Queen Victoria’s XXL nightie and daughter Princess Beatrice’s underwear are set to be sold for thousands of dollars after they were discovered collecting dust in a house on the Isle of Wight.
Both sets of undergarments — which are valued at nearly $4,600 — were found at the home of 90-year-old Marilyn Rose, who ran an antique store in the 1970s when her family decided to clear out her house as she moved to a new property.
“Mum can’t remember exactly how or when she came to own the bloomers and night dress, but it’s not surprising items relating to Queen Victoria and her family emerge on the Isle of Wight,” Rose’s son Tim told South West News Service, adding that the queen “spent a huge amount of time at Osborne House, her holiday home there.”
According to the 64-year-old, those were not the only things of value in the house.
“As well as the nightie and bloomers, a folder of letters have been found connected to the royal household,” continued Tim.
“We also discovered a 19th-century toy box which belonged to Princess Beatrice.”
Hansons Auctioneers’ period clothing consultant Notty Hornblower measures the width of Queen Victoria’s night dress.Hansons / SWNS
The cream-colored nightie — which spans 51 inches and is embroidered with the letters “VR” and Honiton lace — will itself most likely fetch between $1,750 and $2,333 in the sale by Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire.
According to sources, the reason for the extra length was due to Queen Victoria putting on extra weight once her husband, Prince Albert, died in 1861.
Meanwhile, the underwear from Princess Beatrice — who died in 1944 at age 87 — is expected to sell for $580 to $1166, reported SWNS.
“It is always exciting to uncover items which belonged to Queen Victoria, one of Britain’s most influential monarchs,” period clothing consultant Notty Hornblower said of the longtime ruler, who died in 1901 at age 81.
Hornblower called the items “significant finds.”
Queen Victoria’s undergarments have been popular in the past. In 2008, one of her nighties sold for about $6,060, while a pair of bloomers were snapped up for about $5,245 and a chemise for $4,429.
Both items are set to be auctioned off on Oct. 1.
Source link: https://nypost.com/2022/08/30/queen-victorias-secret-unearthed-undies-could-nab-thousands-at-auction/