Hampshire Telegraph – September 1843
On Monday morning Her Majesty and Prince Albert left the castle at 25 minutes before eight o’clock, in a close carriage-and-four, for the Farnborough station of the London and South Western Railway. At Southampton everything which could have been done had been accomplished. The whole station was hung with a profusion of flags of all nations – festoons of flowers and laurel were hung from pillar to pillar, and the pillars themselves were wreathed with flowers. The Duke of Wellington handed Her Majesty from the carriage into the admiral’s barge, and retired to the temporary house on the pier “evidently very wet”. The Queen and Prince Albert, with their suite, were rowed by twelve seamen from the pier to the steam-yacht. Her Majesty embarked amidst a Royal salute from the town guns, fired from the platform. The Queen (so runs the account) was dressed in a mulberry-coloured morning gown, with an elegant green and brown Paisley shawl, and open straw bonnet, worked with green, and appeared in the most excellent health, and greatly pleased with the reception she had met with; for without fear of the rain, Her Majesty and Prince Albert presented themselves at the gangway, and repeatedly bowed in acknowledgement of the cheering.
At half-past three o’clock, the Queen landed at Ryde, amidst the acclamations of thousands. Her Majesty was received by the pier directors, the clergy, the magistrates and numerous residents and visitors. The Royal party proceeded in carriages to St Clare, the residence of Colonel and Lady Catherine Harcourt. The landing presented a very gay scene.
After staying a short time, the Royal party returned on board the yacht, which immediately got under weigh, and returned with the rest of the squadron to Cowes roads, and anchored there. Her Majesty dined and slept on board the yacht, and early next morning, accompanied by the Prince, went on board the Earl of Yarborough’s yacht, the Kestrel. The Queen and Prince Albert afterwards landed at West Cowes, where the carriage of Earl Delwarr was waiting to convey them to Norris Castle, where her Majesty formerly resided when Princess Victoria.
This was about two years before Victoria and Albert bought Osborne house from Isabella Blachford.
