Osborne House

Osborne House Take an intimate glimpse into the life of one of Britain's most recognisable and iconic monarchs 👑🏰 Please email us at [email protected].
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"It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot" - such were the words of Queen Victoria after her first visit to Osborne on the Isle of Wight. No trip to the island would be complete without a visit to this royal seaside palace where Queen Victoria lived with her beloved Prince Albert and their nine children. Take an intimate glimpse into Queen Victoria’s family life as you tour the nursery and priv

ate rooms of Victoria and Albert. Marvel at the magnificence of the Royal Apartments including the sumptuous drawing and dining rooms and the richly decorated Indian-inspired Durbar Room. Admire the stunning view from the terraces across the Solent – said to remind Prince Albert of the bay of Naples and stroll through Osborne’s extensive grounds. Don’t miss the miniature Swiss Cottage, built to teach the royal children the art of household management! Explore Queen Victoria's private beach, open to the public for the first time. "We have quite a charming beach to ourselves," Victoria wrote in 1845 and it was here that the Queen regularly bathed and where her children learned to swim. Enjoy traditional seaside entertainment including Punch and Judy shows throughout the summer holidays. HOUSE RULES

This page is designed as a place to discuss Osborne - to share tips for a great day out at Osborne, upcoming events and news from the property. We love hearing the ideas and opinions of our social community, and encourage you to leave comments, photos, videos and links (‘content’) here on our page. However, in the interests of our whole community, by using this site you accept our ‘house rules’ and agree that any content posted by you on our page will follow these rules. Content posted on our page must not:

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If you have any questions about the house rules, Osborne, the work of English Heritage, membership or queries that need a more in depth answer our Customer Services team would be happy to help.

Our head gardener recently introduced us to this lovely little plant with the adorable nickname Tumbling Ted! 🌸Take a lo...
29/05/2026

Our head gardener recently introduced us to this lovely little plant with the adorable nickname Tumbling Ted! 🌸

Take a look at the beautiful Saponaria ocymoides located in the herbaceous border below the terrace balustrade.

Running into the last few days of half term like… ☀️🏃‍♀️Make the most of the sunshine with a family day out at Osborne t...
28/05/2026

Running into the last few days of half term like… ☀️🏃‍♀️

Make the most of the sunshine with a family day out at Osborne this week.

There’s plenty to keep little adventurers busy. Including our Mystery Mission event running 23-31 May. 🕵️

Work is continuing on our trainees’ annual beds 🌱With the help of our amazing volunteers, they’ve been busy planting the...
27/05/2026

Work is continuing on our trainees’ annual beds 🌱

With the help of our amazing volunteers, they’ve been busy planting the final batch of plug plants. It’s great to see new seedlings already coming through, exciting progress as everything begins to take shape!

Join our wonderful volunteers for garden tours on Wednesdays for the Walled Garden and Thursdays for the Terraces.Tours ...
26/05/2026

Join our wonderful volunteers for garden tours on Wednesdays for the Walled Garden and Thursdays for the Terraces.

Tours run at 13:30 and 14:30, with no booking required and they’re included with your ticket at no extra cost. Come along and discover more of the gardens!

Pelargonium appreciation post 😍🌿Step inside the South African glasshouse in the walled garden and you’ll find one of our...
25/05/2026

Pelargonium appreciation post 😍🌿

Step inside the South African glasshouse in the walled garden and you’ll find one of our most charming displays, a beautiful collection of historic pelargoniums in full bloom.

These much-loved plants made their journey from South Africa to Europe in the 1600s, where wealthy collectors proudly showcased them in some of the earliest glasshouses. By the Victorian era, they had become a full-blown gardening obsession, with breeders developing hundreds of hybrids. This gave rise to the flamboyant Regal, Zonal, and wonderfully fragrant scented-leaf varieties we know and love today.

If you’re visiting Osborne, don’t miss the glasshouses and be sure to smell the leaves of the scented varieties for a truly delightful surprise 🌸

This week, the first of our summer bedding plants have officially gone into the ground!We’ve been busy planting much of ...
24/05/2026

This week, the first of our summer bedding plants have officially gone into the ground!

We’ve been busy planting much of the lower terrace with bold favourites like Cannas and Brugmansias, then infilling with colourful additions including Pelargoniums, Salvias and Marigolds. From there, we’ve moved up to the upper terrace to get things started there too.

There’s still plenty to do, but it’s already a fantastic start to the bedding season.

Now the wait begins as everything grows, develops, and bursts into bloom, get ready for a stunning display this summer ☀️🌼

If you’re visiting over the May bank holiday, be sure to look out for these beautiful floral displays placed throughout ...
23/05/2026

If you’re visiting over the May bank holiday, be sure to look out for these beautiful floral displays placed throughout the house.

Each arrangement has been created for us by a talented local flower arranging group, using blooms freshly picked from the gardens here at Osborne by our wonderful volunteers. Every display has been thoughtfully gathered and skillfully arranged, we can’t wait for you to see them.

Let them eat cake! Wait, that wasn’t Victoria? Doesn’t matter — we’ve got 207 pieces to celebrate her 207th birthday! Jo...
22/05/2026

Let them eat cake! Wait, that wasn’t Victoria? Doesn’t matter — we’ve got 207 pieces to celebrate her 207th birthday! Join us Sunday 👑🍰

To celebrate what would have been Queen Victoria's 207th birthday, on Sunday we're offering the first 207 visitors to Osborne a FREE slice of Victoria sponge

Claim your cake on Sunday 24 May only - full T&Cs on our website www.english-heritage.org.uk/osborne

The beautiful Allium cristophii (also known as the Star of Persia) is in full bloom, with its giant, glittering flower h...
21/05/2026

The beautiful Allium cristophii (also known as the Star of Persia) is in full bloom, with its giant, glittering flower heads stealing the show.

Native to the dry, rocky landscapes of Iran and Turkey, these striking bulbs are known for their toughness and drought tolerance.

A favourite for bees and visitors alike 🐝

The first plants have arrived from Forest View Nursery for this year’s summer bedding display 🌿🌸They’re now placed down ...
20/05/2026

The first plants have arrived from Forest View Nursery for this year’s summer bedding display 🌿🌸

They’re now placed down in our nursery area, ready for planting out over the coming weeks.

We’re really excited to see how this year’s display will come together, watch this space! 🌼

It's not a party without cake! 🎂To celebrate what would have been Queen Victoria's 207th birthday, on Sunday we're offer...
19/05/2026

It's not a party without cake! 🎂

To celebrate what would have been Queen Victoria's 207th birthday, on Sunday we're offering the first 207 visitors to Osborne a FREE slice of Victoria sponge 🍰

Claim your cake on Sunday 24 May only - full T&Cs on our website 👉 www.english-heritage.org.uk/osborne

Address

York Avenue
East Cowes
PO326JX

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