This film is part of Free
Scenes at Balmoral
Queen Victoria and family experience the new 'cinematograph process'
Overview
Victoria’s diary records both the day that the film was shot and the day it was projected. Her review: "it is a very wonderful process"
Queen Victoria’s diary records on October 3rd 1896: "We all were photographed by Downey by the new cinematograph process, which makes moving pictures by winding off a reel of films. We were walking up and down, and the children jumping about." Later (Nov 23rd) the film was projected, and again, the Queen’s diary records that "After tea went to the Red drawing-room, where so-called 'animated pictures' were shown off including the groups taken… at Balmoral. It is a very wonderful process, representing people their movements and actions as if they were alive." So-called animated pictures, indeed. Here, preserved for posterity is the first ever film of Queen Victoria, her dog in her lap, trundling around for the camera.
Related
Funeral of Queen Victoria (1901) Funeral of Queen Victoria (1901)
Non-Fiction 1901 5 mins Silent Location: Hyde Park
The crowds stand silent as the nation says goodbye to Queen Victoria in February 1901.
Royal Proclamation of Death of Queen Victoria, Blackburn (1901) Royal Proclamation of Death of Queen Victoria, Blackburn (1901)
Non-Fiction 1901 2 mins Silent Location: Blackburn
Crowds gather outside the Town Hall to hear the town crier's royal announcement.
Gladstone's Funeral Gladstone's Funeral
Non-Fiction 1898 1 mins Silent
The Victorian great and good mark the passing of a political titan
Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee - Apsley House Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee - Apsley House
1897 1 mins Silent
Unusually detailed shots of the Jubilee procession
The Queen at Sheffield The Queen at Sheffield
Documentary 1897 1 mins Silent Location: Sheffield
Sheffield gives the capital a run for its money with an impressive parade celebrating the monarch, a month before the Diamond Jubilee.
Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee - Paul - York Road - Front of Procession Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee - Paul - York Road - Front of Procession
1897 1 mins Silent
Carriages full of well-heeled guests continue in Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee procession, filmed for RW Paul.
Frederick Wiseman's High School - a discussion Frederick Wiseman's High School - a discussion
Short documentary 2026 22 mins
Filmmaker Andrea Luka Zimmerman and curator Matthew Barrington discuss Frederick Wiseman’s High School with Sandra Hebron.
Hard, Cracked the Wind Hard, Cracked the Wind
Horror 2019 17 mins
A haunting with words is the lure between life and death for a young Cornish poet.
A Last Resort A Last Resort
Comedy 2022 17 mins
Rose is desperate to celebrate her 60th birthday in style, but her daughter Genevieve is struggling to ignore some recent tragic news about her mum.
Seagull Seagull
Horror 2022 6 mins
Seagull is a recovering drug addict who is about to have a very strange night on The English Riviera.
The Walk The Walk
Drama 2023 12 mins
Adeel Akhtar portrays a man on a weekly trek to his nearest JobCentre, entering a state of purgatory through barriers put in place by the system.
Octopus Octopus
2021 13 mins
Upon returning to her home town for a funeral, a young woman reconnects with the friends she left behind.