The Swiss Cottage, Osborne House

Between 1853 and 1854, a Swiss Cottage was built in the grounds of Osborne House on the instruction of Prince Albert. The Swiss Cottage was a place where the couple’s children could play at adult life, undertaking everyday activities such as cooking, sewing and gardening. Each child was given a plot of land in the cottage’s garden where they were encouraged to grow and sell fruit, vegetables and flowers. A number of the tools used by the children to work in the garden can be found in the Royal Collection today, including rakes and wheelbarrows (RCINs 34860 and 42998).