TORONTO (Canadian Press)- Her majesty would not be amused.

A pair of Queen Victoria’s bloomers, with a 50-inch waist, were snapped up for almost $9,000 by a Canadian buyer at a central England auction Wednesday.

Barbara Rusch of Toronto has collected Queen Victoria memorabilia of all kinds for about 25 years, but never been able to bid on a pair of her bloomers before.

“So this is a wonderful, wonderful find for me today and a great acquisition, a great treasure to add to my collection,” she said.

The handmade knickers, dating back to the 1890s, bear the monogram “VR” for Victoria Regina. They are open-crotch style, with separate legs joined by a drawstring at the waist - popular in the late Victorian era.

The royal drawers belonged to a family in western England whose ancestor was a lady-in-waiting for the queen.
Auctioneer Charles Hanson said: “These pants, considering their provenance and pedigree, are very exciting.”

“They are monogrammed and crested and we know that they are hers.”

Rusch was also the winning bidder for a Queen Victoria chemise, with a 66-inch bust.

A Queen Victoria nightgown sold for $11,000.

Before the auction, Hanson valued the underwear at $1,000, while the chemise and nightgown were valued at $600 each.

Rusch, whose collection also includes a pair of Queen Victoria pink hand-embroidered stockings, said Victoria was in the habit of having her clothing, especially her underclothing, embroidered with her initials VR, surmounted by her crown. There are also numbers which indicate which individual item was sent to the palace by the people who personally made her clothes.

Is there a Queen Victoria item she wants but hasn’t been able to get?

For Rusch, it’s a piece of Queen Victoria’s wedding cake, in its original box, with Victoria’s name printed on the lid and the date of her marriage to Prince Albert, Feb. 10, 1840.

It came up for auction in New York about 15 years ago and Rusch put in an offer, but was told by the auctioneer that she was outbid by a woman who had flown in from Virginia.

“It turned out that the third bid was from Malcolm Forbes,” Rusch said, “So I actually outbid Malcolm Forbes on that piece of cake.”

Later during a visit to England with her husband, Rusch got within five centimetres of the coveted piece of wedding cake at an exhibit at Windsor Castle.

“I may never actually have it in my possession,” Rusch said, “but at least I got that close to it.”

“And maybe this is my consolation prize today, actually being able to purchase a pair of her underthings.”

Queen Victoria lived from 1819 to 1901. She became queen at age 18 and was the U.K.’s longest-reigning monarch. Her reign is noted for both imperial expansion and the decreasing political power of the monarch.

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