Osborne House, Isle of Wight

[Elise,LadyofLancaster]

OSBORNE HOUSE

Built in the style of an Italian villa, Osborne House was the much-loved home of Queen Victoria and her family, a residence which afforded them some privacy and seclusion from public life. When the estate, and seaside home, were purchased in 1845, the original house was not substantial enough to accommodate a large family, and Prince Albert designed a replacement. By 1851 the new Osborne House, based on the Prince's ideas and assisted by Thomas Cubitt, was a gargantuan affair.

Prince Albert favoured the Italian Renaissance style and this is apparent in the Grand Corridor, linking the Pavilion, Main Wing and Household Wing. The walls and ceiling are highly decorated (the first floor corridors have an arabesque decoration), and the Grand Corridor served as a fine classical sculpture gallery - very popular in the late 18th and 19th centuries. Not only did Queen Victoria and Prince Albert take pleasure in their statues, but the Grand Corridor also doubled up as a useful 'promenade' in bad weather.

Apart from the splendid ceilings, the rooms also contain some impressive features, and much use was made of imitation marble, even for the legs of the billiard table designed by Prince Albert. Although primarily a family home to be enjoyed with the children, Osborne House was still a Royal residence, where affairs of State had to be dealt with. In the Council Room, the Queen's Privy Council of Ministers met, and the badge of the Garter can be seen at the centre of the ceiling.

Prince Albert influenced the highly successful Great Exhibition of 1851, and many exhibits relating to this event can be seen at Osborne. Displayed throughout the house are numerous gifts to the Queen from around the world. The Royal Nursery remains as it would have been, and the private suite of Victoria and Albert gave the couple wonderful views of the estate and the Solent beyond, which reminded the Prince of the Bay of Naples. One of the extraordinary features of Osborne House is the Durbar Room and Corridor. In 1876, Queen Victoria became the Empress of India and Maharajah Duleep Singh and his family became important allies to the Queen. She also had an Indian servant, who later became her personal Indian secretary, and he taught the Queen Hindustani. Thus, when it was decided to create a state banqueting hall, Rudyard Kipling's father, Lockwood, designed the room with a distinctly Indian influence. Completed in 1893, the room resembles a medieval hall with a minstrels gallery, and a remarkable, deeply coffered ceiling. Every aspect of the hall is elaborately embellished, and the 'Peacock' alone took over 500 hours to create.

After exploring the house and contents, there is the added pleasure of a ride in a horse-drawn carriage to visit the Swiss Cottage - a wooden chalet in the grounds where the Royal children learned to cook. There is a museum full of diverse collections, the Victoria Fort and Albert Barracks, and beautiful gardens, all purposely designed with both education and fun in mind for the Royal children. It is not difficult to understand why Queen Victoria was reluctant to leave this personal 'island paradise' and return to London.

[Elise,LadyofLancaster]

[Elise,LadyofLancaster]

[Elise,LadyofLancaster]

[Elise,LadyofLancaster]

[TOMMIX]

Osborne House-

[thissal]

Thank you for all the wonderful pictures of Osbourne House. I wonder why Charles and Camilla didn't want to move here instead of Clarence House which seems a little confining?

[TOMMIX]

Originally posted by thissal@Oct 25th, 2003 - 10:56 am
Thank you for all the wonderful pictures of Osbourne House.  I wonder why Charles and Camilla didn't want to move here instead of Clarence House which seems a little confining?

Osbourne House has not been owned by the Royal Family for quite some time. After Queen Victoria died in 1901, her son Edward VII gave Osbourne House to the Royal Navy to be used as a home for retired naval men.

[HRH Kimetha]

Originally Posted by TOMMIX

Osbourne House has not been owned by the Royal Family for quite some time. After Queen Victoria died in 1901, her son Edward VII gave Osbourne House to the Royal Navy to be used as a home for retired naval men.

Besides, isn't Osborne House pretty far from London?

[hrhcp]

thissal  Posted: Oct 25th, 2003 - 10:56 am

... I wonder why Charles and Camilla didn't want to move here instead of Clarence House which seems a little confining?

What are you trying to say here, thissal ?

Clarence House is downtown London. Everybody who is anybody needs a townhouse in downtown London.

Now .. in terms of a retreat .... its a toss up of where is better :

a.) Osbourne House, south of London on an island at the sea. I think this place was used as a headquarters by the Queen during Cowes (the annual yachting festival) ?

b.) Highgrove - in the middle of England to the west of London ?

c.) Balmoral - in Scotland, in the middle of the countryside somewhere west or northwest of Edinborough ?

[Elise,LadyofLancaster]

[Elise,LadyofLancaster]

Osborne House, Isle of Wight

Royal Apartments
East Cowes
PO32 6JY
Isle of Wight
England

[Elise,LadyofLancaster]

[TOMMIX]

A painting of Osbourne House-
[Artist unkown to me]

[Pixilated]

It's a very fussy place, architecturally and in terms of interior decoration.A mish- mash of Italianate, Rococo, and Victorian.The grounds are very pleasant though.

[Fitzgerald]

Hi,

I found this forum a few days ago. Had a bit of trouble activating my account but now I'm here, thank you to the admin for sorting that out for me.

I'm a tour guide at Osborne House, so naturally that is my primary interest. I was there on Friday 17th when Charles and Camilla visited, I did meet Charles briefly, very very briefly.

I read some posts regarding Osborne House, some of the info is spot on, some isn't but even that is close. If you have any questions regarding Osborne House I hope that I will be able to answer them for you. I will also see if I can post some pictures but I'm not sure how to do that yet,

Best Wishes,

Fitzgerald

[susan alicia]

This youtube clip gives a small impression of the house. I went last year and did not see the Swiss Cottage, which is shown. They ommit Queen Victoria's Bathing Machine, which is a funny contraption and the memorial bench for John Brown.

Fitzgerald I have a question, when was the bench put in the park (In the movie with Judie Dench I had the impression they had grown apart towards the end of her life)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr1PoBvK_hI