British Royal Homes: Osborne


Figure 1.--.

Victoria and Albert felt the need to get away and be by themselves. In October 1844 the royal couple decided to go to the Isle of Wright which had aroused Albert's interest when he had sailed by the way to Eu. They rented a house and were delighted by the intimacy and coziness. The crowds that had spoiled other holiday excursions to (Brighton Pavilion and Walmer Castle) were not to be found on the Isle of Wright. So Albert and Victoria decided this would be a perfect site for a new home. A home was bought in 1845, with an estate of about 800 acres from Lady Blachford and was eventually enlarged to 2,300 acres. The house was too small for the rapidly expanding royal family and was demolished. Albert soon sent about creating Osborne House where the royal family was to spend so much time. Osbourne House was designed by Prince Albert, with advice from the builder Thomas Cubitt. It is modeled on an Italian villa overlooking the Bay of Naples. Construction began in June 1845, and finished 15 months later, although the servants accommodation was not finally completed until 1851. Albert's personality is stamped all over Osbourne House. He attempted to incorportate every modern device and equipment, such as a sewage plant, with varying degrees of success. Part of the grounds were set aside for the chikdren. A model fort was erected so the boys could practice military tactics. A Swiss chalet was equipped with a kitchen so the girls could learn to cook. Albert did his best to keep Osbourne just for the family and not to conduct business. There were very few exceptions--once Emperor Napoleon III asked to visit. Osborne House tells us much more about Albert's character than Balmoral. He simply adopted a Scottish laird's way of life, in part to please Victoria. Osbourne was his very own creation. [Bennett, pp. 123-124] Osbourne House was where Queen went to mourn the death of Prince Albert in 1861. During the next 40 years of her reign, she tried to keep the house, and grounds, unaltered in memory of Albert. Since her death the house, and grounds, have been kept as near as possible as they appeared when Prince Albert was alive. Their son, Edward VII, who was all to ready to be rid of it presented the house to the nation in 1904. Parts of the house and estate were converted into the Naval Training School. In fact the stables were converted into dormotories that were to house two future monarchs--Edward VIII and Gerorge VI.

Isle of Wright

Victoria and Albert felt the need to get away and be by themselves. In October 1844 the royal couple decided to go to the Isle of Wright which had aroused Albert's interest when he had sailed by the way to Eu. They rented a house and were delighted by the intimacy and coziness. The crowds that had spoiled other holiday excursions to (Brighton Pavilion and Walmer Castle) were not to be found on the Isle of Wright. So Albert and Victoria decided this would be a perfect site for a new home. The location had the advantage of being relatively close to London, but still isolated because it was on an island.

Designing the Building

A home was bought in 1845, with an estate of about 800 acres from Lady Blachford and was eventually enlarged to 2,300 acres. The house was too small for the rapidly expanding royal family and was demolished. Albert soon sent about creating Osborne House where the royal family was to spend so much time. Osbourne House was designed by Prince Albert, with advice from the builder Thomas Cubitt. It is modeled on an Italian villa overlooking the Bay of Naples. Construction began in June 1845, and finished 15 months later, although the servants accommodation was not finally completed until 1851. Albert's personality is stamped all over Osbourne House. He attempted to incorportate every modern device and equipment, such as a sewage plant, with varying degrees of success.

The Children

Part of the grounds were set aside for the children. A model fort was erected so the boys could practice military tactics. A Swiss chalet was equipped with a kitchen so the girls could learn to cook.

Family Retreat

Albert did his best to keep Osbourne just for the family and not to conduct business. Dignitaries were not normally invited to Osborne. There were very few exceptions--once Emperor Napoleon III asked to visit.

Prince Albert

Osborne House tells us much more about Albert's character than Balmoral. He simply adopted a Scottish laird's way of life, in part to please Victoria. Osbourne was his very own creation. [Bennett, pp. 123-124]

Queen Victoria

Osbourne House was where Queen went to mourn the death of Prince Albert in 1861. During the next 40 years of her reign, she tried to keep the house, and grounds, unaltered in memory of Albert. Since her death the house, and grounds, have been kept as near as possible as they appeared when Prince Albert was alive.

Edward VII

Prince Albert's and Victoria's son, Edward VII, who was all to ready to be rid of it presented the house to the nation in 1904. I'm not positive why Edward disliked Osborne. Presumably he had many happy childhood memories. Presumably it was the isolation--the very reason Victoria and Albert chose the site. Edward loved high society and the isolation of Osborne made it unsuitable for the entertaining and socializing that appealed to the King.

Royal Naval Training School

Parts of the house and estate were converted into the Naval Training School. In fact the stables were converted into dormotories that were to house two future monarchs--Edward VIII and Gerorge VI.

Current Status

Eventually naval training was phased out at Osbourne and in 1921 Dartmouth became the naval colege. Osbourne is now a museum. Until the end of the 1990s the house existed as both a museum and King Edward VII Retirement home for Officers (it also included high ranking convalescent patients from the civil service as well as miltary).

Sources

Battiscombe, Georgina. Queen Alexandra (Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1969).

Bennett, Daphne. King Without a Crown: Albert Prince Consort of England, 1819-1861 (New York: J.B. Lippincott, 1977).

Woodham-Smith, Cecil. Queen Victoria: Her Life and Times (1972).







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Created: November 30, 2002
Last updated: November 30, 2002