Queen Victoria's writing desk at Osborne

 

Queen Victoria was a serial writer and writing was a habit that she nurtured starting at the age of 13 until shortly before she died in January 1901. She kept diaries, 141 volumes, penned about 2,000 words a day, totaling to 60 million words throughout her lifetime. She wrote wherever she went. In Osborne,  her sumptuous summer residence on the north coast of the Isle of Wight, offered The Queen superb views across The Solent towards Portsmouth and Lee on the Solent.

The ornate state rooms are furnished in typically "busy" Victorian style with plenty of gold leaf and reproduction statuary from Prince Albert's Grand Tours to Europe. The Durbah Extension with its magnificent deep plastered ceiling highlights Victoria's affection for her Imperial holdings in India.

Prince Albert, meanwhile, had the Swiss Cottage built in the extensive estates to remind him of his home in Coburg. Their children used it as large "Wendy house" and it was equipped with a child-sized kitchen and dining room where they prepared meals using produce Albert had encouraged them to grow in their own vegetable patches in front of the cottage!

The house contains some magnificent paintings, but much of Albert's extensive Renaissance art collection is now sadly re-located to other museums and galleries.

Prominently displayed is Queen Victoria's desk, which sits side by side with Prince Albert's. Notice Queen Victoria's was fuzzy  with miniature photographs, memorabilia, and knick knacks, while Prince Albert's is nearly bare. They worked together here on state papers, with Albert being her personal secretary. Each desk had its own separate bell pull to summon the servants.