having arrived, the other will not be ready for some time. yet, — he took me to his room, where he gave me a most lovely bracelet, with his dear picture, also after Thorburn & beautifully enamelled, set with a replica in small, of the collar of the order of the Garter, in enamel work. It is his own exquisite taste & one of the loveliest things I ever saw. How I shall value it, & that extreme pleasure it gives. I put it on at once, & it was much admired.'

RA VIC/MAIN/QVJ (W) [24 December 1844] (PRINCESS BEATRICE’S COPIES), VOLUME 18, p210-214, RETRIEVED [25 November 2025]. Supplied by Royal Collection Trust / © HM King Charles III