When you’re a queen – especially one with many children – finding time for romance is virtually impossible. With this end in mind, Queen Victoria, and her husband Prince Albert, started to build Osborne on the Isle of Wight in 1846, to be, in Victoria’s words, a “place of one’s own – quiet and retired”. The house, its gardens and private beach were used by the family to escape, and to celebrate special occasions, particularly the royal couple’s summer birthdays.
Today, this royal retreat is managed by English Heritage, and it is every bit the romantic escape for thousands of visitors as it was for the queen and her consort. Filled with opulent furnishings and surrounded by splendid gardens – and even a private beach – it’s a dreamy summer visit for couples and families alike. And the house’s history as a private getaway for the two royals is every bit as charming as the place itself.
