Royal Dignity and Etiquette Melted

Rare photo of Queen Victoria dining with members of her family. The Queen was well-known for her terrible table manners. It was said she could easily put away nine courses in 30 minutes.

Queen Victoria’s Dignity Melted

Just about this time, and for a month or more longer, look out for anecdotes of Queen Victoria. There promises to be a large crop of them, and many are already being harvested. Some are quite true and authentic, while more are not, but it is never a good plan to spoil a readable story because of a little question of veracity. 

One of the most recent Victorian anecdotes is told by a correspondent of the Chicago Times-Herald, who declares that Victoria has ever been very exacting in the matter of Court etiquette. When she holds a reception she always insists upon the performance of every detail of custom. Persons who are fortunate enough to be invited to Court have, therefore, to drill themselves and rehearse their parts, for fear of offending the Queen by any little neglect of manners. Now and then, however Her Majesty unbends. 

On one occasion, in very hot weather, she was receiving a line of sweltering noblemen and ladies. Everybody was suffering from the heat. The Queen turned to an attendant suddenly and exclaimed: “My! Ain't it hot!” It is Court etiquette never to contradict royalty, and the lady addressed replied: “Yes, madam, you are!” On this occasion the Queen forgot both her manners and her grammar.– Placer Herald, 1897

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia