Wedding Music For A Queen

Can you imagine being there, or even more amazing yet, arriving by horse drawn carriage ~ on February 10, 1840 at 1PM, in the Chapel Royal at St. James Palace? How exciting it must have been, being a guest when the 21 year old Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland’s married the dashing Prince Albert of Saxe-Coberg and Gotha!

They had met only a couple of times (the first occasion being for her 17th birthday) and although Albert had been groomed since childhood to become Victoria’s husband, Victoria was very much in control of her own destiny and most certainly would make her own decision to whom she would marry! In fact, as per royal custom, a Queen must be the one to propose should she decide to marry, and as Victoria had inherited the throne at age 18, the business of finding a suitable husband for the young Queen was quite the daunting task. Just five days into his second visit to England ~ on October 15, 1839 ~ the young Victoria proposed to Albert.

They were totally enamored with each other and shared many common interests, one being music. They enjoyed playing piano duets! [Piano duets – ahhh! sitting on the piano bench in close proximity … being close enough to breathe together, to laugh and smile and gaze into each others’ eyes and actually or perhaps accidentally touch hands … ooohhhh! these things were just a bit frisky back in the day!] Albert was also a composer and Victoria was a singer. What a fun and enriching duo they made!

The young Queen Victoria was a trend setter in wearing a white wedding gown. She also had 12 ‘train-bearers’ to carry the 18 foot train (equivalent to today’s Bridesmaids) all dressed in white with white roses. Her gown was made of white heavy silk satin with a flounce of Honiton lace over the skirt. Her shoes were made of matching white silk. Her hair (in a lovely ‘up do’ as we might say today) and veil were dressed with a wreath of orange blossoms (symbolizing fertility) and myrtle (symbolizing purity.)

She wore a diamond necklace and earrings which had been a gift presented by the Sultan of Turkey, and a gorgeous sapphire and diamond brooch which Albert had given her the day before the wedding. As recorded in Queen Victoria’s journal, when she entered the Chapel, ‘The Flourish of Trumpets ceased … and the organ began to play, which had a beautiful effect.” While not precisely sure which music Victoria used for her walk, Prince Albert entered to Handel’s ‘See, the conquering hero comes’ (also known as ‘Judas Maccabaeus’), and was followed by the entrance of the ravishing young Queen Victoria. For absolute sure, the intention on this day was to live happily ever after ….