Widows in the West were expected to dress entirely in black, even including their umbrellas. This tradition carried on in rural areas until the late twentieth century, with many widows faithfully ...

When her husband died in 1861 she was so stricken with grief that she wore mourning for the rest of her life and refused to undertake any public engagements for many years, earning herself the ...

Queen Victoria restored the reputation of a monarchy tarnished by the extravagance of her royal uncles. She also shaped a new role for the Royal Family, reconnecting it with the public through ...