The Not So Secret Diary of Queen Victoria

Extracts from Queen Victoria’s journal describing her three-day visit to Arundel Castle with Prince Albert in December 1846, as the guests of the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk, have recently been discovered in the castle’s archives. The extracts, which are copied from the original manuscripts in the royal archives at Windsor Castle, were unearthed by Penny Horsfield, Arundel Castle’s Head Guide, whilst looking through a collection of long-forgotten papers in the archives. They provide detailed descriptions of the couple’s stay, from the entertainment organised in the evenings to their daily activities, walks in the castle grounds and excursions to the surrounding countryside, and offer a fascinating insight into the personal views of the queen.