Princess Helena (Princess Helena, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein): Born in May 1846, Princess Helena, was the third daughter and fifth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Princess Helena was one of the most active members of the royal family, being the patron of many charities and carrying out a huge number of royal engagements, with specific interests in hand embroidery and nursing. She became the first President of the School of Art Needlework after Lady Victoria Welby and Lady Marion Alford set it up, staying for 51 years.
The letters held in the RSN archive demonstrate an active correspondence with Miss Ffennel, the Secretary over many years. Letters cover the arrangements for meetings and sales of work, as well as commissions, such as that for the wedding train of her daughter Marie Louise. They show an active engagement in fundraising, and in promoting the work of the School. It was she who said the RSAN would embroider Queen Victoria’s funeral pall, even when all commercial companies had turned it down, and it was she who persuaded her brother, Edwards VII to allow the RSAN to embroider the insignia on his coronation mantle.
Princess Helena died in 1923, the RSN commissioned a memorial tablet that remains in its possession.
Sources:
The RSN and Princess Helena - Royal School of Needleworkhttps://royal-needlework.org.uk/rsn-and-princess-helena/accessed 4.3.25
Kay Williams, S. (2024) An Unbroken Thread: Celebrating 150 Years of the Royal School of needlework ACC Art Books
A handwritten envelope stamped WINDSOR
A
FE 20
91 [20 February 1891]
Addressed
Secty. [Secretary]
Miss Ffennell
Royal School of Art Needlework
Exhibition Road
South Kensington
London S.W
A letter written on Princess Helena’s monogrammed writing paper
Next to the monogram Thursday night handwritten and underlined
Dear Miss Ffennell
It is the ordinary english garden lily I want.
The train is not to be embroidered all over.
I want one bunch only [inserted above] going fm [from] the bottom
a little way up the centre here and there bunch at one side
high up and another on the other side low down. Each bunch tied as it were with – ribbon –
wch [which] might be if velvet, appliquée.
Of my little curtains I want 3 – not pairs – but three single little curtains.
May I have one as soon as possible to begin with.
Yrs [Yours] very truly
Helena
(Envelope with Princess Helena’s crest postmarked South Kensington.
Date undecipherable)
