Blair Castle on BBCs 'Royal Upstairs Downstairs' - Friday 18 March

In this episode, Tim Wonnacott and Rosemary Shrager continue their journey in the footsteps of Queen Victoria to find out what goes on behind the scenes of a Royal visit.   They will arrive at Blair Castle in the Scottish Highlands – the northernmost point of their journey – which Her Royal Highness visited in September 1844.

 

Upstairs, Tim explores the curiosities of the castle – including the many hallways festooned with deer antlers. He tells the story of the historical visit with extracts from Victoria's own journals.

Downstairs, Rosemary takes to the Castle kitchens to recreate a classic 19th-century dish that would have been served to the visiting Queen, and was a favourite both upstairs and down: Victorian "surf and turf" – mutton and oyster sausages.

 

The trip to Blair Castle was one of the longest visits Victoria and Albert made, lasting from 11 September to 1 October 1844. It was chosen by Albert as the perfect place for his wife to recuperate following the birth of their fourth child, Prince Alfred. Rather than be hosted for state banquets and free of the pomp and pageantry of their other visits, Victoria and Albert requested full use of the estate – which meant that the residents of the Castle, Lord and Lady Glenlyon, had to move out.

 

Despite the instructions not to fuss over their Royal visitors, Lord and Lady Glenlyon couldn't resist throwing a Highland céilidh for the couple to celebrate the visit, and Tim and Rosemary don't miss out on the opportunity to get their dancing shoes on when a group of céilidh dancers arrive at the Castle.