This undated image issued on Friday Aug. 23, 2019 by The Royal Collection shows Queen Victoria's volumes of reminiscences between 1840 and 1861. In these pages she describes how Prince Albert played with his young children, putting a napkin around their waist and swinging them backwards and forwards between his legs. The Queen also sketched the scenario. British royal documents, including images of Victoriaâs leather-bound notebook, have been uploaded as part of thousands of documents and photos on the website www.albert.rct.uk that went online Friday to mark next weekâs 200th anniversary of Albertâs birth. (The Royal Collection Trust via AP)
The Associated Press
LONDON (AP) - British royal documents including Queen Victoria's heart-wrenching, handwritten account of her husband Prince Albert's death have been put online, offering a firsthand account of her overwhelming grief.
Images of Victoria's leather-bound notebook have been uploaded as part of thousands of documents and photos on the website www.albert.rct.uk that went online Friday to mark next week's 200th anniversary of Albert's birth.
Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 until her death in 1901. She and German-born Albert had nine children before he died of typhoid in 1861 at age 42.
She writes that as he died she "kissed his dear heavenly forehead and called out in a bitter and agonizing cry: 'Oh! My dear Darling!' then dropped on my knees in mute, distracted despair, unable to utter a word or shed a tear!"
This undated image issued on Friday Aug. 23, 2019 by The Royal Collection shows a letter beginning 'My dearest cousin', written in June 1837, in which Albert congratulates Victoria on becoming Queen of England, wishing her reign to be long, happy and glorious. British royal documents, including images of Victoriaâs leather-bound notebook, have been uploaded as part of thousands of documents and photos on the website www.albert.rct.uk that went online Friday to mark next weekâs 200th anniversary of Albertâs birth. (The Royal Collection Trust via AP)
The Associated Press