Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria

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Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria
William Ewart Lockhart, Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Service, Westminster Abbey, 21 June 1887 (1887–1890).jpg
Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Service, Westminster Abbey, 21 June 1887 (1887–1890) by William Ewart Lockhart
GenreJubilee of British monarch
Date(s)20 June 1887
Country
  • United Kingdom
  • British India
  • British Empire
Previous event
Next eventDiamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria
Two sides of a coin, with head view of Victoria on one side and a design on the other
Victoria's Golden Jubilee silver double florin, struck 1887

The Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria was celebrated on 20 June 1887 on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession on 20 June 1837. It was celebrated with a banquet to which 50 European kings and princes were invited.[1]

History[]

The garden party at Buckingham Palace for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, 1887
Jubilee bust of Queen Victoria. Francis John Williamson, 1887. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, UK

On 20 June 1887 the Queen had breakfast outdoors under the trees at Frogmore, where Prince Albert had been buried. She then travelled by train from Windsor station to Paddington then to Buckingham Palace for a royal banquet that evening. Fifty foreign kings and princes, along with the governing heads of Britain's overseas colonies and dominions, attended. She wrote in her diary:[2]

Had a large family dinner. All the Royalties assembled in the Bow Room, and we dined in the Supper-room, which looked splendid with the buffet covered with the gold plate. The table was a large horseshoe one, with many lights on it. The King of Denmark took me in, and Willy of Greece sat on my other side. The Princes were all in uniform, and the Princesses were all beautifully dressed. Afterwards we went into the Ballroom, where my band played.

The following day, she participated in a procession in an open landau through London to Westminster Abbey escorted by Colonial Indian cavalry.

During prayers for the Queen at the Abbey, a beam of sunlight fell upon her bowed head, which the future Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii observing noted as a mark of divine favor.[3]

On her return to the Palace, she went to her balcony and was cheered by the crowd. In the ballroom she distributed brooches made for the Jubilee to her family. In the evening, she put on a gown embroidered with silver roses, thistles and shamrocks and attended a banquet. Afterwards she received a procession of diplomats and Indian princes. She was then wheeled in her chair to sit and watch fireworks in the palace garden.[2]

At the Jubilee she engaged two Indian Muslims as waiters, one of whom was Abdul Karim.[a]

A commemorative bust of Victoria was commissioned from the sculptor Francis John Williamson.[4][5][6] Many copies were made, and distributed throughout the British Empire.[4][6]

A special Golden Jubilee Medal was instituted and awarded to participants of the jubilee celebrations.[7]

Writer and geographer John Francon Williams published The Jubilee Atlas of the British Empire especially to commemorate Victoria's Jubilee and her Jubilee year.

The Jubilee Atlas of the British Empire by John Francon Williams

Many cities commissioned new buildings to mark the event, including Queens Arcade in Leeds.

Blue plaque, Queen's Arcade, Leeds (1st June 2018)

Royal guests at the Jubilee celebration[]

British royal family[]

  • The Queen of the United Kingdom
    • German Empire The German Crown Princess and Crown Prince, the Queen's daughter and son-in-law (representing the German Emperor)
      • Kingdom of Prussia Prince and Princess Wilhelm of Prussia, the Queen's grandson and granddaughter-in-law
      • Saxe-Meiningen The Hereditary Princess and Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Meiningen, the Queen's granddaughter and grandson-in-law (representing the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen)
        • Saxe-Meiningen Princess Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen, the Queen's great-granddaughter
      • Kingdom of Prussia Prince Henry of Prussia, the Queen's grandson
      • Kingdom of Prussia Princess Viktoria of Prussia, the Queen's granddaughter
      • Kingdom of Prussia Princess Sophia of Prussia, the Queen's granddaughter
      • Kingdom of Prussia Princess Margaret of Prussia, the Queen's granddaughter
    • The Prince and Princess of Wales, the Queen's son and daughter-in-law
      • Prince Albert Victor of Wales, the Queen's grandson
      • Prince George of Wales, the Queen's grandson
      • Princess Louise of Wales, the Queen's granddaughter
      • Princess Victoria of Wales, the Queen's granddaughter
      • Princess Maud of Wales, the Queen's granddaughter
    • Grand Duchy of Hesse The Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, the Queen's son-in-law
      • Princess and Prince Louis of Battenberg, the Queen's granddaughter and grandson-in-law
      • Russian Empire Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna and Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia, the Queen's granddaughter and grandson-in-law (representing the Emperor of Russia)
      • Grand Duchy of Hesse Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine, the Queen's granddaughter
      • Grand Duchy of Hesse The Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, the Queen's grandson
      • Grand Duchy of Hesse Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine, the Queen's granddaughter
    • The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Queen's son and daughter-in-law
    • Princess and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, the Queen's daughter and son-in-law
    • Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne and the Marquess of Lorne, the Queen's daughter and son-in-law
    • The Duke and Duchess of Connaught and Strathearn, the Queen's son and daughter-in-law
      • Princess Margaret of Connaught, the Queen's granddaughter
      • Prince Arthur of Connaught, the Queen's grandson
    • The Duchess of Albany, the Queen's daughter-in-law
    • Princess and Prince Henry of Battenberg, the Queen's daughter and son-in-law

Other descendants of The Queen's paternal grandfather, King George III and their families:

Foreign royals[]

A political cartoon by Irish cartoonist John Fergus O'Hea criticising Victoria for celebrating the Jubilee while failing to address issues such as evictions and general poverty in Ireland.
  • The Prince and Princess of Leiningen, the Queen's half-nephew and half-niece-in-law
    • Princess Alberta of Leiningen, the Queen's half-great-niece
  • The Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, the Queen's half-nephew
  • Prince and Princess Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, the Queen's half-nephew and half-niece-in-law
    • Countess Feodora Gleichen, the Queen's half-great-niece
    • Count Edward Gleichen, the Queen's half-great-nephew
    • Countess Victoria Gleichen, the Queen's half-great-niece
  • Saxe-Meiningen Prince Ernst of Saxe-Meiningen, the Queen's half-great-nephew
  • Saxe-Coburg and Gotha The Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the Queen's brother-in-law and first cousin
  • Belgium The King and Queen of the Belgians, the Queen's first cousin and his wife
    • Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Princess and Prince Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the Queen's first cousins once removed
    • Austria-Hungary The Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary, husband of the Queen's first cousin once removed (representing the Emperor of Austria)
  • Kingdom of Portugal The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Portugal, the Queen's first cousin twice removed and his wife (representing the King of Portugal)
  • Denmark The King of Denmark, father of the Princess of Wales
    • Kingdom of Greece The King of the Hellenes, brother of the Princess of Wales
      • Kingdom of Greece The Duke of Sparta, nephew of the Princess of Wales
      • Kingdom of Greece Prince George of Greece and Denmark, nephew of the Princess of Wales
  • Grand Duchy of Baden Prince Ludwig of Baden, nephew of the German Crown Prince (representing the Grand Duke of Baden)
  • Sweden The Crown Prince of Sweden and Norway, nephew-in-law of the German Crown Prince (representing the King of Sweden and Norway)
  • Kingdom of Saxony The King of Saxony
  • Kingdom of Italy The Duke of Aosta (representing the King of Italy)
  • Restoration (Spain) Infante Antonio and Infanta Eulalia of Spain (representing the Queen Regent of Spain)
  • Hawaiian Kingdom Ke Aliʻi wahine o ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻAina (The Queen of the Hawaiian Islands)
  • Hawaiian Kingdom Crown Princess Liliʻuokalani of Hawaii (sister and heir apparent of Ke Aliʻi (king) Kalakaua)
  • Bavaria Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (representing the Prince Regent of Bavaria)
  • Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach The Hereditary Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (representing the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach)
  • Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Prince and Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar
  • Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Prince Hermann of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach
  • Empire of Japan Prince Komatsu Akihito (representing the Emperor of Japan)
  • Thailand Prince Devawongse Varoprakar of Siam (representing the King of Siam)
  • Qajar Iran Prince Abu 'n Nasr Mirza Hissam us Sultaneh of Persia (representing the Shah of Persia)
  • Anhalt The Hereditary Prince of Anhalt (representing the Duke of Anhalt)
  • Hyderabad State Nawab Sir Asman Jah representing Asaf Jah VI Mahboob Ali Khan, Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar.
  • The Maharaja of Gondal
  • The Thakore Sahib of Liinri
  • The Thakore Sahib of Morvi
  • The Maharaja and Maharani of Coochbehar
  • The Maharajah of Darbhanga
  • The Maharaja of Kutch
  • The Maharaja Holkar of Indore
  • The Count and Countess of Paris
  • The Duke of Chartres
  • The Duke of Aumale

[8]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Karim was soon promoted to Munshi and taught her Urdu, and acted as a clerk.[9] Her family and retainers were appalled, and accused Abdul Karim of spying for the Muslim Patriotic League, and biasing the Queen against the Hindus.[10] Equerry Frederick Ponsonby (the son of Sir Henry) discovered that the Munshi had lied about his background, and reported to Lord Elgin, Viceroy of India, "the Munshi occupies very much the same position as John Brown used to do."[11] Victoria dismissed their complaints as racial prejudice.[12] Abdul Karim remained in her service until he returned to India with a pension on her death.[13]

References[]

Great Malvern Priory window, commemorating the Jubilee, designed by Thomas Camm and made under the auspices of R. W. Winfield & Co


  1. ^ "Victoria Marked Golden Jubilee With Fireworks". Oxford Review. June 1, 2002. Retrieved 2011-01-24. After 50 years as ruler of the British Empire, Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee by inviting 50 foreign kings and ...
  2. ^ a b "History of Jubilees: Queen Victoria". British Royal Household. Retrieved 2011-01-24. The longest-reigning British monarch, Queen Victoria celebrated Golden and Diamond Jubilees marking 50 and 60 years of her reign. Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee was celebrated on 20 and 21 June 1887. On 20 June the day began quietly with breakfast under the trees at Frogmore, the resting place of her beloved late husband, Prince Albert. ...
  3. ^ Liliuokalani (1990). Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen. Honolulu: Mutual Publishing. p. 155. ISBN 0-935180-85-0.
  4. ^ a b "Francis John Williamson". 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  5. ^ "F.J. [Francis John] Williamson". The Elmbridge Hundred. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Francis John Williamson (1833-1920)". The Victorian Web. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
  7. ^ Howard N Cole. Coronation and Royal Commemorative Medals. pp. 5 to 8. Published J. B. Hayward & Son, London. 1977.
  8. ^ "No. 25773". The London Gazette. 5 January 1888. p. 191.
  9. ^ Hibbert, pp. 447–448; St Aubyn, p. 502; Waller, p. 441
  10. ^ Hibbert, pp. 448–449
  11. ^ Hibbert, pp. 449–451
  12. ^ Hibbert, p. 447; St Aubyn, p. 503; Waller, p. 442
  13. ^ Hibbert, p. 454

Bibliography[]

  • Hibbert, Christopher (2000) Queen Victoria: A Personal History, London: HarperCollins, ISBN 0-00-638843-4
  • St Aubyn, Giles (1991) Queen Victoria: A Portrait, London: Sinclair-Stevenson, ISBN 1-85619-086-2
  • Waller, Maureen (2006) Sovereign Ladies: The Six Reigning Queens of England, London: John Murray, ISBN 0-7195-6628-2
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