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As the Queen prepares to mark her Platinum Jubilee this year, the Royal Family have given a glimpse into the celebrations of another long-reigning monarch.
Queen Victoria ascended to the throne in 1837, and went on to celebrate her Golden Jubilee in 1887 – making her the second longest reigning British monarch after Queen Elizabeth, 96.
After examining the Royal Archives to reflect on how other monarch’s commemorated their own special milestones, officials have now revealed how Queen Victoria marked the special day.
In a series of Tweets shared to the Royal Family’s official Twitter account, they explained how the day was celebrated with a parade, family dinner and lavish banquet attended by over 50 foreign Kings and Princes.
However diary entries from the monarch herself revealed how the day was tinged with sadness after the death of her beloved husband Prince Albert, who passed away from typhoid fever in 1861.
The Royal Family’s official Twitter account shared a glimpse into Queen Victoria’s Jubilee celebrations in 1887. The British monarch is pictured with Prince Albert five years after their marriage in 1840
In a series of Tweets shared to the Royal Family’s official Twitter account, officials explained how the day was celebrated with a parade, family dinner and lavish banquet attended by over 50 foreign Kings and Princes (left, a seating plan for the dinner, and right, the music list for the banquet)
Posting the series of tweets, they wrote: ‘As we celebrate The Queen’s #PlatinumJubilee this year, we’ve gone into the Royal Archives to see how other Monarch’s commemorated these special milestones.
‘This week, we’re looking at how Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 1887.’
The Jubilee took place from June 20-21, 1887, with Victoria starting the day in Windsor before travelling via train to London for a banquet which was attended by over 50 foreign Kings and Princes.
The following day, Her Majesty travelled from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey in a huge procession.
However, following a family dinner in the evening, diary entries from the monarch appeared to reflect her sadness on being a widow
In another entry, the Queen praised God for ‘mercifully sustaining’ her ‘through many great trials and sorrows’
Among the tweets were photographs of the Queen’s diary, with her notes reading: ‘The crowds from the Palace gates up to the Abbey were enormous, and there was such an extraordinary outburst of enthusiasm as I have hardly ever seen in London before, all the people seemed to be in such good humour.’
After the celebrations, Queen Victoria wrote a message of thanks to the Nation reading: ‘I am anxious to express to my people my warm thanks.
‘The enthusiastic reception I met with on all these eventful days on the occasion of my Jubilee has touched me most deeply.’
However despite her enthusiasm about the weekend, the Queen also shared her sadness over missing her husband.
Victoria was married to Albert for 21 years and they had nine children together, with the Queen wearing mourning attire from the death of her husband to the day she died 40 years later
They had been married for 21 years and had nine children together, with the Queen wearing mourning attire from the death of her husband to the day she died 40 years later.
Following a family dinner in the evening, diary entries from the monarch read: ‘I sat alone oh! Without my beloved husband, for whom this would have been such a proud day!’
In another entry the Queen said: ‘The day has come and I am alone, though surrounded by many dear Children. 50 years ago today since I came to the throne.
‘God has mercifully sustained me through many great trials and sorrows’.
As the first British royal to reach to reach the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth’s own celebrations will be held over a four-day bank holiday weekend, from 2-5 June.
As the first British royal to reach to reach the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth’s own celebrations will be held over a four-day bank holiday weekend, from 2-5 June
Like Queen Victoria, Her Majesty will celebrate her Jubilee without the support of her beloved husband after the Duke of Edinburgh passed away at the age of 99 in April last year.
The celebrations will begin on Thursday, June 2, with the Queen’s birthday parade, which has marked the official birthday of the British sovereign for 260 years, and will end with the Royal Family on the Buckingham Palace balcony and a spectacular flypast.
Beacons will also be lit through the UK and Commonwealth, with a special ceremony held at Buckingham Palace.
A towering, living sculpture of trees will be lit and projections cast on to the front of Buckingham Palace to highlight the Royal Family’s long history of championing environmental causes.
On Friday, June 3, a service of thanksgiving will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral, which the Queen plans to attend.
Arrangements have been tailored for her comfort, however. There will be no ceremonial journey from the palace, while the 96-year-old monarch, who is facing mobility issues, will use a different entrance so she does not have to scale the steep steps.
On Saturday, June 4, the Queen intends to attend the Epsom Derby, and in the evening attention will turn again to Buckingham Palace for the Platinum Party at the Palace.
Stars of stage, screen and pop and rock will perform in front of a crowd of 22,000 people.
On the final day of celebrations, on Sunday, June 5, 60,000 Big Jubilee Lunches will be held across the country and the Commonwealth – ranging from world record attempts for the longest street party to simple back garden barbecues – to encourage community-led events.
Final decisions on the Queen’s appearances across the weekend are not likely to be announced until the day they are due, Buckingham Palace said.
