Queen Victoria's 1870s Dress

Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 until 1901. She married Prince Albert in 1840 and they had nine children. After Prince Albert's death in 1861, Victoria was in mourning and wore black for the next 40 year. We associate these traditional mourning customs with the Victorian period.

In this video, our curator and textile conservator look at three stunning pieces of clothing from Queen Victoria's wardrobe. Discover how Victoria stuck to traditional mourning, but also personalised her dresses with pockets and decorative details. Learn about how the conservation team are working to preserve this amazing piece of history.