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COLLECTION STORY

Prince Albert's Personal Papers

Papers relating to Prince Albert’s personal life and enthusiasms

Prince Albert’s Personal Papers consist of archival material relating to his personal life and enthusiasms.

Included in this collection are records relating to Prince Albert’s (1819-61) early life in Coburg, such as his Exercise Books recording his private tuition as a child and teenager, his passport and German Hunting Register. Later material includes Engagement Diaries, Calendars and Visitor Books. The collection also reflects some of his personal interests and includes copies of his own musical compositions, his file on the purchase and development of Osborne on the Isle of Wight, and papers relating to his reform of the Royal Library.

Two distinct sub-collections are also included that relate to his study, collecting and curating of works of art. The first is the correspondence relating to the development of his study collection of prints and photographs of works after Raphael held in the Print Room at Windsor Castle. The second is a selected collection of letters, accounts and bills relating to Prince Albert’s collecting of photographs and engagement with photography.

Collecting Photographs

Correspondence relating to Albert and Victoria's passion for photography

Collecting Raphael

Correspondence relating to the assembling of the Raphael Collection, held in the Print Room at Windsor

Letter register listing letters received and sent by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1842
Letter registers

Letter registers of Prince Albert

Personal Records

Selection of Prince Albert’s personal records

Printed drawing of steam engine, titled 'Lokomobile Dampfmaschine von 6 Pferdekraft der Maschinenfabrik in Baienshal [?] Cöln.' Includes notes of measurements in German and an annotation in pencil in English, which reads 'as little fuel as possible,
Agricultural improvement

Prince Albert’s papers relating to agricultural improvement


Coloured plan of the Osborne Estate in the Isle of Wight, on tracing paper.

Related Material: For related material see VIC/MAIN/F/21/40.
Purchase of Osborne

Prince Albert’s papers relating to the purchase of Osbourne Estate, Isle of Wight

Prince Albert's German Hunting Register, titled 'Jagd Buch' and recording his hunting activities during the period of 1832 to1837, while still in Coburg. The register is divided by year and then by month. Numbers of different game despatched and a total f
Hunting

Prince Albert's papers relating to hunting

The Prince Consort's Establishment at April 1860, corrected to December 1861 with a List of Pensions and Retired Allowances. Columns divided by office, name, [date] entered His Royal Highness's service, [date of] present appointment, annual salary, other
Personal correspondence

Prince Albert’s personal correspondence

A volume recording the names of visitors for Prince Albert, at Windsor Castle, between 17 April 1851 and 31 December 1859. Names listed under date, sometimes with name of relevant institution or organisation.
Functions and Visits

Prince Albert’s papers relating to functions and visits

Selections and supplements from the Prince Consort's diaries dating from March 1850 to June 1852. Entries relate to a variety of public and private affairs.
Diary selections

Selections from Prince Albert’s lost diary

Prince Albert's Latin exercise books covering the years 1830-1835 and bound into one volume titled 'Lateinische Uebungen' [Latin Exercises]. Also includes some of Prince Albert's doodles.
School books

A selection of Prince Albert’s school books

Written in German.
Miscellaneous correspondence

Prince Albert’s miscellaneous correspondence

Musical compositions

Prince Albert’s musical compositions

Bernard Woodward was appointed to the post of Librarian in July 1860 after the death of his predecessor, John Glover. On his appointment, Woodward was encouraged to reform the Royal Library. In this, his first report, he makes all too evident the need for
Royal Library reform

Prince Albert’s reform of the Royal Library