Prince Albert & the ‘Blue Room’, Windsor Castle
When Prince Albert took ill with the illness that would end his life – he was moved from the bedroom he shared with Queen Victoria, and put into the ‘Blue Room’.
The Blue Room was named for the blue silk damask wall coverings, and matching curtains which hung there.
This adjoined the White Drawing Room – one of the grand salons of Windsor Castle’s private apartments.
It was in the Blue Room, at ten minutes to eleven, on the evening of 14th December 1861 – that Prince Albert breathed his last.
The Blue Room, would remain a shrine to his memory.
Queen Victoria ordered that nothing in the room would be changed, everything would be left as it was, as if frozen in time….
Fresh flowers and memorial wreaths were to be kept in the room at all times.
Albert’s dressing gown and fresh clothes were laid out each evening on his bed.
A jug of steaming hot water was placed on his washstand.
The glass from which he had taken his last dose of medicine was kept on the table, beside his bed.
Everything on his writing table, was just as neatly arranged as he had left it – his pen rested upon his open blotting book, waiting for the Prince to hold it again…..
Everything remained in this eerily suspended state for more than forty years.
By the end of the nineteenth century the fabric on the furnishings had become faded and frayed.
Some had even rotted with time, and needed to be replaced.
During the Queen’s absence, the hangings were replaced with new silk that had been carefully faded to match the originals, the furniture fabric was treated the same.
This was done in utmost secrecy, with the hopeful knowledge that with Queen Victoria’s failing eyesight, she would never notice.
After Queen Victoria’s death, her son succeeded her as Edward VII.
The new king had everything in the room removed, and then completely redecorated to serve as his study.
The Blue Room that was Albert’s shrine for 40 years, was no more…..
