SECRETS OF QUEEN VICTORIA’S COFFIN | What was buried with Queen Victoria? Royal history documentary

WHAT’S IN QUEEN VICTORIA’S COFFIN (apart from her of course)? The death of Queen Victoria occurred on 22 January 1901 at Osborne House. She was 81 years old and was buried in the Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore within Windsor Great Park. Before her coffin was sealed however a large number of items were placed in it with her according to her last wishes, as expressed in a document written in 1897. Some of them were romantic, some were tragic and some of them were downright scandalous. In this royal history documentary from History Calling I take you though what Queen Victoria was buried with, using her own handwritten instructions, plus an eye witness account from Sir James Reid, Victoria’s doctor and one of the people who saw the Queen in her coffin and was responsible for placing many of the items she had requested in there with her. You’ll hear about the references to her long-dead and much missed husband, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the heartbreaking item she wanted interred with her which referenced her daughter, Princess Alice and the items which hinted that she had engaged in a love affair in her later years and perhaps even a secret marriage to John Browne. I’ll also tell you who put Queen Victoria in her coffin and it’s probably not who you might think.

As well as giving you the list of items in Queen Victoria’s coffin, I’ll be discussing her reasons for wanting these items with her, what it says about her religious beliefs and the performative aspect of coffin goods, especially when one is royal.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

THE DEATH OF PRINCE ALBERT
QUEEN VICTORIA’S CORONATION
DID HENRY VIII EXPLODE AFTER DEATH?
DEATH, MURDER AND CORPSES PLAYLIST
MEDICINE AND ILLNESS PLAYLIST

GEAR USED

SOME SOURCES:

Stewart Richards, Curtain Down at Her Majesty's: The Death of Queen Victoria in the Words of Those Who Were There (2018).

Tony Rennell, The Last Days of Glory: The Death of Queen Victoria (2001).

Michaela Reid, Ask Sir James: Sir James Reid, personal physician to Queen Victoria and physician-in-ordinary to three monarchs (1987)

Christopher Hibbert, Queen Victoria: A Personal History (2001).

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#QueenVictoria #QueenVictoriasCoffin #Royalburials

[HistoryCalling]

What item(s) in Victoria’s coffin did you find the most interesting? Let me know below and remember that you can also find me in the following places:

[tessat]

Yes, we would love to hear the details of Queen Victoria's funeral.

[aliceingoryland]

Victoria proved you can take it with you 😂

[putalaweamala]

Her relationship with John Brown is so intriguing. I don't know how many times he was named, but just Albert was named more time than John Brown. Hmm, this video was very interesting and yes, her approach towards death is curious. Thank you ❤

[PaulWright-kwcm]

I love history. I'm 58. This Texan has always loved history. Ever since I was a child. I also love this video!

[hazeljones]

Hi, great video! I would love to hear more about Victoria's funeral and some deep dives into her descendants. Thank you for all the hard work.

[joymcguire]

Crikey - she was buried with a lot of stuff!

[eviesholette]

I can't say I particularly like her as a person, but man do I understand her sentimentality and flair for dramatics. Rest peacefully, Your Majesty.

[saracreaney]

It was fortuitous that she died in Jan. As opposed to July or Aug.

Regarding her friendship with Brown. I have watched the film you mentioned. I feel he was the first man who didn't allow her to bully him. Which I think reminded her of Albert in the sense he was a man who stood up to her. Possibly reminded her of Albert. I think they had a wonderful, loving friendship. As such, personal items were given.

[laurabailey]

This is off topic but since you mentioned Kaiser Wilhelm I will relay this old family story about him. My great grandmother on my father’s side was working as a lady in waiting in Germany when Kaiser W came down the sidewalk with his entourage and demanded my great grandmother move to the road so they could pass. She told them that “an English lady moves for no man” and stood her ground. Kaiser W and his entourage ended up taking to the street themselves to walk around her. We joke in the family that this was the cause of WWI

[AstariaDayne]

I would watch a video on her final days. I love these secrets of old monarchy videos. Thank you!

[Gladtobemom]

Oddly fascinating. It does seem that she considered J. Brown as a sort of second husband. His mother's wedding ring on the ring finger of her right hand? Of course, as a widow she had the moral right to marry again, sad that she couldn't do so openly if she wished.

[leticiagarcia]

I didn’t know all the details of Victoria’s afterlife. I think they tried to fulfill her wishes, but they ran into problems. It wouldn’t be unusual for Victoria trying to bury her secrets with her. Every royal has scandals. She did suffer from severe bereavement syndrome. That’s so sad. Thank you for the history lesson.

[spiritualtruthseeker]

I found this to be very moving. Victoria chose her grave goods based on love and loyalty. She had experienced much grief and heartache in her life and took a memoir of all of those closest to her with her.

[Lionstar]

Knowing now that Victoria asked not to be embalmed and was not put into her coffin until two and a half days after she died - thank the Lord she hadn't died in say mid-June. Can you imagine the smell 🤢

[WaynesPokeWorld]

Well Queen Victoria certainly didn’t do things by halves. Even in death she was extremely ostentatious. Great video ❤

[freedpeeb]

Queen Victoria was such a mix of character traits, and as such, creates such ambivalence in me. On the one hand she was unbelievably wealthy and pampered, but she was also horribly constrained all her life, either by people, circumstances, or her status. She had a lonely childhood as well as a privileged one, which no doubt left her with trauma as well as entitlement. She really was a bag of contradictions, a silk velvet one no doubt. I feel the same about the things she requested to be buried with her. It is almost farcical, and at the same time, very touching. I wonder if some day many centuries in the future, someone will happen on her coffin and wonder about her and her trove.

[AhriOfAstora]

It feels so incredibly cosy to know what they were burried with and that their treasures are intact.

[DanielleReeder-jg]

Thank you History Calling for another great video!! I was amazed at the number of personal rings she had buried with her! And she mentioned she wore many of them on a daily basis! That sounds uncomfortable!

[Shane-Flanagan]

Thank you HC 💛
Victorians and their morbid relationship with death will always be endlessly fascinating