Albert and Victoria’s collection shows photographers’ working methods
Royal residences
From the mid-1850s onwards, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert systematically used photography to record every aspect of their lives together. This included documenting various royal residences in Windsor, London, Scotland and the Isle of Wight. The resulting negatives form a unique architectural record and demonstrate the queen and the prince’s taste in interior styles of decoration. The interior views also depict the works of art the royal couple surrounded themselves with and the ways these were arranged in the private and state apartments of royal residences. Slightly more personal in nature is a group of negatives depicting tables in Windsor Castle and Osborne House adorned with family gifts for various birthdays and other celebrations.
Alongside the main palaces and castles, photographers were often commissioned to document the surrounding grounds, including various cottages, pavilions and other buildings, such as the Royal Dairy and the Royal Mews in Windsor.
Photographs printed from these negatives appear both in albums organised by residence and albums of varied subjects.
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Balmoral Castle, South Front
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
Balmoral Castle, West Side
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
The New Castle at Balmoral under construction
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
The New Castle at Balmoral under construction
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
New Balmoral Castle (North side) under construction
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
View from the West side of Balmoral Castle looking up the valley
Roger Fenton (1819-69)
View from the West side of Balmoral Castle looking up the valley
Attributed to Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)
Balmoral Castle
Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)
Balmoral Castle
Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)
West Side, Balmoral Castle
Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)
Front View, Balmoral Castle
Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)
Balmoral Castle from the approach
Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)
Balmoral Castle
Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)
Balmoral Castle
Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)
Balmoral Castle
Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)
A view of Loch Naelair on the otherside of the River Dee
Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)
Balmoral Castle
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
Old Balmoral Castle
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
Balmoral Castle
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
The grounds at Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
Balmoral Castle
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
Balmoral Castle
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
Balmoral Castle
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
View from the Moss House on Craig Gowan looking towards Abergeldie
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
Unidentified view, Aberdeenshire
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
Balmoral Castle from the south
Attributed to George Washington Wilson (1823-93)
Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire
Wilson & Hay (active 1853-55)
Old Balmoral Castle
Attributed to? Wilson & Hay (active 1853-55)
View from the Moss House on Craig Gowan looking towards Abergeldie
Attributed to Wilson & Hay (active 1853-55)
The New Balmoral Castle, Deeside
Wilson & Hay (active 1853-55)
View from Craig Gowan of the old and new houses at Balmoral
Wilson & Hay (active 1853-55)
Balmoral showing the new and old houses
Attributed to Wilson & Hay (active 1853-55)
The new Balmoral Castle, Deeside
Attributed to Wilson & Hay (active 1853-55)
The new Balmoral Castle, Deeside
Attributed to Wilson & Hay (active 1853-55)
The River Dee
Attributed to Wilson & Hay (active 1853-55)
Scottish landscape near Balmoral Castle
Attributed to Wilson & Hay (active 1853-55)
Scottish landscape near Balmoral Castle
Unknown Person
New Balmoral Castle Plaque
Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)
Balmoral Castle from the northwest
Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)
Front View, Balmoral Castle
Thomas Pearce (active c. 1850s)
Balmoral Castle
Attributed to Roger Fenton (1819-69)
The Slopes, Windsor Castle
Attributed to Roger Fenton (1819-69)
The Slopes, Windsor Castle
Attributed to Roger Fenton (1819-69)
View of the Grounds at Windsor
Attributed to Roger Fenton (1819-69)
View of the Grounds at Windsor
Attributed to Roger Fenton (1819-69)
View of the Grounds at Windsor
Attributed to Roger Fenton (1819-69)
View of the Grounds at Windsor
Unknown Person
Windsor Castle from St Leonard's Hill
Unknown Person
Cottage with porch
Attributed to? Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)
Prince Consort's Dressing Room, Windsor Castle
Attributed to? Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)
Prince Consort's Dressing Room, Windsor Castle
Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)
The Albert Room, Windsor Castle
Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)
The Albert Room, Windsor Castle
Unknown Person
The Red (King's) Room, Windsor Castle
? Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)
The Queen's Sitting Room. Windsor Castle
Unknown Person
The Prince Consort's Passage, Windsor Castle
Unknown Person
Fireplace, Crimson Drawing Room, Windsor Castle
? Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)
The Queen's Sitting Room, Windsor Castle
Unknown Person
The Prince Consort's Dressing Room, Windsor Castle
Arthur James Melhuish (1829-95)
The Quadrangle with the Sovereign's Entrance, Windsor Castle
Arthur James Melhuish (1829-95)
Sovereign's Entrance at the Quadrangle, Windsor Castle
Arthur James Melhuish (1829-95)
Equestrian Statue of King Charles II in the Quadrangle, Windsor Castle
Arthur James Melhuish (1829-95)
View of the Round Tower from the Quadrangle, Windsor Castle
Arthur James Melhuish (1829-95)
The Equerries Entrance at the Quadrangle, Windsor Castle
Arthur James Melhuish (1829-95)
King George IV Gate and King Edward III Tower from the Quadrangle, Windsor Castle
Attributed to? Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)
The Red (King's) Room, Windsor Castle
Unknown Person
Cottage with porch
Dr Ernst Becker (1826-88)
Royal Mews at Windsor
Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)
1855 Room, Belgian Floor, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
The Queen's Bed Room, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
The Queen's Sitting Room, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
Prince Consort's Writing Room, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
Prince Consort's Dressing Room, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
The Prince Consort's Library, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
The Prince Consort's Library, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
The Prince Consort's Library, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
The Prince Consort's Library, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
The Queen's Dining and Lunch Room, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
The Queen's Dining and Lunch Room, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
The Queen's Dressing Room, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
Prince Consort's Writing Room, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
The Queen's Dressing Room, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
The Queen's Sitting Room, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
Interior view of the Royal Dairy, Frogmore
Unknown Person
Interior view of the Royal Dairy, Frogmore
Unknown Person
The Upstairs Sitting Room, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Drawing Room, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Little Writing Room, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Small Library, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Drawing Room, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Staircase, Frogmore House
Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)
The Bow Room, Buckingham Palace
Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)
The 1855 Room, Buckingham Palace
Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)
1855 Room, Belgian Floor, Buckingham Palace
Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)
Bow Room, Buckingham Palace
Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)
The Bow Room, Buckingham Palace
Unknown Person
The Queen's Sitting Room, Windsor Castle
Unknown Person
The Upstairs Sitting Room, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Duchess of Kent's Sitting Room, Frogmore
Unknown Person
The Drawing Room, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Flower Room, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Sitting Room, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Flower Room, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Duchess of Kent's Bedroom, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Upstairs Sitting Room, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Upstairs Sitting Room, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Little Writing Room, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Upstairs Sitting Room, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Duchess of Kent's Bedroom, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Duchess of Kent's Bedroom, Frogmore
Unknown Person
The Small Library, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Duchess of Kent's Bedroom, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Duchess of Kent's Bedroom, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
The Upstairs Sitting Room, Frogmore House
Unknown Person
Frogmore garden
Unknown Person
The island, Frogmore garden
Unknown Person
Frogmore garden
Unknown Person
South-East view of
Attributed to Roger Fenton (1819-69)
View at Frogmore
Attributed to Dr Ernst Becker (1826-88)
Osborne: Terrace and Pavilion
Attributed to Dr Ernst Becker (1826-88)
Osborne: Terrace and Pavilion
Dr Ernst Becker (1826-88)
Statue of Andromeda on the Lower Terrace at Osborne
Dr Ernst Becker (1826-88)
View from the Alcove of the Upper Terrace at Osborne
Attributed to Dr Ernst Becker (1826-88)
Pavillion Cottage at Osborne from the North
Attributed to Dr Ernst Becker (1826-88)
Swiss Cottage, Osborne
Unknown Person
The Queen's Dressing Room, Osborne
Unknown Person
Queen Victoria's Bed Room, Osborne House
Unknown Person
The Queen's Dressing Room,
Unknown Person
Queen Victoria's Bed Room, Osborne House
Unknown Person
Swiss Cottage, Osborne
Unknown Person
Sovereign's Gate and North Lodge, Osborne
Richard Poate (1811-78)
The Victoria and Albert
Unknown Person
Clarence House
Unknown Person
Clarence House
Unknown Person
The Queen's Birthday table
Dr Ernst Becker (1826-88)
The Queen's Christmas Tree, Windsor Castle
Unknown Person
Christmas table
Unknown Person
Table with gifts
Unknown Person
Christmas tables, Windsor Castle
Unknown Person
Christmas tables, Windsor Castle
Attributed to? Hills & Saunders (1852-2019)
The Dining Room at Christmas, Windsor Castle
Unknown Person
The Queen's Birthday table
Unknown Person
Birthday table for Prince Albert
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