Shown Gallery

Queen Victoria and her family

Queen Victoria shown with members of her family shortly after the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales, mourning a bust of her late husband, Prince Albert. To the left is Edward, Prince of Wales with his new wife, Alexandra. Seated to the left is Princess Louise. The Queen reads to her youngest child, Princess Beatrice while Prince Leopold kneels on the floor. Princess Helena stands next to her brother-in-law, Grand Duke Louis of Hesse, and his wife, Princess Alice sits by his side. Groups like this emphasised Prince Albert's continued presence but in fact, the marriage of the Prince of Wales was the last alliance they had discussed and agreed together. Date: 1863

© Charlotte Zeepvat/ILN/Mary Evans

Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg with family

Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg (1884-1966), fourth and youngest daughter of Prince Alfred of Edinburgh and his wife, Maria Alexandrovna (later Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg), shown here with her husband, Alfonso, 5th Duke of Galliera (1886-1935) and her three sons, from left, Alonso (1912-1936), Ataulfo (1913-1974) and Alvaro, 6th Duke of Galliera (1910-1997). Known as 'Baby Bea' in the family, she married King Alfonso XIII's cousin but refused to convert to Catholicism. Alfonso was compelled to take away his cousin's army commission and titles. After spending time at homes in Coburg and Switzerland, the couple returned to Spain in 1912 where Beatrice aggravated tensions between Alfonso and his wife Queen Ena (Beatrice's cousin), openly flirting with the king and allegedly procuring mistresses for him. Eventually, she was ordered to leave Spain once more, although she did return, bravely remaining behind in 1931 after the proclamation of the Spanish Second Republic, to look after the King's elderly aunt.

© Charlotte Zeepvat/ILN/Mary Evans Picture Library

The Re-cut Koh-i-noor Diamond, 1852

Engraving of the re-cut Koh-i-noor ('mountain of light') diamond, 1852. Previously owned by the Mogul emperors, the Persian Shahs and Ranjit Singh, the Lion of the Punjab, it was presented to Queen Victoria by the East India Company in 1850. The diamond was displayed at the Great Exhibition of 1851, where various experts felt it displayed insufficient fire. It was decided therefore to recut the stone. This was undertaken by Guillaume Coster, over 38 days, in 1852 to produce a round diamond of 108 carats (shown in the image). In 1937 the diamond was placed in a crown to be worn by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother at the Coronation of King George VI. The crown and diamond now reside at the Tower of London.

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10219047