Deborah Chan
Queen Victoria, the monarch of the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the British Empire for 63 years, was known for her stern and grieving demeanour. However, her love of jewellery and sentimentality was revealed in her burial wishes. She was buried with a ring on every finger, including her wedding ring, and a second wedding ring given to her by a man she knew well after her husband's death, rumoured to be John Brown, her Scottish attendant. She also requested to be buried with bracelets, necklaces, and her bridal veil, reflecting her interest in symbolism and commemoration.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Buried with her wedding ring | Yes, she was buried with both her wedding ring and her husband's wedding ring. |
| Other items she was buried with | A lock of hair from John Brown, her favourite photo, an elaborate cape made by her daughter Alice, the lace wedding veil she wore when she married Prince Albert, bracelets, necklaces, and a small bouquet of Scottish heather. |
| Public mourning colour | She requested that the public wear white while mourning her, instead of black. |
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What You'll Learn
Queen Victoria wore two wedding rings when buried
Queen Victoria, who was laid to rest at the age of 81, left detailed instructions on how to handle her body and the items to be placed in her coffin. She was buried with a ring on every finger, bracelets stacked on her wrists, and necklaces adorning her neck. She was also buried with both her wedding ring and that of her husband, Prince Albert.
The British monarch was known for her obsession with jewellery, often commissioning pieces to remember lost loved ones and to celebrate romantic relationships. She was particularly fond of jewellery with locks of hair encased in them. Victoria's love for jewellery continued even after her death, as she requested to be buried with as many pieces as could fit on her body.
The story of the second wedding ring in her coffin was brought to light by author Tony Rennell. This ring was given to her by a man named John Brown, a Scottish royal servant and groom, with whom she had a close relationship. Their bond was extremely controversial, especially within the British royal family, and her children despised Brown. Victoria's son and heir, King Edward VII, removed all mention of Brown from royal properties after her death.
Despite her family's knowledge of her wish to be buried with her wedding ring, only her secretary and physician knew of her desire to wear a second wedding ring on her left ring finger. This ring was a symbol of her relationship with Brown, a man she came to know well during the 40 years she lived as a widow after Albert's death.
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She was buried with her husband's wedding ring
Queen Victoria was buried with several sentimental items, including her wedding ring and her husband's wedding ring. She left detailed instructions on how to handle her body and what items to place in her coffin. Victoria was known for her love of jewellery, and she requested to be buried with a ring on every finger, including her own and her husband's wedding bands.
The Queen also chose to be buried with bracelets, necklaces, and the British monarch's mourning jewels. She was known as the "monarch of mourning," often commissioning jewellery to commemorate lost loved ones. Victoria's jewellery collection included romantic pieces from her husband, Prince Albert, who died in 1871. The Queen prioritised her relationship with her husband, often putting it before her duties as a monarch and mother.
In addition to the jewellery, Victoria requested to be buried with an elaborate cape made by her daughter, Princess Alice, who died in 1878 from diphtheria. She also chose to be buried with the lace wedding veil she wore at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. The veil symbolised her hope to join Albert in heaven as his eternal bride.
Queen Victoria's funeral was arrayed in white, including the horses, mourning attire, and funeral crepe. This was a break from tradition, as Victoria wanted the public to wear white instead of black during their mourning for her.
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She wore a ring given by John Brown
Queen Victoria was known for her love of jewellery, so it is no surprise that she was buried with several items of jewellery, including rings, bracelets, necklaces, and a lock of hair from her beloved John Brown.
Victoria's relationship with her Scottish royal groom and servant, John Brown, was extremely controversial, especially within the British royal family. She had first sent for him during the early years of her widowhood, as she remembered that her late husband, Prince Albert, had spoken very highly of him. Over the years, the Queen and the Groom became close friends. He was the only person in Victoria's orbit who could get away with criticising her and speaking to her in a familiar tone.
Victoria's children, however, despised Brown and were angry with their mother for the rest of her life, even long after Brown's death. When Victoria died, her son and heir, King Edward VII, removed or destroyed every monument and mention of John Brown at all royal properties. What the new King did not know was that his mother had taken her memories of Brown to the grave, including his mother's wedding ring, which he had given to her, and a lock of his hair.
John Brown gave Victoria a wedding ring, which she wore on her left ring finger when she was buried. This ring was a symbol of their controversial relationship, which some historians argue was romantic but never consummated. Victoria took her jewellery obsession to the grave, with stacks of bracelets, layers of necklaces, and a ring on every finger, including the two wedding rings.
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She was buried with a bouquet of Scottish heather
Queen Victoria, the monarch of the United Kingdom, Britain, and Ireland for 63 years, was laid to rest with a variety of sentimental items, including a bouquet of Scottish heather. This bouquet was included at the request of the Queen herself, as an ode to her beloved Scottish castle, Balmoral, where she spent a significant amount of time during her life. This request was in line with her other instructions for her funeral and burial, which reflected her interest in death and death rituals, a common cultural aspect of her era.
Victoria's relationship with Scotland extended beyond her fondness for Balmoral. John Brown, a Scottish royal attendant and personal favourite of the Queen, was a source of controversy within the British royal family. Despite the disapproval of her children, Victoria cherished Brown's memory, carrying it with her to the grave in the form of mementos and a lock of his hair. This lock of hair was kept with her in her coffin, along with the bouquet of Scottish heather, serving as a reminder of her Scottish connections.
The inclusion of the bouquet in Queen Victoria's coffin was just one aspect of her intricate and detailed instructions regarding her burial. She specified not only the items to be placed in her coffin but also the attire and appearance of her funeral. In contrast to traditional mourning customs, Victoria requested that the public wear white during their mourning for her. This preference for white extended to her own burial, as she chose to be buried in the white bridal veil she wore at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840.
Queen Victoria's attachment to her wedding veil and her decision to be buried with it reflected her romantic nature and the significance she placed on her relationship with Prince Albert. This sentimentality extended to her jewellery, as she requested to be buried with both her wedding ring and a second wedding ring given to her by John Brown. She also adorned herself with various pieces of jewellery, including bracelets, necklaces, and rings on every finger, embodying her love for adornment and her desire to carry meaningful reminders with her into the afterlife.
The burial of Queen Victoria with a bouquet of Scottish heather symbolised her connection to Scotland and her affection for her Scottish castle, Balmoral. This bouquet was just one element of the intricate rituals and objects that surrounded her death and burial, reflecting the cultural fascination with death prevalent during the Victorian era.
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She was buried with her bridal veil
Queen Victoria, the monarch of the United Kingdom, Britain, and Ireland for 63 years, was laid to rest with several sentimental items. She left detailed instructions on how to handle her body and what items to place in her coffin. One of these items was the bridal veil she wore at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840.
Queen Victoria was known for her love of jewellery, and she took this passion to the grave, selecting stacks of bracelets, layers of necklaces, and rings for her burial. She was buried with a ring on every finger, including her wedding ring and a second wedding ring given to her by her close friend and attendant, John Brown.
John Brown was a Scottish royal groom and servant, and his relationship with Queen Victoria was highly controversial, especially within the British royal family. Victoria's children despised Brown and were angry with their mother because of him. Despite this, Victoria cherished Brown's memory and included mementos of him in her coffin, such as his mother's wedding ring, a lock of his hair, and her favourite photo of him.
The inclusion of the bridal veil in Queen Victoria's coffin may have been a symbolic gesture. While she was often remembered as a grieving queen dressed in black, the white veil harked back to the happiest relationship of her life and her hope to join Prince Albert in heaven as his eternal bride. It also aligned with her request that the public not wear black in their mourning for her but instead wear white.
The veil served as a reminder of the young monarch's decision to break with earlier traditions and wear a completely white wedding gown, symbolising her interest in economy and her purity. Thus, the bridal veil held significant sentimental value for Queen Victoria, and she chose to be buried with it as a final tribute to her beloved husband, Prince Albert.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Queen Victoria was buried with her wedding ring and her husband's wedding ring.
Queen Victoria was buried with a ring on every finger, bracelets, necklaces, a small bouquet of Scottish heather, and her bridal veil. She also requested that a photo of John Brown and a lock of his hair be placed in her coffin.
Queen Victoria requested to be buried with her bridal veil as a symbol of her purity and the happiest relationship of her life. She also hoped to join her husband, Prince Albert, in heaven as his eternal bride.
Queen Victoria left detailed instructions for her funeral, including a request that the public wear white instead of black. She also asked that her funeral horses and mourning attire be arrayed in white.
Queen Victoria was known for her jewellery obsession and often used jewellery to commemorate loved ones. She turned to her loves and tragic losses for inspiration for jewellery mementos.
