Handling Queen Victoria's undergarments and accessories

An absolute dream became reality today!

I was able to hold items once worn and owned by Queen Victoria. With thanks to the Victoria and Albert museum I was able to have a private viewing of these absolutely special pieces.

It is always a pleasure seeing Queen Victoria's garments and textiles behind glass but you hardly get to inspect them up close to see how they were constructed or the small pieces of wear and tear that can show the story of the item.

I was able to handle and see up close a nightgown belonging to Queen Victoria in her later life, a day cap from the 1850's, a pair of bloomers worn by Queen Victoria in her early 30's and an 1860's parasol commissioned by Queen Victoria and embroidered for her in China.

After 7 years of portraying Queen Victoria i have always dreamed of handling an object once worn by Queen Victoria herself, this always seemed a distant and unachievable dream but with thanks to the Victoria and Albert museum I was able to have a private viewing with these items.

As soon as i entered the room and these items were laid out for me to hold, it felt as if my heart had stopped!

Queen Victoria's nightgown, Circa 1850

The first item on my request was a nightgown belived to be from 1850. The nightgowns hip line measured at 33 inches and the length amounted to 55.

The nightgown is made of white linen. It features side gores and triangular gores at the shoulders and the sleeves are wide, the opening is tucked to suggest a pagoda shape, there are two buttons and loops at the wrist. The neck is high and round with the centre front opening to the waist. There is pleated gauging at the back and on wither side of the front opening which is trimmed with a pleated frill edged with hand-made lace. A frill of the same lace trims the neck and edges the sleeves. At the sleeve opening are four self-covered buttons and loops for adjustment of the size of the opening. The Queen's monogramed cipher features in the center front just below the front opening, the cipher is hand embroidered in a delicate cotton thread and has the number 36 below it. All of Queen Victoria's undergarments were numbered to add ease for the laundrettes as there were many identical garments which would become confusing when laundering them. These garments were washed and then worn in strict rotation, numbering them helped keep this practice running smoothly.

This nightgown is almost identical to a later example from 1900 which was also worn by Queen Victoria.

The nightgown was given to a H. C. Dudman either by Queen Victoria herself or one of her dressers.

Queen Victoria's drawers, Circa 1850

The second item was a pair of Queen Victoria's bloomers which also dated to 1850.

These bloomers have a waist of 34 inches and an outside leg length of 29.5 inches.

They are made of white linen and would have come just below knee length. The legs are loose and banded at the border with three tucks. The fullness of the seat is eased into the waist band, through the top of which a gathering tape is run. In the front they are open from hip level, and they are open at the back. There are three vertical worked holes in the front waist band and centre seam, and a horizontal one at the back. There is a vertical button-hole halfway down the centre back and what appears to have been a tape mounting for a button. Inside the right hand back of the waistband is a finely worked blue crown surmounting 'V R / 6'. Again number for effective laundering rotations.

The second piece of fabric shown in the image below is a modern piece and was added during conservation for preservation and stabilising. The cypher and number are intricately sewn using a cross stitch.

Queen Victoria's day cap, Circa 1850

Due to the delicate nature of this exquisite day cap it was incased in a protective plastic covering to prevent any damage. Although this piece could not be handled and the protective plastic hindern the photographs i was absolutely blown away with seeing such a rare surviving piece of Queen Victoria's wardrobe. This day cap is believed to be the only surviving one of its kind.

This embroidered lace day cap was worn by Queen Victoria during the 1850s. The cap features Ayrshire whitework and Valenciennes lace. The cap was given to The V&A museum by HRH Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, as being worn by her mother Queen Victoria.

Day or morning caps were fashion accessories through the 18th and most of the 19th centuries. They were worn indoors by most married and older women, and were both a way to show off one's needlework skills as well as a practical way of covering one's hair to maintain a neat and tidy appearance. Decorated cotton and lace caps such as this were worn in the morning hours with the informal attire appropriate for the early part of the day.

People often wonder why so many of Queen Victoria's undergarments survive and often come up for auction. After Queen Victoria's death in 1901, her nightdresses and other undergarments were distributed amongst members of the Royal Household.

I will be back again soon to see some more of Queen Victoria's items including a pair of shoes and the parasol she used at the opening of The Great Exhibition.