As which was custom, Queen Victoria spent Christmas (1900) at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight – immobile due to terrible rheumatism in her legs and poor vision due to cataracts. After Christmas, sometime in January, she felt weak and unwell and by mid-month she was drowsy, dazed and confused. On 22 January 1901, she passed away at the age of 81.
Her son, Edward (succeeded as Edward VII), and her eldest grandson, Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany, were at Victoria’s deathbed. Her last request was to have her favorite pet Pomeranian, Turri laid upon her. It was granted.
Prior to her passing, in 1897, Victoria had planned her funeral – it was to be military because she was a soldier’s daughter and of course, the head of the army. She instructed the use of the color white instead of black. Victoria was dressed in a white gown and her wedding veil – she had family mementos laid within her coffin. She also had one of Albert’s dressing gowns placed beside her along with a plaster cast of his hand.
