Terrace where Queen Victoria and Albert enjoyed sunset 

The beautiful garden terrace at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, where Queen Victoria sat painting water colours

Queen Victoria's seaside home Osborne House on the Isle of Wight has undergone a £600,000 renovation

• Terrace was designed by Albert as part of his vision for the family home away from the bustle of court life
• The centrepiece 'Andromeda' fountain bought by the Queen in Great Exhibition of 1851 has been restored
• Royal myrtle plant was gifted by Albert's grandmother and used in Duchess of Cambridge's wedding bouquet

For the first time in history members of the public will be able to sit on the terrace where Queen Victoria painted water colours as she and Prince Albert watched the sun go down. 

The garden terrace at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight - which was designed by the Prince as a family home where he could escape the bustle of court life - will open to the public following a £600,000 restoration project.    

Visitors will be able to enjoy its Victorian planting scheme and the royal myrtle plant, gifted to Victoria by Albert's grandmother.

The myrtle has traditionally been used in royal wedding bouquets since the marriage of Queen Victoria's eldest daughter and was used in the Duchess of Cambridge's bouquet when she married Prince William in 2011. 

The beautiful garden terrace at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, where Queen Victoria sat painting water colours, is being opened to the public for the first time

The royal myrtle plant was given to Victoria (left) by Albert's grandmother. Traditionally used in royal wedding bouquets since the marriage of Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, it was also used in the Duchess of Cambridge's bouquet when she married Prince William in 2011 (right)

The centrepiece 'Andromeda' fountain, which was bought by Queen Victoria during the Great Exhibition of 1851, has been restored to working order. 

And a shell alcove, decorated with thousands of seashells from the beach below, has also been returned to its former glory. 

When the terrace opens tomorrow visitors will also be able to enjoy its panoramic views over the Solent, which Prince Albert compared to the Bay of Naples. 

The walls of the terrace have also been returned to the Italian-sun inspired 'Osborne yellow', to match the rest of the house. 

The breathtaking alcove comprises a sheltered seating area where the Queen and Albert sat and enjoyed the sunset 

Before the restoration: The 19th-century gardens and estate covered more than 2,000 acres and the current estate extends to 354 acres. Osborne boasts many elements of an Italian house - the palazzo style and terraces connected by flights of steps

The shell alcove is decorated with thousands of seashells from the beach below the house on the northern coast of the Isle of Wight

This photograph shows the shell alcove before the restoration, peeling and chipped before it was restored to its former glory

The walls of the terrace (pictured before the restoration) have also been returned to the Italian-sun inspired 'Osborne yellow', to match the rest of the house. It was built in the Italianate style in order to fit its setting and views over the Solent - which reminded Prince Albert of the Bay of Naples

Samantha Stones, English Heritage properties curator at Osborne House, said: 'Queen Victoria loved to be outside in the fresh sea air and the terrace was a place of peace.

'Opening up this previously closed space to visitors gives them another glimpse into the private lives of the royal couple.

'Our conservation project now reinstates Albert's original vision of Osborne.

'Matching the yellow of the walls, restoring the beautifully decorated shell alcove with its aqua blue canopy, and seeing the Andromeda fountain with her surrounding sea monsters in working order has truly brought the terrace back to life.'

QUEEN VICTORIA'S SEASIDE RETREAT WHICH BECAME A CONVALESCENT HOME FOR MILITARY OFFICERS

Osborne House is owned by English Heritage, after being gifted to the state by King Edward VII following Queen Victoria's death in 1901

Osborne House is owned by English Heritage, after being gifted to the state by King Edward VII following Queen Victoria's death in 1901, and much of the mansion is open for visitors.

However, some rooms within the historic property remain shut off to the general public, including two officers' bedrooms which appear to have remained largely untouched over the last century.

Osborne House was once the favourite royal residence of Queen Victoria, who enjoyed family breaks at the property - miles away from Windsor Castle, which she considered gloomy.

Her nine children, including future King Edward VII, learned to swim in the sea and collected shells from the shoreline.

In 1845, describing her favourite royal estate, Victoria wrote: 'We have quite a charming beach to ourselves. It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot.'

Victoria and Prince Albert's love of the beach at Osborne Bay was one of their main motives for buying Osborne House

Victoria and her husband Prince Albert's love of the beach at Osborne Bay was one of their main motives for buying Osborne House from Lady Isabella Blachford in October 1845.

Albert likened that part of the Solent to the Bay of Naples and chose to knock down the small Osborne House in place when they took over the estate to make way for his own design, in the style of an Italian Renaissance palazzo.

The work to rebuild the main private residence was carried out by London architect and builder, Thomas Cubitt, whose company built the main facade of Buckingham Palace for the royal couple in 1847.

Although Albert died just 10 years after the property was completed, Victoria returned to Osborne House and its beach for another 40 years.

Sovereign's Gate was the proud entrance of Osborne, designed to impress visiting dignitaries including Emperor Napoleon III, Tsar Nicholas and the Royal family itself.

The gate was also the site of departures, and none more dramatic than Queen Victoria's final journey from Osborne, after her death in 1901.

It was through Sovereign's Gate that the Queen left her seaside home for the last time, and where the crowds outside had their first glimpse of her funeral cortege.

After her death in 1901, Edward VII gave Osborne to the nation as a memorial to his mother and part of Osborne became a convalescent home for officers for whom the beach's original bathing pavilion was built.

During the Second World War, Osborne Bay was used to train soldiers ahead of the D-Day landings and so a Royal Navy College was set up at Osborne House to train young cadets in 1903.

During this time, a convalescent home for officers was also set up within the household and main wings of the property.

It was opened in 1904 with great pride, boasting the very latest in medical facilities. It was supervised by a House Governor who was always a retired Medical Officer from one of the Services.

The Navy college ran successfully for just under 20 years, but was forced to close in 1921 when the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth began training enough cadets to supply the forces.

In 1954, Queen Elisabeth II gifted permission for the property to be opened to the public, with English Heritage taking over management of Osborne 30 years later and carrying out restoration works.

(Culled from the Mail, UK)