There is a certain impression that
Queen Victoria did not have a sense
of humour. This is in fact false. The
impression was gained for three
primary reasons.
Most of the pictures people see of the
Queen show her with a blank
expression. The first thing to
consider is that photography was still
in its infancy at the time. Camera
exposure times were long meaning
one had to keep still for extended
periods of time. Smiling was only good if you wanted a blurry
picture.
The second consideration was that the Queen felt that if she
smiled in public the people might think her frivolous. She was
anxious to avoid this as she was unpopular during the early
part of her reign. In private she is said to have often "roared
with laughter". Indeed a photo from 1887 shows her to be in
much better spirits in public:
Queen Victoria did not have a sense
of humour. This is in fact false. The
impression was gained for three
primary reasons.
Most of the pictures people see of the
Queen show her with a blank
expression. The first thing to
consider is that photography was still
in its infancy at the time. Camera
exposure times were long meaning
one had to keep still for extended
periods of time. Smiling was only good if you wanted a blurry
picture.
The second consideration was that the Queen felt that if she
smiled in public the people might think her frivolous. She was
anxious to avoid this as she was unpopular during the early
part of her reign. In private she is said to have often "roared
with laughter". Indeed a photo from 1887 shows her to be in
much better spirits in public:
The third reason is due to to a phrase often attributed to her; "We are not amused." Supposedly it was said at Windsor
Castle after a particular male attendee at her court told a
somewhat lewd joke in front of the Queen and the other women present. Speaking for all the women present (hence the 'we') she replied with the famous phrase. While an
interesting account there is little hard evidence the Queen
ever said it or, for that matter, that the event even occurred.
This raises the interesting question of why the story gained
such traction. One possibility is that it was commenting on
the changed decorum of the court. Her predecessors had been
somewhat lacking in the morals department and it is possible
such raunchy humour was common then. The Queen, in her
efforts to re-create the monarchy as a role model for society
would be disinclined to tolerate the same kind of behavior
her father had. The men at the court were perhaps not pleased
with such a development. If so, the Queen got the last laugh as
she reigned for 63 years.
Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour
Castle after a particular male attendee at her court told a
somewhat lewd joke in front of the Queen and the other women present. Speaking for all the women present (hence the 'we') she replied with the famous phrase. While an
interesting account there is little hard evidence the Queen
ever said it or, for that matter, that the event even occurred.
This raises the interesting question of why the story gained
such traction. One possibility is that it was commenting on
the changed decorum of the court. Her predecessors had been
somewhat lacking in the morals department and it is possible
such raunchy humour was common then. The Queen, in her
efforts to re-create the monarchy as a role model for society
would be disinclined to tolerate the same kind of behavior
her father had. The men at the court were perhaps not pleased
with such a development. If so, the Queen got the last laugh as
she reigned for 63 years.
Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour
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