Osborne
House

As a young child, Queen Victoria spent her summers on the Isle of Wight, so when she and her husband Prince Albert began looking for a place to relax from their royal duties, the island seemed an easy option. Osborne House, a three-story Georgian mansion at the time, offered views of the Solent that reminded Albert of the Bay of Naples in Italy, and he and Victoria purchased it from Lady Isabella Blachford in October 1845.

However, it quickly became clear that this modestly sized property was far too small for the royal couple’s needs, and the decision was taken to demolish the existing home and construct a new three-story pavilion with flag tower and domestic wings.

The rebuilt Osborne House was erected between 1845 and 1851. The mansion is modelled after structures from the Italian Renaissance and has two campanile towers. Thomas Cubitt, a London architect and builder whose previous work includes the construction of Buckingham Palace’s main front, aided Prince Albert in the design of the residence.

The furnishings for the new Osborne House were paid for in great part by the sale of the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. The estate at Osborne House and the royal grounds totaled approximately 800 hectares, with several cottages and smaller structures housing estate employees and other members of the family.

On January 22, 1901, Queen Victoria died while visiting at Osborne House with two generations of her family. Victoria has always admired “the palace by the sea,” and she directed that after her death, Osborne House be returned to the family. Her children, on the other hand, had little affinity to the land, and King Edward VII finally donated it to the country as a gift. The royal apartments, including Victoria’s bedroom, were located on the upper levels of the Pavilion Wing. These were converted into a private museum for royals alone.

Osborne House is now available to the public and managed by English Heritage. A portion of the land was utilized for a naval college in 1903. The previous cricket pavilion at the institution was transformed into a home that is now accessible for public rentals. Guests staying in the cottage have access to Osborne House’s private beach.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_House
• http://www.cowes.shalfleet.net/osborne_house.htm
• http://www.cowes.shalfleet.net/osborne_house_2.htm

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_House
• Ward Lock and Sons – Guide to the Island (different additions approximately 1922 / 23) has some intriguing inside images.
• Nelson’s Hand-Book for Tourists
• English Scenery 120 Chroma Views