Queen Victoria was using text speak ahead of her time — such as ‘Q’ for the word Queen — and may have had a penchant for penning letters while tipsy.
These are two of the revelations from a rich haul of royal finds connected to the monarch — all discovered at a house on the Isle of Wight — including a handwritten letter showing she liked to shorten words.
One sentence reads: "The q wishes to know the height of the gypsies' male donkey."
The unsigned letter also shows ‘which’ shortened to 'wh', and other terms not dissimilar to modern textspeak, according to Jim Spencer, who works as a paper specialist at Hansons Auctioneers.
Jim said:
“A forensic graphologist helped me with the letter as it was near impossible to decipher any of it.
"Letters written in her final years are notoriously challenging to read — the graphologist confirmed it is by Queen Victoria, and managed to transcribe most of it.
"They suggested she may have been a little drunk when she penned it due to the way the words drift off and the fact they were so large – about three words to a line.”
The letter is one gem among a fascinating collection of royal finds connected to Victoria, all found at a property which belonged to a retired Isle of Wight antiques shop owner.
Queen Victoria’s much-loved holiday home, Osborne House, is part of her deep connection to the Island.
As well as the royal correspondence, finds include a royal menu featuring chicken curry, Queen Victoria’s nightdress, her daughter Beatrice’s bloomers, a toy box and a 1632 Stumpwork Bible.
All lots are currently available to view on the Hansons Auctioneers and Saleroom websites, with final bidding taking place tomorrow (Thursday).
The items were found at the former home of Marilyn Rose, 90, who opened her first antiques shop in the mid-70s in Gurnard and went on to run an outlet in Newport.
Her son, Tim Rose, 64, a retired forester from Warwickshire, said:
“My mother is moving and we have been clearing the period property.
"The royal correspondence, bloomers and nightie were among several fascinating finds, some of which are new to us.
“There is another royal connection as the house dates back to the 1700s and was once home to Sir William Carter Hoffmeister, Victoria’s physician on the Isle of Wight.”
The sale also includes a piece of lace bearing a note which reads, 'Portion of the Pall that covered Queen Victoria's coffin on her last journey from Osborne.
Queen Victoria died at Osborne House, aged 81, on January 22, 1901.
More details about the Queen Victoria collection can be found by emailing service@hansonsauctioneers.co.uk.
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