Queen Victoria and the Isle of Wight

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Summary

Queen Victoria is one of Britain’s most notable monarchs, not just for her longevity and the extent of her dominion but also for the huge social changes that took place during her reign. This tour takes us to locations that played an important part in her life as well as offering the opportunity to visit some of the outstanding attractions on the Isle of Wight.

The centrepiece must be Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, Queen Victoria’s favourite home, with its beautiful gardens and extravagant Wendy house where the royal children played so happily. Elsewhere on the island we visit Carisbrooke Castle, a quintessential romantic castle, which has been an Elizabethan artillery fortress, a king's prison and a royal summer residence; Godshill and Shanklin Old Village with their picturesque thatched cottages and the Adgestone Vineyard, one of the biggest producers of English wine.

On the mainland our visits included spectacular Windsor Castle, the scene of countless royal occasions over the centuries, during Victoria’s reign and most recently the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Frogmore House, for which Victoria had a great affection and is only open to the public during the month of August.