A passionate plea for clemency from Oscar Wilde’s lover Lord Alfred Douglas goes on show in The National Archives’ Love Letters exhibition, opening in January.
The letter addressed to Queen Victoria on 25 June 1895 begs her to exercise her “power of pardon” in the case of the poet and dramatist who was beginning a sentence of two years’ hard labour.
125 years after Wilde’s death, the eloquent letter will be part of an exhibition exploring love of all types, including dangerous, romantic, same-sex and familial love.
Vicky Iglikowski-Broad, Principal Records Specialist in Diverse Histories at The National Archives said: “Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas, known as Bosie, shared a relationship that was both passionate and fraught. This surprising, heartfelt plea from Bosie to Queen Victoria was written just weeks after Wilde’s conviction. Despite their turbulent bond, it reveals compassion amid scandal, continued respect and a bold act of advocacy at the highest level.”
Bosie wrote his letter after Oscar Wilde’s conviction for gross indecency, for which Wilde served his whole sentence. The Ballad of Reading Gaol was inspired by Wilde’s prison experience.
Having fled to France when he was released in 1897, Wilde died in Paris three years later with his reputation still compromised.
Love Letters runs at The National Archives from 24 January 2026-12 April 2026. Entrance is free.
