Idylls of the king

Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (1809–1892) was poet laureate for much of Queen Victoria's reign, from 1850 until his death in 1892. Tennyson published Idylls of the King to great public acclaim at the end of June 1859, with Prince Albert as one of its admirers. In May 1860, Prince Albert had written to the poet with a request

that you would be good enough to write your name in the accompanying volume... You would thus add a peculiar interest to the book, containing those beautiful songs, from the perusal of which I derived the greatest enjoyment...

Prince Albert, in a letter to Tennyson

The Queen shared his enjoyment, and wrote to her eldest daughter Vicky,

I have just been reading Tennyson's Idylls of the King which I think you would delight in. They are so peculiar, quaint and poetic.

Queen Victoria, in a letter to Vicky

This work of literature therefore had special significance to the royal couple. After Prince Albert's death, the poet presented this new edition to Queen Victoria. His accompanying presentation letter dated 11 February 1862 is affixed to the rear flyleaf. In it, he offers this copy with a dedication to the newly deceased Prince Albert. Years later, Queen Victoria purchased Julia Margaret Cameron's portrait of Alfred Tennyson.