英维多利亚女王灯笼裤成藏品

爱思英语编者按：英国维多利亚女王曾穿过的一套灯笼裤如今又回到了王宫。这条内衣裤日前被肯辛顿宫收藏，成为英国皇家礼服馆藏中的新成员。这条灯笼裤的腰围为56英寸（142厘米），还有一件配套的宽松内衣，内衣裤上还绣有“VR”的字样。经认定，这些衣物的历史可追溯到19世纪90年代。

Alexandra Kim, left, curator of the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, and conservator Maria Jordan, right, hold a pair of bloomers and matching chemise, which once belonged to Britain"s Queen Victoria, as they pose for the photographer at Kensington Palace, in central London, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009. The underwear, which has a 56-inch (142-centimeter) waist, has been added to Britain"s Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection at Kensington Palace. It has a matching chemise, is embroidered with a "VR" and is believed to date from the 1890s.
 
A set of roomy bloomers that once belonged to Queen Victoria are back in royal drawers.

The underwear — which has a 56-inch (142-centimeter) waist — has been added to Britain"s Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection at Kensington Palace. The undergarments have a matching chemise, are embroidered with a "VR" and are believed to date from the 1890s.

Queen Victoria had a 20-inch (51-centimeter) waist as a young woman. But curator Alexandra Kim said Tuesday that "over the years, particularly having given birth to nine children, that changed entirely."

The collection purchased the bloomers for 600 pounds ($993) earlier this summer. Kim said it"s likely they were handed down to a servant after the monarch"s death.

There are about 12,000 items in the collection, housed at Kensington Palace in London. It includes photographs, prints, sketches, diaries — and famous outfits.

Among the sartorial treasures are the tweed suit made for the 1981 honeymoon of Princess Diana, a safari suit sported by Edward VIII — later the Duke of Windsor — and a silk waistcoat worn by King George III before his death in 1821.

The collection has been recognized as being of national and international importance by Britain"s Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, Historic Royal Palaces said in a news release.

Some of the 12,000 items — though not Victoria"s bloomers — are on display. A 12 million pound ($19.8 million) project, to be completed by 2012, is intended to allow more of the collection to be displayed at Kensington Palace.