The Tragic Story of Princess Ka’iulani, “The Island Rose” of Hawaii

Born Victoria Ka’iulani on October 16, 1875, the Crown Princess and heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii was known throughout the world for her intelligence and determination to preserve the Hawaiian monarchy.

Named after Queen Victoria and her maternal aunt Anna Ka’iulani who died young, Princess Ka’iulani’s life, spirit, and legacy are a testament to her love of the Hawaiian people in their hour of need.

Ka ‘iu lani means “the highest point of heaven” or “the royal sacred one” in the Hawaiian language.

Kaiulani, approximately six years old seated holding hat with backdrop of Diamond Head & palm trees in a photo studio
Kaiulani, approximately six years old seated holding hat with backdrop of Diamond Head & palm trees in a photo studio
Ka'iulani's parents, Archibald Cleghorn and Likelike
Ka’iulani’s parents, c. 1870

Descended from the first cousin of Kamehameha the Great, the founder and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Ka’iulani’s mother was known as Likelike, the sister of the last two ruling monarchs, and her father was Scottish businessman Archibald Scott Cleghorn.

A marriage across cultures does not always run smoothly and Princess Ka’iulani’s parents struggled.

Expecting to be the master of the household, Cleghorn’s staunch Victorian male chauvinism clashed with the Hawaiian nobility’s belief, regardless of gender, that they should be the ones to rule over others.

You always blame me in everything and I am getting tired of it. I will have to kill myself then you won’t have me to growl at all the time. I think we are better separated…as you don’t love me and I don’t love you so I will simply say, “God bless the good”Likelike
Ka'iulani's parents, Archibald Cleghorn and Likelike
Ka’iulani’s parents, Archibald Cleghorn and Likelike
Archibald Cleghorn (seated) with family and grandchildren. Princess Ka'iulani sits to the right of Cleghorn, c. 1885
Archibald Cleghorn (seated) with family and grandchildren. Princess Ka’iulani sits to the right of Cleghorn, c. 1885

Imperious and quick-tempered, but vivacious and well-liked, Likelike earned a reputation as a kind, gracious hostess.

When Ka’iulani was just 11 years old, Likelike fell ill and never recovered.

It is said that a large school of bright red fish—an omen of death in her family—massed close to shore and that Likelike predicted her daughter would never marry and never become Queen.

Princess Likelike in a formal portrait, taken by James J. Williams, 1880s
Princess Likelike in a formal portrait, taken by James J. Williams, 1880s

Because Princess Ka’iulani was second in line to the throne after her elderly and childless aunt, the young girl was expected to eventually become Queen.

The reigning monarchs, King Kalākaua and Queen Kapi’olani, talked with Cleghorn and the Princess about preparing her for the role with a British education.

Princess Kaiulani in 1889, age 14
Princess Kaiulani in 1889, age 14

Sent to Northamptonshire, England in 1889 at the age of 13, Ka’iulani was given a private education at Great Harrowden Hall.

Excelling in her studies of Latin, Literature, Mathematics, and History, she also took classes in French and German and lessons in tennis and cricket.

Great Harrowden hall, Northamptonshire. Credit M J Richardson
Great Harrowden hall, Northamptonshire. Credit M J Richardson

Growing up knowing the landscape painter Joseph Dwight Strong from her uncle’s court, and Isobel Strong, a lady in waiting under her mother, she showed an early talent for art and took several trips to Scotland and France to study.

'Poppies', an oil on canvas painting by Princess Ka'iulani, 1890
‘Poppies’, an oil on canvas painting by Princess Ka’iulani, 1890

Isobel was the stepdaughter of Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson, of “Treasure Island” fame.

The two became good friends and he called her “the island rose” in a poem he wrote in her autograph book.

Princess Ka'iulani at 17 as she attended school at the prestigious Great Harrowden Hall in Northamptonshire
Princess Ka’iulani at 17 as she attended school at the prestigious Great Harrowden Hall in Northamptonshire
Princess Kaʻiulani wearing a hatband bearing the name of an Orlando-class armored cruiser captained by a family friend, Sir William Wiseman HMS Immortalité
Princess Ka’iulani wearing a hatband bearing the name of an Orlando-class armored cruiser captained by a family friend, Sir William Wiseman HMS Immortalité
Kaiulani in white gown and hat, photograph by J. J. Williams
Kaiulani in white gown and hat, photograph by J. J. Williams

Moving to Brighton in 1892, it felt like a fresh start for Princess Ka’iulani who continued to study in England for the next four years, despite being told she would only be there for one.

Chaperoned and tutored by a Mrs. Rooke who set up a curriculum including German, French and English, the resort by the sea pleased the princess, renewing her enthusiasm.

Arranging for her to have an audience with Queen Victoria as part of a trip around Europe, her Hawaiin overseers had to suddenly cancel all plans in January of 1893.

In a short telegram, she learned that Hawaii had been overthrown.

‘Queen Deposed’, ‘Monarchy Abrogated’, ‘Break News to Princess’.

To honor the name bestowed by Stevenson, she had to summon the spirit of the “island rose” – its thorns as sharp as defiance, its bloom undying in the face of adversity.

Refusing to stand idly by while the home that she loved was swept from under her, she gave a statement to the English press:

Four years ago, at the request of Mr. Thurston, then a Hawaiian Cabinet Minister, I was sent away to England to be educated privately and fitted to the position which by the constitution of Hawaii I was to inherit. For all these years, I have patiently and in exile striven to fit myself for my return this year to my native country. I am now told that Mr. Thurston will be in Washington asking you to take away my flag and my throne. No one tells me even this officially. Have I done anything wrong that this wrong should be done to me and my people? I am coming to Washington to plead for my throne, my nation and my flag. Will not the great American people hear me?
Princess Kaiulani of Hawaii, 1890s
Princess Kaiulani of Hawaii, 1890s

Traveling to the United States to fight against what she saw as a terrible injustice, she gave this speech on her arrival:

Seventy years ago, Christian America sent over Christian men and women to give religion and civilization to Hawaii. Today, three of the sons of those missionaries are at your capitol asking you to undo their father’s work. Who sent them? Who gave them the authority to break the Constitution which they swore they would uphold? Today, I, a poor weak girl with not one of my people with me and all these ‘Hawaiian’ statesmen against me, have strength to stand up for the rights of my people. Even now I can hear their wail in my heart and it gives me strength and courage and I am strong – strong in the faith of God, strong in the knowledge that I am right, strong in the strength of seventy million people who in this free land will hear my cry and will refuse to let their flag cover dishonor to mine!

Despite pleas to U.S. President Grover Cleveland, who brought her plight before Congress, her efforts could not prevent eventual annexation.

Treating Ka’iulani with contempt, the pro-annexation press referred to her in print as a half-breed, calling her “dusky”, although she was saved from the blatantly racist treatment repeatedly given her Aunt, the Queen of Hawaii.

Typical of the time, “positive” accounts of the Princess’ appearance often tried to emphasize what was thought to be “white” about her.

Occasionally, the British half from her father, Archibald Cleghorn, was also disparaged by American writers fearing Great Britain was a rival for possession of Hawaii.

Returning to Europe to finish her education, she received further tragic news that her childhood friend, Robert Louis Stevenson had died and that a new Republic of Hawaii had been established in her absence.

Learning that her half-sister, Annie Cleghorn, and later her English guardian, Theophilus Harris Davies, had both died, a great sadness overwhelmed her and her health started to decline.

Arriving back in Hawaii in 1897, she thought the warmer climate would help her recover, but she continued to deteriorate.

Kaiulani in San Francisco, 1897
Kaiulani in San Francisco, 1897

Even the new house her father had built for her couldn’t lift her spirits as she struggled to readjust to the tropical climate of the Hawaiian islands.

Princess Kaiulani's residence at Ainahau with peacocks on the lawn. The new house was constructed by Archibald Scott Cleghorn for his daughter's return from Europe in 1897
Princess Kaiulani’s residence at Ainahau with peacocks on the lawn. The new house was constructed by Archibald Scott Cleghorn for his daughter’s return from Europe in 1897

Continuing to make public appearances at the urging of her father, she became visibly drawn and emotionally exhausted.

Princess Kaiulani standing on top of steps on the porch of her house at ʻĀinahau; wearing the holoku and a lei
Princess Kaiulani standing on top of steps on the porch of her house at Āinahau; wearing the holoku and a lei
Newspaper article about Princess Ka'iulani's betrothal to Prince Kawānanakoa of Hawaii, 1898

At least there was something to look forward to—the announcement of her engagement to Prince David Kawānanakoa of Hawaii.

The “Island Rose,” heir to the throne and their symbol of resistance, would unite with a prince known for his intelligence and dedication to their land. While shadows of annexation loomed, this union ignited a glimmer of hope for a future rooted in their heritage, where their beloved princess, blooming once more, might guide them through uncertain waters.

Princess Kaiulani seated wearing dress with embroidered bodice for a formal picture, 1897
Princess Kaiulani seated wearing dress with embroidered bodice for a formal picture, 1897
Queen Liliuokalani wearing black in mourning over the annexation of Hawaii

The day Hawaii was annexed as a territory of the United States on August 12, 1898, citizen Ka’iulani and her aunt, the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, wore funeral attire to protest what they considered an illegal transaction.

One of the last public appearances of Victoria Ka’iulani was at a party thrown for U.S. Annexation Commissioners the following October.

It was bad enough to lose the throne but infinitely worse to have the flag go down…Victoria Ka'iulani
The luau or banquet at ʻĀinahau for the U.S. Annexation Commissioners, hosted by Princess Kaiulani who is looking towards camera on the left side of the photo. Leslie's Weekly October 20, 1898
The luau or banquet at Āinahau for the U.S. Annexation Commissioners, hosted by Princess Kaiulani who is looking towards camera on the left side of the photo. Leslie’s Weekly October 20, 1898

Riding in the mountains of Hawaii Island in late 1898, Ka’iulani was caught in a storm and came down with a fever and pneumonia.

She died on March 6, 1899 at the age of 23 of inflammatory rheumatism.

Just as her mother had foretold, Ka’iulani wouldn’t get married and would never become Queen.

Princess Kaiulani of Hawaii, 1899
Princess Kaiulani of Hawaii, 1899

Princess Ka’iulani loved peacocks.

Growing up enjoying the company of a flock originally belonging to her mother, she is sometimes called the “Peacock Princess”.

Victoria Kaʻiulani, "the Peacock Princess", 1895
Victoria Ka’iulani, “the Peacock Princess”, 1897

Royal Carriages: Traveling in Splendor

Electric windows, heating, and hydraulic stabilizers: these are the accouterments afforded a modern royal carriage fit for the longest reigning monarch in British history—Queen Elizabeth II.

Atop the roof sits a crown carved from timber from HMS Victory—Lord Nelson’s flagship.

Other timber segments from the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, Hampton Court Palace, and a long list of historically significant buildings are inlaid into the interior lining of the coach.

Segments related to Shakespeare, Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Florence Nightingale, and others are also included.

The Diamond Jubilee State Coach. Credit Grahamedown
The Diamond Jubilee State Coach. Credit Grahamedown

It is, quite simply, a museum on wheels.

Taking around 10 years to build, the Diamond Jubilee State Coach is now part of the Royal Collection and has been officially put to use.

In June 2014, it was used for the first time at the State Opening of Parliament.

It is the latest in a long line of royal carriages going back several hundred years.

What’s the Difference between a Carriage and a Coach?

Just in case you’re wondering—the two terms are often used interchangeably.

The word carriage is from Old Northern French cariage, meaning to carry in a vehicle.

Horsecarts showing signs of an early type of suspension have been found in Celtic graves from the Iron Age.

Egyptians, Romans, and Chinese used chariots and wagons for warfare and transport.

In the middle ages, carriages suspended with leather or chains were largely used by royalty and aristocrats and were often elaborately decorated and gilded—and also heavy and slow.

King Mathias Coribus (1458 – 90), King of Hungary and Croatia, wanted a faster way to travel about his Kingdom.

So the wheelwrights of the small post-town of Kocs began to build a horse-drawn vehicle with steel-spring suspension that was lighter, faster and could be towed by a single horse.

Kocs is pronounced “kotch” which is how we derive the English word coach.

This more comfortable carriage became popular among wealthy European nobility.

When one looks at the variety of royal carriages throughout history, a number of adjectives spring to mind: magnificent, spectacular, sumptuous, resplendent. These are palaces on wheels—symbols of majesty and power—and perfect for making a grand entrance.

Entrance of the Emperor Franz I. Stephan and his son Joseph (II.) into Frankfurt on March 29, 1764 by Johann Dallinger von Dalling, 1767
Entrance of the Emperor Franz I. Stephan and his son Joseph (II.) into Frankfurt on March 29, 1764 by Johann Dallinger von Dalling, 1767

Pick your favorite(s) royal carriage from our shortlist of the grandest and enjoy the extended gallery of carriages.

Gallery

Queen Brysselska carriage. The Royal Armoury, Stockholm
Queen Brysselska carriage. The Royal Armoury, Stockholm
1761 Rococo state carriage used by Gustav III and Sophia Magdalena of Sweden
1761 Rococo state carriage used by Gustav III and Sophia Magdalena of Sweden
Royal Carriage. at Buckingham Palace. Credit eltpics
Royal Carriage. at Buckingham Palace. Credit eltpics
Royal Carriage. at Buckingham Palace. Credit eltpics
Royal Carriage. at Buckingham Palace. Credit eltpics
A Gala Coupé, 18th century, Brussels. Credit Carolus
A Gala Coupé, 18th century, Brussels. Credit Carolus
Charles X of France (1824 - 1830), carriage, Versailles, France, 1895
Charles X of France (1824 – 1830), carriage, Versailles, France, 1895
The Imperial Coach of the court of Vienna. Credit Vladimir Tkalčić
The Imperial Coach of the court of Vienna. Credit Vladimir Tkalčić
Grand Cornationa Carriage. Early 1720s. Hermitage
Grand Cornationa Carriage. Early 1720s. Hermitage
Gold state coach of the Royal Mews. Credit Crochet.david
Gold state coach of the Royal Mews. Credit Crochet.david
The Irish State Coach at the Royal Mews. Credit Steve F-E-Cameron
The Irish State Coach at the Royal Mews. Credit Steve F-E-Cameron
Her Majesty The Queen traveling for the State Opening of Parliament.. Credit Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Her Majesty The Queen travelling for the State Opening of Parliament.. Credit Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The carriage carrying the parents of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton from the marriage ceremony.. Credit John Pannell
The carriage carrying the parents of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton from the marriage ceremony.. Credit John Pannell
The Queen, along with the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, rides in the 1902 State Landau during a procession as part of the celebrations of her Diamond Jubilee, 2012. Credit Ben
The Queen, along with the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, rides in the 1902 State Landau during a procession as part of the celebrations of her Diamond Jubilee, 2012. Credit Ben
Landau Carriage with Figures, 1849
Landau Carriage with Figures, 1849
Gold State Coach. Credit Ibagli
Gold State Coach. Credit Ibagli
The Gold Coach with Prince Willem-Alexander, Queen Beatrix, and Princess Máxima. Credit Toni
The Gold Coach with Prince Willem-Alexander, Queen Beatrix, and Princess Máxima. Credit Toni
Golden Coach (Netherlands). Credit GALERIEopWEG
Golden Coach (Netherlands). Credit GALERIEopWEG
Gold state coach de la Royal Mews. Credit Crochet.david
Gold state coach de la Royal Mews. Credit Crochet.david
Detail of a coach at the National Coach Museum, Portugal. Credit Ricardo Tulio Gandelman
Detail of a coach at the National Coach Museum, Portugal. Credit Ricardo Tulio Gandelman
Catherine the Great's Coronation Coach
Catherine the Great’s Coronation Coach
Coronation carriage of King Max I
Coronation carriage of King Max I
Crown Prince Carriage of King Gustav III of Sweden 1763 to 1768. Credit Livrustkammaren (The Royal Armoury, Sweden)
Crown Prince Carriage of King Gustav III of Sweden 1763 to 1768. Credit Livrustkammaren (The Royal Armoury, Sweden)

Trivia

Rig—a carriage and horse.
Equipage—an elegant horse-drawn carriage with its retinue of servants.
Turnout (or setout)—a carriage together with horses, harness, and attendants.
Cavalcade—a procession of carriages.

Suggested Reading & Gift Ideas

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10 Facts About the Victorian Tradition of White Weddings

1
White weddings started with Queen Victoria

Although Queen Victoria was not the first monarch to wear white at her wedding, she is credited with starting the tradition of a white wedding when she chose to wear a white wedding dress to marry Prince Albert in 1840.

The Marriage of Queen Victoria, 10 February 1840 by George Hayter
The Marriage of Queen Victoria, 10 February 1840 by George Hayter

2
Wearing white was unusual at the time of her wedding

At the time of Queen Victoria’s wedding, wearing white was considered unusual, but in less than a decade, it was being proclaimed as a long-standing tradition. Godey’s Lady’s Book—the most widely circulated magazine in America—wrote:

Custom has decided, from the earliest ages, that white is the most fitting hue, whatever may be the material. It is an emblem of the purity and innocence of girlhood, and the unsullied heart she now yields to the chosen one.
Queen Victoria sported the rounded shoulderline that enhanced the length of her neck—a look that was prized through most of the nineteenth century. From the 1830s to the 1880s, the lowered splayed stance of corset straps and open neckline lent a romantic effect.
Queen Victoria sported the rounded shoulderline that enhanced the length of her neck—a look that was prized through most of the nineteenth century. From the 1830s to the 1880s, the lowered splayed stance of corset straps and open neckline lent a romantic effect.

3
White dresses symbolized innocence and status

Not only did white wedding dresses connote innocence and sexual purity, but because laundry technology was not very advanced in the early Victorian period, they also represented a way to display conspicuous consumption.

White wedding dresses showed that the bride’s family could afford a dress that would be ruined by any type of work, indicating that they must be from the leisure class.

Silk-satin, trimmed with Honiton appliqué lace, machine net and bobbin lace, hand-sewn. Royal Collection Trust / © HM Queen Elizabeth II 2016
Silk-satin, trimmed with Honiton appliqué lace, machine net and bobbin lace, hand-sewn. Royal Collection Trust / © HM Queen Elizabeth II 2016

4
Queen Victoria wrote about her wedding dress in her 122-volume diary

Wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

Queen Victoria was an avid diarist, filling 122 volumes during her lifetime. Describing her choice of wedding dress, she wrote:

I wore a white satin dress, with a deep flounce of Honiton lace, an imitation of an old design. My jewels were my Turkish diamond necklace & earrings & dear Albert’s beautiful sapphire brooch.

5
Victoria’s wedding supported the English lace cottage industry

Examples of Honiton Lace from Honiton, Devon
Examples of Honiton Lace from Honiton, Devon

The lace used for Queen Victoria’s wedding dress was from Honiton in Devon. Lace making was still a cottage industry and her choice demonstrated support for working-class Britain.

The lace comprised of sprigs or motifs made separately and then sewn together into a net.

It is thought Flemish refugees brought the art to England in the mid-to-late 16th century.

6
She commissioned Franz Xaver Winterhalter to paint an anniversary gift for Albert

Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, 1847. Miniature by John Haslem.
Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, 1847. Miniature by John Haslem.

In 1847, Victoria commissioned Franz Xaver Winterhalter to paint a portrait of her wearing her wedding clothes as an anniversary present for Prince Albert. The portrait was also copied as an enamel miniature by John Haslem.

7
Her veil was 12 ft long

The veil, which matched the flounce of the dress, was four yards in length and 0.75 yards wide. When Victoria died, she was buried with her wedding veil over her face.

Wedding veils helped promote the Victorian ideal of modesty and propriety. Etiquette books spread the notion that decorous brides were naturally too timid to show their faces in public until they were married.

1868 Wedding Dress. American. Cincinnati Art Museum
1868 Wedding Dress. American. Cincinnati Art Museum

8
She wore specially made matching silk slippers

Queen Victoria's wedding slippers
Queen Victoria’s wedding slippers

Queen Victoria’s white satin slippers matched the white colour of her dress. Long ribbon ties fastening round the ankles held the shoes in place. They were made by Gundry and Son, 1 Soho Square, Boot and Shoemakers to the Queen.

9
Her train needed twelve bridesmaids

A watercolour design for Queen Victoria's twelve bridesmaids' dresses. Royal Collection Trust / © HM Queen Elizabeth II 2016
A watercolour design for Queen Victoria’s twelve bridesmaids’ dresses. Royal Collection Trust / © HM Queen Elizabeth II 2016

The train of Queen Victoria’s wedding dress measured 18 feet (5.5 m) long, requiring 12 bridesmaids to carry it.

10
She started a trend followed by millions

Hollywood movie weddings, especially in the second half of the 20th century, have helped the popularity of white weddings.

But British royal weddings have probably done more to ensure the tradition of white weddings is here to stay than anything else.

In 1981, 750 million people tuned in to watch Charles, Prince of Wales marry Diana Spencer in her elaborate white taffeta dress, with a 25-foot-long train. This wedding is generally considered the most influential white wedding of the 20th century—and also the most expensive at an inflation-adjusted $110 million.

Embed from Getty Images

Gloriana!—the Many Faces of Elizabeth I

Portraiture played an important role in the Elizabethan era. Queen Elizabeth’s portraits conveyed the regal image of a powerful monarch—the steadfast, ageless force behind England.

Queen Elizabeth I of England in her coronation robes, patterned with Tudor roses and trimmed with ermine. She wears her hair loose, as traditional for the coronation of a queen, perhaps also as a symbol of virginity.

Owning paintings of the Queen was viewed as a status symbol. Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, displayed over 50 paintings at his Castle in Kenilworth, Warwickshire—a bold reminder to guests that he was the man closest to the Queen.

Although Elizabethan artists drew inspiration from the European Renaissance, it was Elizabeth herself who was the national preoccupation. Invoking her image in paintings and literature had the effect of elevating them to a higher level.

Procession Portrait of Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth I of England preceded by the Knights of the Garter.
Procession Portrait of Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth I of England preceded by the Knights of the Garter.

Today, we like to think of art as an expression of feelings and beliefs. But in Elizabethan England, flattery was the order of the day—a time when most artists needed wealthy sponsors to survive.

It was the patriotic duty of artists to glorify their queen. Gloriana!

Join us as we marvel at paintings from Queen Elizabeth’s life and discuss some of the symbolism used to project an image of purity, virginity, and majesty.

The Lady Elizabeth in about 1546, by an unknown artist.
The Lady Elizabeth in about 1546, by an unknown artist.
The 'Hampden' portrait, by Steven van der Meulen, ca. 1563.
The ‘Hampden’ portrait, by Steven van der Meulen, ca. 1563.

The ‘Hampden portrait’ (above) is the earliest full-length portrait of the queen, made before the emergence of symbolic portraits representing the iconography of the “Virgin Queen”.

Elizabeth I by Hans Eworth, c. 1570. Current location: Denver Art Museum.
Elizabeth I by Hans Eworth, c. 1570. Current location: Denver Art Museum.
The Pelican Portrait by Nicholas Hilliard, c.1573. The pelican was thought to wound her breast to nourish her young, and became a symbol of Passion and Eucharist, adopted by Elizabeth portraying herself as the
The ‘Pelican Portrait’ by Nicholas Hilliard, c.1575.
The 'Phoenix Portrait', attributed to Nicholas Hilliard, c. 1575
The ‘Phoenix Portrait’, attributed to Nicholas Hilliard, c. 1575

The ‘Pelican’ and ‘Phoenix’ portraits (above) were named after the beautiful pendants worn by the queen (shown just above her hand in each painting).

Pelican (left) and Phoenix pendants
Pelican (left) and Phoenix pendants

The Pelican jewel denotes self-sacrifice since a pelican was thought to draw blood from its own breast to feed its young. It represents Elizabeth’s role as mother to the nation and of the Church of England.

The Phoenix is a mythical bird symbolizing rebirth and chastity—an emblem of virginity, carrying the hope that she would be able to continue the dynasty. Elizabeth holds a red rose—the symbol of the House of Tudor.

Portrait of Elizabeth I of England by George Gower, 1580s
Portrait of Elizabeth I of England by George Gower, 1580s
The
The “Darnley Portrait” of Elizabeth I of England, c1575.

The Darnley Portrait (above) features symbols of sovereignty—a crown and sceptre—used as props instead of being worn or carried. This Tudor theme would be expanded upon in later portraiture.

Named after a previous owner, it is the source of the face pattern called “The Mask of Youth” which would be used for authorized portraits of Elizabeth for decades to come. The faded oranges and browns would have been crimson red in Elizabeth’s time.

The Siena Sieve Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I by Quentin Metsys the Younger, 1583
The Siena ‘Sieve Portrait’ of Queen Elizabeth I by Quentin Metsys the Younger, 1583

The ‘Sieve Portrait’ (above) depicts Elizabeth as Tuccia, a Vestal Virgin who carried a sieve full of water from the Tiber to the Temple of Vesta to prove her chastity.

Around her are symbols of imperial power, including a column with the crown of the Holy Roman Empire at its base and a globe showing ships sailing west in search of the New World.

The Ermine Portrait of Elizabeth I of England by William Segar, 1585.
The ‘Ermine Portrait’ of Elizabeth I of England by William Segar, 1585.

The Ermine Portrait (above) symbolizes purity and status. Legend has it that the ermine (of the stoat or weasel family) would rather die than soil its pure white coat—prized as a status symbol that only royalty and nobility could afford to wear. The olive branch and the sword of justice represent the righteousness and justice of Elizabeth’s government.

Portrait of Elizabeth I of England, the Armada Portrait by an anonymous artist
Portrait of Elizabeth I of England, the Armada Portrait by an anonymous artist.

One of three versions of the same portrait, the Woburn Abbey version (above) is unusual in its landscape format. It depicts England’s victory over the Spanish Armada in the background.

Elizabeth has her back against the storm and darkness of the past, and her hand rests over the New World, signifying England’s expansionist plans for the future.

Queen Elizabeth I ('The Ditchley portrait') by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, 1592.
Queen Elizabeth I (‘The Ditchley portrait’) by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, 1592.

The Ditchley Portrait (above) was commissioned by Sir Henry Lee (1533 – 1611), of Ditchley, Oxfordshire, who was Queen’s Champion and Master of the Armoury.

After his wife died, Lee lived openly with one of the Queen’s Ladies in Waiting. Needless to say, the queen did not approve. But on a visit to his home in Ditchley, she forgave him—for becoming a “stranger lady’s thrall”.

The portrait is the largest and grandest ever painted of the queen. The symbolism shows just how eager Sir Henry must have been to show his loyalty and subservience.

Elizabeth stands on a globe directly over Oxfordshire as the sun (symbol of the monarch) shines through a stormy sky. The Latin inscriptions say: “she gives and does not expect”; “she can but does not take revenge”, and “in giving back she increases”.

The 'Hardwick Hall' portrait of Elizabeth I of England by Nicholas Hilliard, c.1599.
The ‘Hardwick Hall’ portrait of Elizabeth I of England by Nicholas Hilliard, c.1599.

The ‘Hardwick portrait” (above) is all about the dress—typical of extravagant and sometimes outlandish late-Elizabethan embroidery depicting an eclectic mix of motifs from nature. Roses, irises and pansies intermix with insects, animals and fish. The lace ruff alone is a masterpiece.

It is thought that the dress was a New Year’s Day gift to the Queen from Bess of Hardwick—one of the most influential of Elizabeth’s courtiers who became England’s most powerful woman after the Queen died.

The Rainbow Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, c1601.
The ‘Rainbow Portrait’ of Queen Elizabeth I, c1602.

The ‘Rainbow portrait’ (above) was painted near the end of Elizabeth’s life—she was in her late sixties. It represents an ageless queen and is full of allegorical symbols. The cloak with eyes, ears and mouths has been given many interpretations by historians and is a fitting symbol to end our journey with.

During her reign of 44 years, English drama flourished through the likes of Shakespeare and Marlowe, the age of discovery was opening up the world through the likes of Sir Francis Drake.

The eyes of the world were upon Elizabeth; people listened to Elizabeth, and people spoke of her the world over.

Elizabeth carries a rainbow, next to which are the words non sine sol iris—”no rainbow without the sun”.

Gloriana!

The Tragic Story of Queen Victoria’s Favorite Great Granddaughter

You came, you went with silent trace,
a fleeting guest in Earth’s Land.
Where from? Where to? All we know is:
from God’s hand in God’s hand.

—Ludwig Uhland.

Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine was the only daughter of Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and his first wife, Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Her parents, nicknamed ‘Ernie‘ and ‘Ducky,’ were first cousins who married at the behest of their common grandmother, Queen Victoria.

The marriage was an unhappy one from the start.

Princess Victoria Melita was eighteen at the time of Elisabeth’s birth. She was fond of her daughter, but Elisabeth was Daddy’s little girl from the outset.

Ducky wanted to end the unhappy alliance, but Queen Victoria refused to consider permitting her grandchildren to divorce because of what it might do to Elisabeth.

However, when Queen Victoria died in January 1901, so ended opposition to the end of the marriage.

The couple were divorced in news that scandalized the Courts of Europe.

It was unheard of for a sovereign to terminate his marriage legally.

Though both had done their best to make a success of their marriage, it had been a failure …Their characters and temperaments were quite unsuited to each other and I had noticed how they were gradually drifting apart.Princess Louis of Battenberg.

Ducky went to live with her mother at Coburg. She shared custody of Elisabeth, who spent six months with each parent.

Elisabeth blamed her mother for the divorce and Ducky had a difficult time reconnecting with her daughter.

Victoria Melita Grand Duchess of Hesse with her daughter Princess Elisabeth, 1898

Elisabeth and her loving father now had nothing but time to spend together.

They played endless games in the grounds of Wolfsgarten.

One day in early 1902, Elisabeth told her father about her dream of a small house of her own, hidden deep in the woods.

During a visit to her mother in Coburg, Ernie built a perfect, miniature house, just as she described, with white walls and a steeply pitched roof, a chimney looped to look like a needle, and glass witch balls in the garden to keep the little girl safe.

“This little house was built just for me in the year 1902.”

Above the door was an inscription: “This little house was built just for me in the year 1902.”

Adults were not allowed to enter “much to the frustration of royal nurses and tutors, who could be seen pacing up and down impatiently outside as they waited for their high-spirited young charges to stop their games and emerge.”

In autumn, 1903, Elisabeth and her father traveled to Poland for a long visit with their Russian relatives at Imperial hunting lodge of Skernevetski.

Elisabeth played with her cousins on swings and rides in a small carriage pulled by a pair of tame deer.

The next morning, when Elisabeth complained of a sore throat, the Russian court doctor put it down to too much excitement.

Elisabeth seemed in good spirits, but suddenly, she lapsed into unconsciousness.

Injections of caffeine and camphor revived her, but she was in agony, with sharp pains in her chest and had difficulty breathing.

By early morning, the doctor diagnosed a virulent form of suppressed typhoid.

I think I’m dying. Send a telegram to Mama.

“I think I’m dying,” Elisabeth whispered to her aunt Empress Alexandra in a brief moment of quiet. “Send a telegram to Mama.”

By the time Ducky received the telegram, it was too late.

Just as she was leaving, a second telegram arrived with the tragic news that Princess Elisabeth had died at 7 a.m.

My dearest Elisabeth was my only sunshine.

Mother and father placed their daughter’s body in a small silver casket for the long journey home to Darmstadt.

Thirty years later, still heartbroken, Ernie recalled the terrible hours on the funeral train. “My dearest Elisabeth, ” he said, “Was my only sunshine.”

Elisabeth was buried in the Rosenhohe, in a ceremony planned by her father.

Her grave can still be visited today, halfway along a quiet wooded path, guarded by a perfect Art Nouveau angel, and within sight of Ernie’s own resting place.

References:

10 Amazing Facts About the Cursed Hope Diamond

In 1839, a blue diamond weighing over forty-five carats appeared in the collection catalogue of London banker and diamond collector, Henry Phillip Hope.

It would become known as the Hope Diamond, and is famously alleged to have been surrounded by bad luck.

Many owners of the cursed gem met with a grisly death, family tragedy, or a hapless fate.

Henry Philip Hope
Henry Philip Hope

King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette who owned the diamond were beheaded.

Other owners and their families experienced suicides, marriage break-ups, bankruptcy, deaths in car crashes, falls off cliffs, mental breakdowns, and deaths through drug overdoses.

Most grisly of all was perhaps the death of the man who discovered—or some say, stole—the diamond in 1642.

Today, spectators gaze in awe at the Hope Diamond through a thick glass in its case at the National Gem Collection of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D. C.

Here are 10 amazing facts about the “the most famous diamond in the world”.

1

Jean-Baptiste Tavernier acquired the precursor to the Hope Diamond

Non, monsieur, I ‘ave not seen any diamond

A French merchant-traveler named Jean-Baptiste Tavernier obtained the stone in 1642 in India, either by purchase, or, as some think more likely, through deception and murder.

Tavernier returned to Paris with a large uncut diamond that became known as the Tavernier Blue diamond and sold it to King Louis XIV.

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, numerous dubious reports claimed that the Tavernier Blue was pilfered from the eye of a sculpture of the Hindu goddess Sita.

There is a myth that Tavernier was later torn apart by wild dogs because of the diamond’s curse.

2

The Tavernier Blue was the Precursor to the Hope Diamond

The Tavernier Blue was a crudely cut triangular shaped stone of an estimated 115 carats (23.0 g).

Tavernier’s book, the Six Voyages, contains sketches of several large diamonds that he sold to Louis XIV c.1668.

One of the historical fabrications regarding this gem suggests that it is as large as a man’s fist. However, the reality is that it measures slightly over an inch in both length and width, and is half an inch deep (32.89 x 27.65 x 12.92 mm).

In 2005, 3D imaging technology was used to confirm beyond doubt that the Tavernier Blue was the precursor to the French Blue—and subsequently the Hope Diamond.

3

King Louis XV’s Order of the Golden Fleece

In 1678, Louis XIV had his court jeweler, Jean Pitau, recut the Tavernier Blue into a 67.125 carat diamond, which became known as the French Blue.

Louis’ descendant, King Louis XV, had the French Blue set into a more elaborate jewelled pendant for the Order of the Golden Fleece by court jeweler André Jacquemin.

The assembled piece included a red spinel of 107 carats shaped as a dragon breathing “covetous flames”, as well as 83 red-painted diamonds and 112 yellow-painted diamonds to suggest a fleece shape.

King Louis XV died of smallpox at the Palace of Versailles.

The diamond became the property of his grandson, the ill-fated Louis XVI.

Image credit: Francoisfarges.

4

A cursed King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette before her public execution by guillotine in 1793

During the reign of her husband, Marie Antoinette wore many of the French Crown Jewels for personal use and had the gems placed in new settings and combinations.

In January 1793, King Louis XVI was guillotined, followed by Marie in October. Some said their beheadings were a direct result of the diamond’s “curse”.

During the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror, most of the Crown jewels were stolen. The French Blue mysteriously vanished.

5

Is Queen Maria Luisa of Spain Wearing the Diamond?

No one knows for sure, but the French blue is thought to have made its way to Spain.

This famous portrait of Queen Maria Luisa of Spain by Francisco Goya (1746–1828) shows her wearing what was believed to be the stolen French Blue.

Soon after goya painted this portrait, Maria Luisa was forced to abdicate and flee the country.

Was this the curse of the French Blue?

6

Caroline Of Brunswick Became a Smuggler of Hope

On September 11, 1792, during the early stages of the French Revolution, Louis XVI and his family were held captive in the Palais des Tuileries near the Place de la Concorde.

Thieves broke into the Royal Storehouse and over five days of looting most of the Crown Jewels were stolen.

The French Blue was cut into the Hope Diamond in an attempt to prevent its proper identification.

Caroline Of Brunswick—the wife of King George IV of the United Kingdom—is rumored to have played a part in smuggling the Hope Diamond into England.

7

The Hope Diamond was Sold to Pay George IV’s Debts

Yes, it is a rather fetching little outfit, isn’t it? We can always sell the diamond. I’ll take two.

In 1812, a deep blue diamond described by John Francillion as weighing 177 grains (4 grains = 1 carat) was documented as being in the possession of London diamond merchant, Daniel Eliason.

Strong evidence indicates that the stone was the recut French Blue—the same stone known today as the Hope Diamond.

Several references suggest that it was acquired by King George IV of the United Kingdom.

At his death, in 1830, the king’s debts were so great that the blue diamond was privately sold to pay them.

8

Actress May Yohe Died Penniless. The Diamond’s curse?

In 1894, American musical theatre actress May Yohé married Lord Francis Hope—heir to the Hope fortune—and possessed the Hope Diamond.

She divorced Lord Hope eight years later, followed by a string of failed marriages with handsome adventurers.

May Yohé performed in London’s West End and music hall and vauderville on the US West Coast, but suffered frequent financial woes and died penniless.

9

Pierre Cartier’s Famous Sales Pitch

Pierre Cartier with wife and daughter

Pierre Cartier, the Parisian jeweler, is widely credited with publicizing the stories of a curse on the diamond in hopes of increasing its saleability.

When publishing magnate Edward Beale McLean and his socialite wife Evalyn Walsh visited Paris in 1910, Pierre wasted no time in arranging to meet the wealthy couple at their hotel.

As the McLeans sipped their breakfast tea, Cartier, a mischievous glint in his eye, spun tales of the diamond’s past—from gilded Versailles to a Sultan’s opulent harem. The whispers of a curse swirled about, but Evalyn, ever the iconoclast, scoffed. “Bad luck objects for me are lucky,” she declared, a challenge sparking in her eyes. Pierre, with a flourish, unveiled the sparkling mystery, its brilliance cutting through the Parisian morning. Would fortune favor the fearless McLeans?

Cartier made sure to add a clause to the sale agreement, stating: “Should any fatality occur to the family of Edward B. McLean within six months, the said Hope diamond is agreed to be exchanged for jewelry of equal value”.

10

Evalyn Walsh and the Hope’s Curse

Seven years after purchasing the Hope Diamond, The McLean’s first-born son, nine-year-old Vinson Walsh McLean, was killed by a car outside their house.

In 1932, she was conned out of $100,000 (about $2 million today) by a grifter connected with the Lindbergh kidnapping. Some accounts say she even pawned the Hope Diamond, albeit for a short time until the con-artist was apprehended.

By 1933, the McLeans had divorced and Edward B. McLean was declared legally insane. He died of a heart attack in 1941 at the age of 51.

Evalyn died of pneumonia at age 60 and bequeathed the diamond to her grandchildren.

However, the designated trustees obtained permission to sell the Hope Diamond to help pay Evalyn’s debts.

Harry Winston, the jeweler who bought the Hope Diamond from the Walsh estate, donated it to the Smithsonian.

Had the curse ended at long last?

As a Smithsonian curator aptly declared, the Hope Diamond has brought “nothing but good luck” to the non-profit museum.” Its arrival helped build a “world-class gem collection” and attendance has soared.

Queen Victoria’s Beloved Pomeranians

It was springtime in 1888.

Queen Victoria was visiting Florence, Italy … and she fell in love.

She was swept off her feet by a beautiful male with auburn hair.

But this was no man, for no man could replace her dearest Albert.

The cute little nose and big intelligent eyes of the Volpino Italiano dog stole her heart.

She instantly fell in love, saying they reminded her of her grandmother, Queen Charlotte’s dogs, only these were much smaller.

The Volpino Italiano is a Spitz breed, which along with other Spitz-type dogs, are today generically referred to as Pomeranians—named for the Pomerania region in Central Europe which forms present-day northern Poland and eastern Germany.

Scenes from the historic Pomerania region as it looks today.

The name Pomerania comes from Slavic po more, which means Land by the Sea. Most of the region is coastal lowland, but its southern, hilly parts are dotted with lakes and form the beautiful Pomeranian Lake District.

Contemporary administrative units with Pomerania in the name.
Gina—a white female Pomeranian brought back from Victoria’s trip to Italy in 1888. Image credit: Pedigreedatabase.com

In Pomeranians, the Queen had found the new love of her life and introduced four new members to the Royal household—Marco, a 12-pound (5 kg) red sable named after the Italian merchant traveler Marco Polo, Gina, a white female, and two others.

Marco and Gina would both go on to win prizes in the show ring.

Queen Victoria had such a powerful influence on popular culture that Pomeranians soon became one of the most fashionable toy breeds—especially the smaller, red-coated ones like Marco.

Here is a description of the Pomeranian breed from the late Victorian Era:

They have a long, thick coat that seems to stand out from the body, a tail which curls tightly and lies close to the back, a foxy head, small, erect ears, rather short legs, short back, and a generally square and thick-set appearance, in spite of which, however, they are active as kittens.

The Toronto Daily Mail of 1894 ran an article on Queen Victoria’s dogs, describing Marco as an auburn dog with tawny red hair.

Marco on the Queen’s Breakfast Table
“Marco on the Queen’s Breakfast Table” painted by Charles Burton Barber in 1893.
The Queen has her favorites among the dogs, and some of them become jealous of the attentions she pays to others.
Among those she likes best is one named “Marco.”
This is said to be the finest Spitz dog in England. It has taken a number of prizes.
He weighs just about twelve pounds and he has brighter eyes, quicker motion, and sharper bark than any other dog in the kennel. He is just three years old, and he carries his tail over his back as though he owned the whole establishment.

Queen Victoria had at one time 35 Pomeranians in the royal kennels.

In 1891, she showed six of the dogs at the opening of Cruft’s—now the world’s largest international dog show—their names were Fluffy, Nino, Mino, Beppo, Gilda and Lulu.

10 years later, on her dying day, the Queen requested that her beloved Pomeranian, Turi, be brought to her bedside.

Queen Victoria with her beloved Pomeranian, Turi

At half-past six in the evening, Tuesday, 22 January 1901, at the age of 81, Queen Victoria died at Osbourne House, her faithful little white pomeranian, Turi, by her side to the last.

Osbourne House
Osbourne House, Isle of Wight, East Cowes, England.

References

Queen Victoria: A Biographical Companion by Helen Rappaport.

Pomeranians by Karla S. Rugh.

The Complete Dog Book: 20th Edition by American Kennel Club.