Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2011/January 2012 | Page 65

FEATURE

Victoria was very keen of photography
which was a new invention at the
time, and she recorded events as well
as the interiors of homes. So we do
have some good archive photographs
of the way the rooms were arranged at
Christmas, and the type of Christmas
trees that they had. Prince Albert of
course popularised the Christmas tree
in this country. So each Christmas
now we go for the full blown
traditional Victorian look at Osborne
with evergreens, holly and ivy.”
In Victorian times Christmas trees
were very prominent in Osborne
House. There were always two in
the Durbar Room, the room used
for setting up the Queen’s Christmas
presents. One was an artificial tree,

resembling a cake stand, which stood
in the window bay and allowed family
members to perch presents on it. That
is still re-created in the Dur &"&