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Podcast: British History: Royals, Rebels, and Romantics
Episode: Creating a Very Victorian Christmas (episode 34)
Description: When Victoria and Albert married in 1840, they consciously set about improving the image of the monarchy. Creating a family Christmas, with children gathered around the tree, was an essential part of this. With their Christmas tree as a centerpiece, the royal family was ready to create a picture-perfect Christmas. In 1848, the Illustrated London News featured a drawing of the royal family celebrating around a decorated Christmas tree. Eager to share the image of family-centered royals, especially at Christmas, Victoria and Albert were happy to have the image published. The popularity of the Christmas tree grew rapidly in Britain after...