Osborne House

Osborne House, East Cowes, Isle of Wight

Built between 1846 and 1851, as a holiday home for Queen Victoria (1819-1901) and her beloved husband Prince Albert (1819-1861), who played a large part in its design. Albert had recently returned from Italy where he had developed a passion for Italian architecture and the view from Osborne reminded him of the Bay of Naples. Their Italianate home - which they adored - sparked an architectural trend across the British Empire and America for the Italianate style, which continued for several decades...

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Queen Victoria died here in 1901, and as much as she had adored it, her children were less attached and King Edward VII (1841-1910) presented it to the nation after which it became the Royal Naval College. During World War One, it served as a convalescent home for officers. Today, English Heritage open the house and grounds to the public.