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QUEEN VICTORIA
Queen VICTORIA (r. 1837-1901)
Queen Victoria was born at Kensington Palace, London, on 24 May 1819. She was the only daughter of Edward, Duke of Kent,
fourth son of George III. Queen Victoria's father died shortly after her birth and she became heir to the throne because the
three uncles who were ahead of her in succession - George IV, Frederick Duke of York, and William IV - had no legitimate
children who survived. Warmhearted and lively, Queen Victoria had a gift for drawing and painting; educated by a governess at
home, Queen Victoria was a natural diarist and kept a regular journal throughout her life. On William IV's death in 1837, she
became Queen at the age of 18.
Queen Victoria is associated with Britain's great age of industrial expansion, economic progress and - especially - empire.
At her death, it was said, Britain had a worldwide empire on which the sun never set.
In the early part of her reign, Queen Victoria was influenced by two men: her first Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, and her
husband, Prince Albert, whom she married in 1840. Both men taught Queen Victoria much about how to be a ruler in a
'constitutional monarchy' where the monarch had very few powers but could use much influence. Albert took an active interest
in the arts, science, trade and industry; the project for which he is best remembered was the Great Exhibition of 1851,
the profits from which helped to establish the South Kensington museums complex in London.
Queen Victoria's marriage to Prince Albert brought nine children between 1840 and 1857. Most of Queen Victoria's children
married into other royal families of Europe.
Queen Victoria was deeply attached to her husband and she sank into depression after he died, aged 42, in 1861.
Victoria had lost a devoted husband and her principal trusted adviser in affairs of state. For the rest of her reign she
wore black.
For a complete history of Queen Victoria, please click here
If you are looking for Victorian designs i.e. walls, ceilings, Victorian gifts, and much more,
click here
For our Victoria Day main page please click here: Victoria Day
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