Kensington's starstruck princess

The immediate impact on the Princess was a much later bedtime than usual and a passion for Taglioni’s dancing that would grow throughout her teenage years. A surviving contemporary doll from Victoria’s childhood collection can now be linked to this enthralling evening. The doll was made with the help of her attendant and former governess, Louise Lehzen. It portrays Taglioni as she appeared in Kenilworth, wearing a net cap, pink taffeta skirt and carefully embroidered blue bodice. The intricacy and attention to detail of the costume illustrate Victoria’s meticulous observation of Taglioni’s dress, reflecting her impulse to preserve a cherished but ephemeral experience in material form.

Born in Sweden in 1804, Taglioni was the undisputed superstar of 19th century Romantic ballet, a movement associated with other-worldly themes and figures, in which female dancers eclipsed their male counterparts. By pioneering her own highly original form of dancing en pointe – on the tips of her toes – Taglioni appeared to float across the stage, creating a sensation across Europe. The immense grace and control of her movements were central to her appeal for Victoria.

Weighed down by a growing awareness of her responsibilities and pressures as the next monarch, it is easy to see why young Victoria found Taglioni’s escapist form of dance so appealing. Through her ethereal performances and costumes, Taglioni became a significant influence on the Princess’s developing self-image, helping to link dance – whether through dressing up, drawing costumes, making dolls or actually attending the ballet – with ideas of freedom and transcendence. In this way, dance became a much-needed outlet for a young girl coming to terms with the immensity of her future responsibilities.

This year, Taglioni has made something of a return to Victoria’s childhood rooms at Kensington Palace, in a new display of objects relating to her career in the 1830s. Included among them is a large-scale print of Taglioni dancing en pointe, amid swirling skirts and diaphanous draperies, just as she appeared in the drawings of the young Princess. If Victoria herself were to return, the intensely romantic image would surely bring back memories of hours spent making those drawings and of a much-loved 16th birthday present. The print is a reminder that before Victoria wore a heavy crown, she too, like so many teenagers before and since, was once a starstruck young girl who looked up to the role models on her bedroom walls.