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The marriage of
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert was solemnized
on the 10th of February 1840, at the Chapel
Royal, St. James's. The day was inauspicious, a
heavy rain falling; but immense multitudes
assembled to gaze upon the processions.
At daybreak crowds
of anxious and loyal subjects were seen
hastening from all parts of the city in the
direction of the royal palaces and the whole
city exhibited the most extensive preparations
for the proper celebration of the occasion. In
St. James's Park, the area in front of
Buckingham Palace, and the avenue leading from
thence to the garden entrance of St. James's was
densely thronged before eight o'clock, and the
rain which fell after that time caused no
sensible diminution of the crowds, for as fast
as the endeavor of one body of the eager
visitors gave way their places were filled by
the fresh numbers which were every minute
arriving.
Buckingham
Palace
Her Royal highness
the Duchess of Kent and the twelve Bridesmaids
were in attendance upon her Majesty at an early
hour. The Princess Sophia Matilda of Gloucester,
the Duchess of Cambridge, the Princess Mary, and
the Princess Augusta of Cambridge, and the
Duchess Gloucester also arrived early at the
Palace and were admitted to Queen Victoria's
private apartments.
The
Royal Bride’s Procession
The bridal
procession from Buckingham Palace to St.
James’s, where the ceremony was to be performed,
begun to move through the triumphal arch at 12
o'clock. A royal salute of 21 guns announced
that Queen Victoria was entering her carriage. Every
accessible part of St. James’s Park which lies
between the palaces had been crowded from an
early hour, and Queen Victoria was received in the
most enthusiastic manner by those who were so
fortunate as to command a view of this
procession.
St.
James’s Palace
The procession
passed on to the Garden Entrance of St. James’s
Palace by which Her Majesty entered and
proceeded to the Queen’s Closet, or Privy
Council Chamber, where she remained for half an
hour till the procession was formed in front of
the Throne. During all this time the cheering
continued in front of the Palace with
uninterrupted vehemence.
Prince Albert's
portion of the procession moved first, preceded
by the Lord and Deputy Chamberlains, who
conducted His Royal Highness to the chapel where
he remained on the right hand side, or left of
the altar. He was attended by his Gentleman of
Honor, and the Reigning Duke and Hereditary
Prince of Saxe Coburg (his father and elder
brother) and their suites, and preceded by drums
and trumpets.
His Serene
Highness wore a field marshal’s uniform, with
large rosettes of white satin on his shoulders.
There was a flush on his brow as he entered the
chapel. His manly and dignified bearing, and the
cordial and unaffected manner with which he
greeted those of the Peers and Peeresses around
him, won all hearts. Many of those around
pronounced that Prince Albert was a consort
worthy of Queen Victoria.
On reaching his
chair, Prince Albert advanced gracefully to the
Queen Dowager and respectfully kissed her hand.
He afterwards bowed to the Archbishop of
Canterbury and the other Church Dignitaries and
remained for some time standing and casting many
anxious glances towards the Chapel entrance. The
Queen Dowager at length requested him to be
seated and he entered into conversation with
her.
The Lord
Chamberlain and Deputy Chamberlain returned to
Queen Victoria, and having their prescribed
positions, her Majesty's procession advanced
preceded by music, and guided by the Officers of
the Earl Marshal. The procession passed through
the Throne Room, the Ante Throne Room, Queen
Anne’s Drawing Room, the Guard Chamber, the
Armory, the Grand Staircase, and the Colonnade
leading to the Chapel. All these apartments
were sumptuously adorned, and in all of them
seats had been prepared for spectators, which
crowded with an array of beauty and fashion.
Twenty-one hundred tickets had been issued for
the accommodation of spectators in these places.
In the procession,
Queen Victoria was preceded by the usual display of
heralds and trumpeters, by the various officers
of the household, by the different members of
the royal family, each with an attendant from
their households, by the Chamberlains, and Lord
Melbourne bearing the sword of state. Her
Majesty’s train was borne by her twelve
bridesmaids, who were followed by the ladies of
the bed chamber, the maids of honor, the women
of the bed chamber, the gold stick, and six
gentlemen of arms, and as many yeomen of the
guard to close the procession.
The procession
arrived at the chapel at half past one. The
chapel itself had been crowded from an early
hour. The galleries presented a magnificent
display of nobility and beauty. In the
Ambassador’s gallery, facing the altar, among
the first arrivals, were the American Minister
and Mrs. Stevenson, the Turkish Ambassador, the
Princess Esterhazy, Mr. and Mrs. Van de Weyhr,
the Swedish Ambassador, Russian Ambassador, and
Count Sebastiani. A number of others arrived in
rapid succession, and the south gallery soon
presented a very magnificent display of costly
diamonds, stars, and decorations. At 10 o’clock
one of the bands marching into the Palace yard
passed the chapel window playing “Haste to the
Wedding.” While a smile mantled on the faces of
the ladies, the Archbishop of Canterbury most
appropriately entered the chapel and proceeded
up to the altar.
The Queen Dowager
entered immediately after eleven, and took her
seat on the right of the state chair
appropriated to Prince Albert – all the
spectators rose on her entrance, and Queen
Adelaide curtsied at this mark of respect.
The appearance of
the large body of spectators was brilliant in
the extreme. Bridal favors were universally
worn, and the profusion of diamonds and other
gems, the glittering state robes and costly
decorations, formed a display of the most
magnificent character. The altar was
magnificently decorated. The pillars supporting
the galleries were gilt, as was the communion
table and the gothic railing which surrounded
it.
Wedding
Attire
Queen Victoria’s
dress was of rich white satin, trimmed with
orange flower blossoms. The headdress was a
wreath of orange flower blossoms, and over this
a beautiful veil of Honiton lace, worn down. The
bridesmaids or train-bearers were also attired
in white. The cost of the lace alone on the
dress was £1,000. The satin, which was of a pure
white, was manufactured in Spitalfields. Queen
Victoria wore an armlet having the motto of the
Order of the Garter: "Honi soit qui mal y pense,”
inscribed. She also wore the star of the Order.
The lace of Queen
Victoria’s bridal dress, though popularly called
Honiton lace, was really worked at the village
of Beer, which is situated near the sea coast,
about ten miles from Honiton. It was executed
under the direction of Miss Bidney, a native of
the village, who went from London, at the
command of her Majesty, for the express purpose
of superintending the work. More than two
hundred persons were employed upon it from March
to November, during the past year.
The lace which
formed the flounce of the dress, measured four
yards, and was three quarters of a yard in
depth. The pattern was a rich and exquisitely
tasteful design, drawn expressly for the
purpose, and surpasses anything that has ever
been executed either in England or in Brussels.
So anxious was the manufacturer that Queen
Victoria
should have a dress perfectly unique, that she
has since the completion of the lace destroyed
all the designs. The veil, which was of the same
material, and was made to correspond, afforded
employment to the poor lace workers for more
than six weeks. It was a yard and a half square.
The Queen
Dowager's dress was of English lace with a rich
deep flounce over white satin; the body and
sleeves trimmed with the same material. The
train was of rich violet velvet lined with white
satin and trimmed with ermine. The whole of this
dress was entirely composed of articles of
British manufacture. Queen Adelaide wore a
diamond necklace and earrings, a head dress,
feathers, and diamonds.
The dress worn by
her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Kent, was of
white satin splendidly brocaded with silver and
trimmed with three flounces of blonde. It was
trimmed with net and silver. The train was of
sky-blue velvet lined with white satin and
trimmed with ermine. The body and sleeves were
tastefully ornamented with ermine and silver
with blonde ruffles. The head dress was of
diamonds and feathers with a necklace and
earrings en suite. The articles in the
dress were wholly of British manufacture.
H.R.H. Princess
Augusta wore a corsage and train of rich blue
velvet trimmed with Brussels point lace and
tastefully ornamented with aigrettes of
diamonds. There was a rich white satin
petticoat with volants and heading of Brussels
point lace. The head dress was of Brussels point
lace with superb lappets to correspond and a
magnificent spray of diamonds.
The Duchess of
Sutherland wore a dress of white satin trimmed
with barbs of Spanish point lace and white
roses. Included was a stomacher of brilliants,
point ruffles and berthé; plus a train of white
moiré magnificently embroidered in coral and
gold. The head dress was of feathers and point
lappets with splendid diamonds.
The Countess of
Carlisle had a dress of sapphire blue velvet
with a Brussels point tucker and ruffles. Her
head dress was a toque of velvet and Brussels
point lappets.
Prince Albert met
Queen Victoria and conducted her to her seat on the
right hand side of the altar. The Archbishop of
Canterbury advanced to the rails; next her
Majesty and Prince Albert approached him and the
service commenced. While the service was
proceeding, her Majesty was observed looking
frequently at Prince Albert, who was standing at
her side. In fact she scarcely ever took her
eyes off him till she left the chapel.
As the service
concluded, the several members of the Royal
Family who had occupied places around the altar
returned to take up their positions in the
procession. After all had passed, with the
exception of the Royal bride and bridegroom,
Queen Victoria stepped hastily across to the other side
of the altar, where the Queen Dowager was
standing and kissed her. Prince Albert then took
her Majesty’s hand, and the Royal pair left the
chapel, all the spectators standing.
Having remained a
short time in the Royal Closet, Queen Victoria and
the Prince returned in the same carriage from
the Royal Garden of St. James’s to Buckingham
Palace.
Wedding
Breakfast
A wedding repast
was prepared, at which several of the
illustrious participators in the previous
ceremony, and the officers of the household and
ministers of state were present. It is needless
to say that the taste and ingenuity of the
confectioners and table-deckers were prominently
displayed at the festival, a splendid wedding
cake forming a prominent object of attraction.
After partaking of
the sumptuous dejeune, the royal bridal
party set out for Windsor attended by the
military, and on the road they were greeted by
assembled thousands with the same affection and
cordiality with the inhabitants of London. |
