Explore Your Archive 2024

The iconic Round Tower at Windsor Castle is home to hundreds of thousands of documents relating to the history of the Royal Family. Each year, we share items from the Royal Archives as part of the UK-wide initiative 'Explore Your Archive Week'.

Introduction

The team at the Royal Archives have selected material according to the themes set by The Archives and Records Association for the 2024 campaign. We hope that these unique and rarely-seen items help you understand more about the work of the Archives and the documents they preserve, as well as the history and work of the Royal Family.

Supplied by the Royal Archives | © His Majesty King Charles III 2024

Day One: Decisions

On 25 March 1909, Lieutenant Ernest Shackleton sent a telegram to King Edward VII explaining that his expedition had made it to 97 miles from South Pole (the ‘Farthest South’ yet recorded), that they had also reached the South magnetic Pole and requesting permission to name a range of mountains after Queen Alexandra. This is a draft copy of King Edward VII’s reply in which he sends his congratulations and gives permission for the naming of the ‘Alexandra Range’. The South Pole would eventually be reached by Roald Amundsen in 1911.

Lieutenant Ernest Shackleton's telegram to King Edward VII

Supplied by the Royal Archives | © His Majesty King Charles III 2024

Day Two: Heroes

During the Second World War, Malta was strategically significant for Britain and her allies, particularly with regards to the campaigns in the Mediterranean and North Africa. As a result, between 1940 and 1942, Malta was subjected to relentless bombing raids by the Luftwaffe and the Italian Air Force. During this time, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy both battled to defend the besieged island. The turning point came with the success of ‘Operation Pedestal’, although this came at a high price in terms of the loss of men, ships and aircraft, but it and subsequent convoys meant that the siege was finally over.

On 15 April 1942 King George VI awarded the George Cross to Malta in recognition for all that the island had endured. This is the draft version of the message awarding the George Cross to Malta, which is in the King’s own hand, with his amendments.

Draft version of the message awarding the George Cross to Malta

Day Three: Tiny

This image shows a page from a letter, dated 28 December 1839, written by Prince Albert to Queen Victoria in which, amongst other things, he wishes the Queen a Happy New Year and encloses this tiny New Year token. It consists of a small decorative gold frame, decorative wreath made from paper(?) and mother of pearl miniature envelope. The envelope opens up to reveal a message in German, which reads: “Dies Briefchen sag, Dir treu u.wahr, Mein Herz verehrt, Dich immer dar''

The whole letter can be viewed on the ‘Prince Albert: His life and legacy’ website.

Letter written by Prince Albert to Queen Victoria

Supplied by the Royal Archives | © His Majesty King Charles III 2024

Day Four: Huge

The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) visited Egypt for the first time in 1862. Here in his diary entry for 4 March, he records visiting the Pyramids at Giza and then, the next day, having spent the night camping in the desert, ascending the principal Pyramid before sunrise.

March 4th

…We then proceeded on dromedaries, (not at all an unpleasant mode of conveyance) to the celebrated Pyramids of Ghizeh [sic]. They quite exceeded my expectations, & are certainly wonderful mementoes of our forefathers. We visited the “Sphynx” just before sunset, wh. is also very curious & interesting. We had a charming little encampment just below the Pyramids where we slept for the night.

The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) visited Egypt for the first time in 1862. Here in his diary entry

March 5th

At 5.30. before the sun rose we started to ascend the first & principal Pyramid (there are three) the assent is rather tedious & difficult, but you are rewarded by a fine view on the top. At 10.30. we returned to Ghize [sic] by dromedaries…

Supplied by the Royal Archives | © His Majesty King Charles III 2024

Day Five: Fashion

The Royal Archives holds many bills for King George IV’s purchases, including when he was Prince of Wales and later Prince Regent. His extravagance often led him into debt, although the elegance of his palaces and his talent for ceremonial and display had their admirers. This bill, dating from December 1825, is from John Weston to King George IV in respect of several tailoring commissions, such as a “A Superfine claret cloth curricle coat”, and includes a receipt of payment.

This bill, dating from December 1825, is from John Weston to King George IV in respect of several tailoring commissions

Supplied by the Royal Archives | © His Majesty King Charles III 2024

Day Six: Mythology

Herne’s Oak was the Oak tree in the Little or Home Park, Windsor which was associated with the legend of ‘Herne the Hunter’ who is said to have hung himself on the tree and to haunt it wearing the horns of a stag. The legend is mentioned in William Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor”. There is some mystery and disagreement as to whether the true Herne’s Oak was the one that was - apparently inadvertently - cut down in 1795/6, or that which fell down in 1863.

William Perry was a woodcarver who was commissioned to make items from a tree, which fell down in 1863, supposed to have been Herne's Oak, including a bust of William Shakespeare, the bill for which can be seen below.

Day Seven: Disco

Queen Victoria describes in her Journal a Costume Ball held at Buckingham Palace on 12 May 1842, and the Queen’s sketches of Prince Albert and her costumes can be seen below.

“Went with Albert to look at the arrangement of the rooms for our great ‘Bal Costume’…but remained principally in the Throne Room, which is really quite beautiful, the alcove & throne, all hung with dark blue cloth with gold crown & garter printed all over the hangings….We went to our rooms & dressed, in the costumes of which I annex the rough sketches….Sat with the Queen Dow[age]r, till all was ready & then we seated & grouped ourselves….The processions then began, many coming by, all, ‘costume’, & they were beautiful….We then went into the other room, where some of the Quadrilles were danced, returning afterwards to the Throne Room & the Throne, & I saw Mme Brunow & her Party dance a Mazurka. After we had been to the Closet, to rearrange my crown, we went to supper & then saw 2 Reels danced in the Ball Room, & I danced a Quadrille with George, some, with some difficulty, on account of my heels. We did not return again to the Throne Room, & left the Rooms at ¼ to 3. Nothing could have gone better, than the whole did, &, it was a truly splendid spectacle.”

Sketches of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria

Day Eight: Family

In 1946, the Governor General of South Africa, Gideon Brand van Zyl, wrote to King George VI conveying an invitation from the South African Government for the King to visit South Africa in early 1947. King George VI accepted the invitation, on behalf of himself, Queen Elizabeth and their daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. On 17 February 1947 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, together with their daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, arrived in Cape Town to undertake a tour of South Africa. Over the next two months, the Royal Family toured the length and breadth of the country, usually travelling on the specially constructed Royal train, and the route can be seen on the below map.

Day Nine: Animals

In this letter, dated 11 June 1914, King George V writes to thank his sister-in-law, Margaret, Duchess of Teck (later Marchioness of Cambridge) for her gift of a dog he has named ‘Jack’ and mentioning that “I am sure that he will make a worthy successor to my dear ‘Happy’”. Happy was a crossbreed terrier who had died in 1913, and following Caesar’s (King Edward VII’s terrier) footsteps he became an author with the publication of a book, in 1911, entitled‘If I were King George’.