Victorian Roses Ladies Riding Society: Queen Victoria and Photography

Although not a photograph, this wedding portrait of Victoria is one of the first images that comes to mind of the young Queen.

Queen Victoria is depicted dressed in her wedding wreath of orange blossom flowers and her wedding veil, with the small collar of the Garter. She also wears the brooch Prince Albert gave her on their wedding day and the ear-rings and necklace made from the Turkish diamonds given to her by the Sultan Mahmúd II in 1838. She noted in her Journal that the painting was ‘a surprise for my beloved Albert, for 10th of Feb’. Painted by Franz Winterhalter in 1847 for an anniversary gift. The date of the Queen’s marriage Was February 10, 1840.

From the late 1840s many photographers were commissioned to take portraits of the royal children, whose photographs were then collected and organized chronologically in albums. This series of 44 albums, known as ‘Portraits of Royal Children’, covers the years 1848 to 1899. These images, as well as others depicting Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, were intended to be quite informal, private portraits, recording happy or significant family events. Source

The first photographic portrait of Prince Albert dates from 1842, while the earliest photograph of Queen Victoria (a double portrait with the Princess Royal) was taken by the miniature painter Henry Collen, c.1844.

On the right, taken in the late 1840s

There is some confusion on whether or not they are wearing their wedding clothes in this photograph. Taken 1854 in the drawing room at Buckingham Palace, 14 years after their marriage.

On the right, a lovely colorized photo taken in late 40s-early 50s

In July 1854, Queen Victoria commissioned Bryan Edward Duppa to take a photograph of her, as a surprise for her husband. The portrait shows the Queen holding a framed copy of a portrait of Prince Albert taken by the same photographer a few months earlier.

On the right, this photo taken in 1859, on the grounds of Osborne House, Isle of Wight.

Note the three tiered skirt, a popular style in the 50s.

Queen Victoria photographed by John Jabez Edwin Mayall, 1860, about age 40

In 1861, Prince Albert died. Photography helped the Queen through her long period of grief and mourning, playing a crucial role in her desire to do justice to his memory.Photography was perfectly adapted to documenting, recollecting and memorializing.

Prince Albert died at the moment when the commercial side of photography was starting to develop rapidly, triggering a conflict of interests that set art against commerce, and idealism against profit. The emergence of photography as a business activity led the vast majority of professional photographers to be considered tradesmen rather than artists. Source

Queen Victoria, Official Photographic Portrait.

Taken by Charles Clifford on 14 November 1861. Victoria recorded in her diary that she had “dressed in evening dress with diadem and jewels” to take this portrait.

Queen Victoria with her granddaughter Victoria of Hesse, 1864. Very full skirt over cage crinoline.

Victoria of Hesse, Queen Victoria’s 4th grandchild, was the daughter of Princess Alice.

Queen Victoria continued to hire photographers, concentrating on her family and on matters of state. The more formal, official photographs were taken by commercial photographers as seen in the stiff formality of the portraits. However, she still used her favorite photographers for private family photos.

Right, circa 1864

Queen Victoria with grandson, the future Wilhem II of Germany as a child, 1864.

A new era of photography began in 1888 when the first roll-film camera was introduced onto the market, opening the door to amateur photographers. Several members of the Royal Family took up the new medium, with Princess Alexandra being the most enthusiastic and talented practitioner. Photography was able once again to invade the privacy of the Royal Family as they themselves were the authors of the photographs. For the first time the camera was now able to take truly informal pictures. Source

Left, Alexandra, Victoria's daughter-in-law, the family photographer. Taken in 1888. Alexandra was married to Victoria's son Albert Edward, who later became King Edward, VII.

Left, Queen Victoria, 1886. Age 66.

Right, 1887, the 50th year of her reign

circa 1895: Queen Victoria (1819 - 1901) with her family, (standing left to right) Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, Prince Henry of Battenberg, Count Arthur Mensdorff-Pouilly, Beatrice, Princess Henry of Battenberg, George, Duke of York; (seated left to right) Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, Queen Victoria, Victoria Mary, Duchess of York holding Prince Edward of York, Prince Arthur of Connaught (hand on chin) and Prince Alexander of Battenberg. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Beautiful colorized photo of Victoria with Tzar Nicholas of Russia. Seated on left is Tzarina Alexandra (Victoria's granddaughter) holding Grand Duchess Olga. Taken at Balmoral 1896