Queen Alexandra's Fancy Dress Costume as Mary, Queen of Scots

Discover the inspiration, details and conservation of Queen Alexandra's Mary, Queen of Scots fancy dress costume.

Worn for a ball in the 1870s, to raise money for the Scott Memorial in Edinburgh, the costumes worn by the guests took inspiration from the works of Sir Walter Scott, with Queen Alexandra dressed as Mary, Queen of Scots from the novel The Abbot and her husband, the future King Edward VII as Lord of the Isles from Scott’s 1815 poem.

Toward the end of the 19th century there were a number of fancy dress balls held in London, hosted by Edward and Alexandra and their society friends, sometimes know as the Marlborough House set. This set were associated with theatrical outings, garden parties and sporting events as well as fancy dress balls.