Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2007/January 2008 | Page 10

life

FEATURE

Queen Victoria makes a Christmas
appearance at Osborne House

Photo: left to right: Nora Wray, Jean Grange, David Burdett, Sylvia Strange, Sarah Burdett
Charles Dickens would
have felt very at home at
Osborne House during the
final weekend in November.
Christmas as he captured it
was there for us all to share.
Queen Victoria took her
rightful place inside the
sumptuously decorated
house, where, surrounded
by the Christmas trimmings
made popular by her
beloved Albert, she and her
ladies in waiting deigned to
teach us commoners about
etiquette. Characters from
“below stairs” told visitors
about their role in the Royal
household. Outside in the
snowy courtyard visitors were
treated to the remarkable skills
of a travelling entertainer,
and a Punch and Judy
show unsullied by political
correctness – and all the more
relished by the children.
A Christmas Carol was
performed as Dickens didn’t
write it; the fast-paced

10

quick-change performance
had the crowd screaming
with laughter. Popular
Victorian songs
were performed
in character
by the Singing
Chimney Sweeps,
and traditional
Christmas carols
were sung by the
Garden Isle Ladies
Barbershop choir.
Show organisers
at Osborne House
say they were
amazed by the
numbers who
turned up for
the event, over
3,000. They are
delighted at how
it was received
and plan to put
on a bigger and
even better show
next Christmas.

Island Life - www.isleofwight.net