Queen Victoria's Coronation

Queen Victoria's Coronation - in her own words.

Victoria was a commited diarist- keeping a daily journal from age 13 in 1832, until two weeks before she died in 1901 at the age of 81.

The day of her Coronation was no different, and she spared no details— including the mishaps of the Archbishop putting her ring on the wrong finger, and one of the elderly peers falling down the stairs!

Here's what she wrote:

“I was awoke at 4 o'clock by the guns in the Park & could not get much sleep afterwards, on account of the noise of the people, Bands, etc. Got up at 7, feeling strong & well. The Park presented a curious spectacle, — crowds of people up Constitution Hill, — soldiers, Bands, etc. & After having a little breakfast, went into my Dressing Room, where I put on my House of Lords costume & met Uncle Ernest, Charles & Feodore. Lady Lansdowne, Lady Normanby, the Duchess of Sutherland & Lady Barham, were in the room, & all, in their Robes.

At 10, I got into the State Coach with the Duchess of Sutherland & Lord Albemarle, & we began our Progress. It was a fine day, & the crowds of people exceeded what I have ever seen, being even much greater than when I went to the City. There were millions of my loyal subjects, assembled in every spot, to witness the Procession. Their good humour & excessive loyalty was everything. I really cannot say how proud I felt to be the Queen of such a nation. I was alarmed at times for fear the people would be crushed, in consequence of the tremendous rush & pressure.

Reached the Abbey a little after ½ past 11, amidst deafening cheers. First went into a robing room, quite close to the entrance, where I met my 8 Train Bearers: Lady Caroline Lennox, Lady Adelaide Paget, Lady Mary Talbot, Lady Fanny Cowper, Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope, Lady Anne Fitzwilliam, Lady Mary Grimston & Lady Louisa Jenkinson, all dressed alike & beautifully, in white satin, & silver tissue, with wreaths of silver wheatears on the front of their hair & small ones of pink roses, round the plait, behind. There were also trimmings of pink roses on the dresser.

After putting on my Mantle, the young Ladies having properly got hold of it, & Lord Conyngham holding the end of it, I left the Robing Room & the Procession started. The sight was splendid, the tiers of Peeresses, in their Robes, — quite beautiful, & the Peers on the opposite side. My young Train Bearers were always near me & helped me whenever I wanted anything. The Bishop of Durham stood on my one side, but never could tell me what was to take place.

At the beginning of the Anthem, I retired with my Ladies & Train Bearers, into St. Edward's Chapel, a small dark place, immediately behind the altar, took off my crimson Robe & Kirtle, & put on the Super Tunica of cloth of gold, also in the shape of a Kirtle which went over a singular sort of little surplice of very fine linen trimmed with lace. I took off my Circlet of diamonds & proceeded bare headed, to the place before the altar, where I took my seat on St. Edwards's Chair, & the Dalmatic Robe was clasped round me by the Lord Great Chamberlain.

Then followed all the various ceremonies, ending by the Crown being placed on my head, which I must own was the most beautiful impressive moment. All the Peers & Peeresses put on their coronets, at the same instant. My excellent Lord Melbourne, who stood very close to me throughout the whole ceremony was quite overcome at this moment, & gave me such a kind, & I may say, fatherly look.

The shouts, which were very great, the drums, the trumpets, the firing of the guns, — all at the same moment, rendered the spectacle most imposing. The Enthronization & the Homage, first by the Bishops, then by my Uncles, & lastly, by all the Peers, in their respective order, was very fine. The Duke of Norfolk holding for me the Sceptre with the Cross, stood, together with Lord Melbourne, close to me, on my right, & the Duke of Richmond, with the other Sceptre, on my left, — all my Train Bearers, &c — standing behind the throne.

Poor old Lord Rolls, who is 82, & dreadfully infirm, fell, in attempting to ascend the steps, — rolled right down, but was not the least hurt. When he attempted again to ascend the steps, I advanced to the edge, in order to prevent another fall. When Lord Melbourne's turn came to do Homage, there was loud cheering, the Duke of Wellington, & Lord Grey being also cheered. It was a fine part of the ceremony, all, first, touching the Crown & then kissing my hand.

As Lord Melbourne knelt down & kissed my hand, he grasped it, & I his, with all my heart, at which he looked up, his eyes filling with tears, & he seemed much touched as I observed he was throughout the whole ceremony. After the Homage was concluded, I left the Throne, took off the Crown, & received the Holy Sacrament.

I then put my Crown on again & re-ascended the Throne, leaving on Lord Melbourne's arm. At the commencement of the Anthem I descended from the Throne, & went into St. Edward's Chapel with my Ladies, Train Bearers & Lord Willoughby, where I took off the Dalmatic Robe, Supertunica, etc. & put on the purple velvet Kirtle & Mantle, proceeding back again to the Throne, which I ascended, leaning on Lord Melbourne's hand.

There was another most dear Being present at the Ceremony, in the Box, immediately above the Royal Box, & who witnessed all; it was my dearly beloved Lehzen, whose eyes I caught, when on the Throne, & we exchanged smiles. She, Spëth, Lord John Russell, & Mr. Murray saw me leave the Palace, arrive at the Abbey, leave the Abbey, & return again to the Palace!

I again descended from the Throne & repaired, with all the Peers bearing the Regalia, & followed by my Ladies & Train Bearers, to St. Edward's Chapel, as it is called; but which as Lord Melbourne said, was more unlike a Chapel, than anything he had ever seen, for what was called an altar, was covered with plates of sandwiches, bottles of wine, etc. The Archbishop came in & ought to have delivered the Orb to me, but I had already got it, & he (as usual) was most confused & puzzled & knew nothing, — & went away.

There we waited for some minutes, Lord Melbourne taking a glass of wine, for he seemed completely exhausted. The Procession being formed I replaced my Crown, (which I had taken off for a few minutes), took the Orb in my left hand & the Sceptre in my right, & thus loaded, proceeded through the Abbey, which resounded with cheers, to the First Robing Room. There I found, Mama, Aunt Gloucester, & Aunt Cambridge, with their Ladies. I waited for at least an hour with all my Ladies & Train Bearer, the Princesses going away about ½ an hour before I did.

The Archbishop had (most awkwardly) put the ring on the wrong finger, the consequence being that I had the greatest difficulty in taking it off again, which I at last succeeded in doing, but not without great pain. All my Train Bearers looked quite beautiful.

At about ½ p. 4 I reentered the State Coach, the crown on my head & Sceptre & Orb in my hands, & we proceeded the same way as we came, the crowds, if possible, having become still greater. The demonstrations of enthusiasm affection, & loyalty were really touching & shall ever remember this day as the proudest in my life.

I came home at a little after 6, really not feeling too tired. — At 8 we dined, besides we 13, my Uncle, sister, & brother, Spëth & the German Gentlemen, — my excellent Lord Melbourne & Lord Surrey dining.

Lord M. came up to me saying, "I must congratulate you on this most brilliant day," & that all had gone off so well. He assured me he was not tired, & was in high spirits. Sat between him & Uncle Ernest. Lord M. asked kindly, if I was tired. The sword of State which he had carried, he had found excessively heavy. I said, that the Crown had hurt me a good deal. We agreed that the whole Ceremony was most impressive & a very fine sight. He thought the Robes, & particularly the Dalmatic "looked remarkably well," adding, "you did it all so well, — excellently!!" He thought I had looked "rather pale & moved, by all the people", when I arrived at the Abbey, "but that was natural, & as it should be.

We talked of the Archbishop's & Dean's Copes, which were remarkably handsome, & dated from the time of James II, the very same ones having been worn at his Coronation, Lord M. told me. Talked of Talleyrand & Soult having been much struck by the Ceremony of the Coronation, — of the English being far too generous, not to be kind to Soult.

After dinner, when we were seated talking, I spoke to Lord M. about the numbers of Peers present at the Coronation, & he said it was quite unprecedented. I observed that there were very few Viscounts, to which he replied "There are very few Viscounts," that they were an old sort of title & not really English; that they came from Vice-Comites; that Dukes & Barons were the only real English titles; — that Marquises were likewise not English, & that people were mere made Marquises, when it was not wished that they should be made Dukes.

Mama, Feodore, Uncle Ernest & Charles, went to see the illuminations, but came in later. I remained in the Drawingroom till ¼ to 11, when I felt I must go to bed, as I was beginning to feel very tired. But I looked for a short while, from Mama's balcony at the fireworks in the Green Park, which were quite beautiful. —”

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Text and images of the journal entry H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, 2012.

Main photo: A mannequin wearing Victoria's coronation robes, created by George Stuart.