We were so happy to be able to arrange this event, which brought to life Queen Victoria’s visit to Lucerne in 1868 and very grateful for the support and warm welcome from Christin Lichtin, Director of the Luzern History Museum. Some 30 Members enjoyed the event, and we were joined for the Victorian Tea by others from the Zug and Lucerne area. The final (literal) highlight as we drank tea, was a flypast high overhead by the Patrouille suisse.
Below we share some comments from the day:
The exhibition commemorated Queen Victoria’s visit to Switzerland seven years after Prince Albert’s early death. It brought into focus the meaning of royal protocol at the time. Queen Victoria wanted to just slip away to experience Prince Albert’s favourite European city for herself. So she travelled incognito, as the Countess of Kent, bringing with her the Edelweiss pendant that her husband gave her shortly before their marriage in 1840. I was humbled by the beautiful watercolours painted by both Queen Victoria and her daughter Princess Louise who accompanied her. The splendid biographical theatrical piece performed by the Lady in Waiting and the Queen herself kept us enthralled.
AE
Excellent food at the Wirtshaus Galliker and a very interesting talk by Peter Arengo-Jones. Details about the Queen and her family also touched on 19th Century European politics in relation to the Queen. We learnt about the relationship between the Queen and the Swiss canton of Neuchatel and Prussia. Why was French speaking Neuchatel “owned” by Prussia? We heard how the Queen defended Switzerland and refused to do what the Prussians asked her for. The vibrant performance at the Museum brought to life interesting details about the Queen and her entourage, and in particular the Queen’s relationship to Switzerland.
Sam Eldin
What a successful, interesting day. From Peter Arengo-Jones we learnt a lot about 19th Century politics and her personal emotions. The Queen’s strongly phrased interventions on behalf of Switzerland against Prussia and others on more than one occasion were a surprise detail. The Queen Victoria Exhibition at the Museum and the theatrical presentation there – which included a tour of the extraordinary Museum storerooms and a final teatime at the nearby Mühleplatz were charming, original and highly interesting.
Diana Boesch
Enjoyed a Lucerne speciality at the Wirtshaus Galliker, owned by an ardent Anglophile.
Fascinated by Peter Arengo-Jones talk and heard about his highly readable book “ Queen Victoria in Switzerland” first published in 1999 and now available with an augmented text in German. At the Museum we experienced a theatrical recreation of the Queen’s swiss holiday. The Lady of the Bedchamber instructed us on how to behave in the royal presence, we practised curtseying and holding our heads in the appropriate way when presented to the Queen. Later the Queen joined us and enjoyed a cup of tea brought to her by a servant. Presented in this fashion history really comes to life. The Exhibition was small but informative, illustrating life in those times, including an 18th Century WC. Particularly poignant, a small darkened area where we heard Queen Victoria’s thoughts and sadness and how the rising sun eventually started to disperse her depression. Crossing the small wooden bridge to the Mühleplatz we could relax in comfortable chairs and enjoy Earl Grey tea in the mugs we had been told to bring and miniature strawberry scones. Her Majesty might not have been amused that tea bags were used!
Kathleen Meer
Bob Dean and Joanna Koch were happy that you enjoyed this event and are thinking of a repeat performance before the Exhibition closes mid September.