Ah, Queen Victoria! The monarch whose reign defined an epoch, lending her name to an entire age, the Victorian era. Known for her stiff upper lip and penchant for mourning attire, can you imagine her dipping her royal toes into the photo-centric pool of Instagram? Oh, the selfies and hashtagged grandeur that might have ensued!
The Queen’s New 'Crown-tent'
Picture this: Queen Victoria, not just seated on her throne but perched on a trendy, velvet Loveseat, a staple of Victorian home décor, softened by an Instagram filter (perhaps Valencia to make her complexion slightly less, well, Victorian). A crown with a bedazzled description such as "Feeling #blessed with my empire on which the sun never sets" would surely set hearts 'double-tapping' across the globe.
You can almost hear her advisers mumbling about their queen spending too much time perfecting her 'crown-tent' over official documents. Yet, it's hard not to imagine Prime Minister Disraeli slyly commenting with "#EmpireGoals" on one of her stunning posts, while Lord Melbourne rolls his eyes and wonders why he left the comment section open.
Victoria's Secret (to Engagement)
Victoria’s tenacity to connect with her subjects and colonies via the printed word and photograph might have translated splendidly to the virtual realm of Instagram. After all, who better than the woman who'd mastered the art of ceremonious portraiture to craft the #VictorianInspo tag? Imagine this fierce matriarch spilling secrets of statecraft, one monochromatic image at a time. "You go to war with the dresses you have, not the dresses you want," she captions a vintage battleground reenactment, her version of 'tbt' or #throwbackthursday.
Engagement, naturally, would be off the charts, with followers across continents penning in comments like "Your Majesty, when will you #OOTD (Outfit of the Day) your crown jewels?" and "Can we have more of those imperial anecdotes, bitte? #EmpressAndImpressUs". Her reply strategy might lean towards tactful gifs…or perhaps during tea time in between bites of scone?
Posts of the Monarchy
The instigation of Instagram stalls might find a niche even amidst the Victoria era transportation lack, a Victorian Instagram story filled with the rustic romance of horse-drawn carriages, foggy London streets, and perhaps even engagements with figures like Charles Dickens sharing "Sponsorship Content" with snippets from his upcoming novel.
"Behind the Crown," a series capturing the banality of everyday royal existence: Prince Albert fixing her wifi issues (which we all know started as fame issues); ‘Albert in the Park’ becoming a sensation as Albert attempts the first ever royal 'live stream' from Hyde Park while simultaneously trying not to trip over a crinoline hem. "I can only apologise for the buffering," would become the witty phrasing on every tongue.
Then you'd get the strategic collaborations with London's most high-brow establishments. Imagine Harrods tweeting, "Join us for a limited edition #QueenVictoria tea set inspired by Her Majesty’s favourite pieces at Windsor.” The majesty of High Street endorsements!
Victoria's Commonwealth of 'Grammable' Nations
Victoria’s reign encapsulated a far-reaching empire; surely her Instagram would mirror this diverse cultural tapestry. She might share Reels, featuring everything from crown-embellished elephants in India to the picturesque Canadian Rockies, from Australian koalas delightfully exploring her imported eucalyptus-scented soaps. It’s a small world after all, one likes, comments, and shares at a time.
In today's parlance, her role would perhaps align with what many term today as an “influencer,” but of utmost dignity. Ah, what a sight it would have been to see Queen Victoria, not solemnly etched in textbooks, but vibrantly alive with hashtags.
Final Thoughts: A Royal Legacy in Filters
Whether lightening up the dichotomy between ceremonial duties and the longing for personal expression, her majesty might have embraced, ever so slightly, the visibility afforded by what we understate with "social media." Her empire might have paradoxically grown stronger through such fleeting yet persistent visuals, allowing her to touch upon relatability, a sentiment far removed from the typical image of her reign.
Queen Victoria on Instagram, not just a humorous hypothetical, but a reminder of how technology might reshape what we conceive as the stately and circumspect. It’s all in the filter…and perhaps, just perhaps, the next digital crown princes and princesses might learn a thing or two from our imagined monarch, who's both stately and strategically social.
So, dear reader, have your scone and photograph it too, because even a queen could be tempted by a little digital caffeination of presence!
