Queen Victoria’s advisers - the spin doctors of the day - thought that the sight of her handsome husband on horseback, hunting heroically with the famous Belvoir hunt, might help boost his image. So this notionally private visit was designed to have a public impact and Tim discovers if it worked.
Up Next in Royal Upstairs Downstairs
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Royal Upstairs Downstairs: Blair
As a present for guarding her during her stay, Queen Victoria gave the Atholl Guards their own coat of arms, making them to this day the only private army in Europe. Oh, and she threw in a couple of canons for good measure.
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Royal Upstairs Downstairs: Burghley
Amazingly, the Marquess of Exeter had been planning this visit for four years. So it’s no wonder he wanted the royal autographs still seen in an amazing guest book that Tim discovers. And we see the sketches commissioned to accompany the story.
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Royal Upstairs Downstairs: Hatfield
Confirmation of Victoria's visit reached the host just ten days before she arrived. Using the Queen's own diary and other first-hand accounts, Tim reveals the last-minute panic behind the scenes.
