Inside Osborne House and its glorious gardens
When it comes to Britain's royal attractions, Osborne House is relatively underrated compared to the likes of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
The captivating seaside retreat, built for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1851, was the royal couple's summer house.
It was designed by Prince Albert himself and Queen Victoria once said it was "impossible to imagine a prettier spot".
SEE OSBORNE HOUSE WITH CL THIS MAY
The view of the Solent was what first appealed to the couple when they bought it in 1845 and it reminded Albert of Italy's Bay of Naples. This inspired the Italian Renaissance style of the house, complete with two belvedere towers.
Where is Osborne House?
Located in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, the former royal residence is just moments from Osborne Bay in the Solent.
The house has its own beach too, where Queen Victoria bathed and her children learned to swim.
Who owns Osborne House?
After Queen Victoria died in 1901, King Edward VIII gave Osborne House to the state and part of it became the Royal Naval College, Osborne.
From 1954, Queen Elizabeth II gave permission for the house to be opened to the public and English Heritage has owned and managed the attraction since 1986.
What's inside Osborne House?
From the sumptuous state rooms where Queen Victoria entertained her guests, to the family rooms which allow you to peek into the private world of Victoria, Albert and their nine children, Osborne gives you a look at a royal summer house at its most opulent.
Ornate furniture, artefacts and fine art fill the rooms and corridors. The family rooms include Queen Victoria's sitting room and the balcony where she and Albert used to listen to nightingales on summer evenings. Her bath tub in the dressing room and the bedroom where she died can also be viewed.
What about the gardens?
They're simply stunning. Osborne House's gardens were a place where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert could spend time away from the public gaze and enjoy their private family time. Here, they took walks together, grew vegetables and planted hundreds of trees in the gardens.
Today, the gardens are a year-round beauty, with elaborate fountains, historic plants creeping up the walls and seasonal flowers displaying bold colours. In spring, there are daffodils, lily of the valley and barberries, while summer sees the mild Mediterranean climate welcome myrtle and magnolias.
Are there other highlights?
The beach which first drew Victoria and Albert is a must-see. It's worth checking out the beautiful bathing machine where Victoria would undress before heading into the water too.
Osborne is home to fruit trees and in the warmer months, visitors can look out for the orange tree, which shows off the warm climate of the Isle of Wight.
Hidden in the woods at Osborne is another highlight, the Swiss Cottage. The little Alpine-style chalet has its own gardens and museum. This was where the children were free to play, learning housekeeping, cookery and gardening in their own playhouse.
Why is Osborne House so significant?
Osborne's importance lies with its close association with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, along with its largely intact contents.
Both the interior and the gardens reveal the tastes of the royal couple, with personal collections, including the birthday and Christmas gifts they presented each other.
What are today's royal connections to Osborne House?
In most recent years, Osborne House's myrtle featured in some high-profile events. Its delicate white flower which grows here was first used in a royal bouquet at the wedding of Victoria and Albert’s eldest daughter, Victoria.
Since then, flowers grown from the same Osborne myrtle have been chosen by royal brides, including Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, the Duchess of Cambridge and most recently Duchess of Sussex, for their wedding bouquets.
How you can visit Osborne House
Country Living Holidays has an exclusive tour of Osborne House with BBC gardener Christine Walkden, from The One Show, in May 2022. Part of a four-day break to the Isle of Wight, the staycation includes a guided tour of the royal attraction, lunch at Osborne House's Terrace Restaurant with Christine and an exclusive Q&A session.
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