In a deeply symbolic act of royal reunion, a new sculpture has been unveiled at Windsor Castle, finally bringing Queen Victoria and Prince Albert together for eternity. The exquisite alabaster effigy of Prince Albert has been carefully placed beside the tomb of his devoted wife, Queen Victoria, marking the culmination of a wish that has waited 180 years to be fulfilled.
The moving installation forms the centrepiece of a new Queen Victoria Memorial Chapel within the hallowed grounds of St George’s Chapel. This permanent tribute ensures that the monarch, who famously mourned her husband for four decades after his untimely death, will never be parted from him again.
A Love Story Etched in Stone
The project was spearheaded by Victoria’s great-great-granddaughter, Princess Alice, the Duchess of Gloucester. Her Royal Highness personally endorsed the design, created by the skilled sculptor Phil Jackson. The result is a breathtakingly lifelike effigy of Prince Albert, depicted in the robes of the Order of the Garter, lying peacefully next to the marble figure of Queen Victoria.
This artistic reunion corrects a historical anomaly. While Victoria’s own funeral instructions were meticulously followed, Albert’s original tomb in the Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore House had remained separate. The creation of this new memorial chapel finally unites them in perpetuity at Windsor, a site of profound significance for the Royal Family.
A Testament to Enduring Devotion
The sculpture captures the profound love story that defined an era. Prince Albert’s death in 1861 plunged Queen Victoria into a grief from which she never fully recovered. Her subsequent reign was marked by her enduring widowhood, a period where she sought to immortalise his legacy through countless monuments and institutions.
“This beautiful sculpture completes the original vision for the memorial and ensures that this poignant aspect of Queen Victoria’s story is properly represented at Windsor for future generations,” commented a spokesperson from the Royal Collection Trust.
Visitors to Windsor Castle can now witness this powerful testament to love and loss for themselves. The memorial stands not just as a piece of art, but as a permanent symbol of a bond that shaped the British monarchy and continues to captivate the public imagination nearly two centuries later.
