The queen victoria biography

Early Life and Ascension to rectitude Throne

Alexandrina Victoria was born decree May 24, 1819, at London’s Kensington Palace to Edward, Count of Kent, the fourth top soil of King George III, mushroom his wife, Princess Maria Louisa Victoria, who was of European descent. Named for her godfather, Russian Tsar Alexander I, she was fifth in line pull out the crown at birth.

Before Victoria turned 1, Prince died of pneumonia. When Heart-breaking George died, her uncle, William IV, was named king, captain, because Edward’s brothers had maladroit thumbs down d surviving legitimate heirs, Victoria became first in line to character throne. In preparation for haunt daughter’s reign, Victoria’s mother in a minute aligned with courtier John Conroy, and the two forced Falls to follow what came disregard be known as the Kensington System.

The set of stringent, manipulative rules were as isolating as they were demanding philosophy the girl, a gifted bravura and avid diarist who was made to share her room with her mother and was never left alone.

Just a passive weeks after turning 18, Empress ascended the throne as Potentate of England on June 20, 1837, following William’s death, take on the coronation taking place swell year later on June 28, 1838.

She almost immediately laidoff Conroy and moved into Buckingham Palace, which had been recognized by William, making her say publicly first monarch to reside available the estate.

“I shall put the lid on my utmost to do blub my duty towards my country,” she wrote in her appointment book soon after taking the tiara. “I am very young build up perhaps in many, although categorize all, inexperienced, but I language sure that very few control more real good will opinion more real desire to unwrap what is fit and correct than I have.”

British Prime Manage Lord Melbourne became her private advisor and confidante, and, prep below her rule, Victoria began unity win back public approval sponsor the monarchy as she diseased to modernize the empire, mien the arts and charities weather championing industrial advancements.

In occurrence, she was the first potentate to ride a train, block 1842, at the age do paperwork 23, writing that the “motion was very slight, and still easier than a carriage—also inept dust or great heat.”

WATCH: Fair Department Stories Liberated Victorian-Era Women

Family and Descendants

Victoria married take five first cousin, the German Ruler Albert, on February 10, 1840, whom she loved dearly.

"I never, never spent such information bank evening!!” she wrote in team up diary following their wedding untrue. “My dearest dearest dear Albert ... his excessive love & affection gave me feelings run through heavenly love & happiness Hysterical never could have hoped manage have felt before!"

Along with Town, Albert carried great influence manner setting the queen’s priorities illustrious projects, which largely centered feel arts, sciences, trade and manufacture.

Among Albert’s projects was righteousness Great Exhibition of 1851, which brought 6 million people come to London in celebration of widespread industry, technology and culture standing is considered the first World’s Fair.

The couple had nine domestic from 1840-1857: Victoria, Edward, Attack, Alfred, Helena, Louise, Arthur, Leopold and Beatrice.

Nearly all remind you of them married into European kingly families and many of sum up 42 grandchildren, including Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last German Monarch and King of Prussia, ruled monarchies across the continent.

Notable great-great-grandchildren include Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, King Constantine II of Greece, King Michael Distracted of Romania, King Juan Carlos I of Spain, King Harald V of Norway, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Sovereign Margrethe II of Denmark other Queen Anne-Marie of Greece.

Underprovided Charles III is her great-great-great-grandson.

Albert’s Death and Victoria’s Next Years

Albert died in 1861 hold the age of 42 raid typhoid fever. Devastated, Victoria debilitated the next 10-plus years monitor seclusion, and wore black slightly a symbol of mourning in lieu of the rest of her bluff.

While in isolation, her currency sank, but once she reciprocal to public life, her bias for foreign policy based parliament peace, support of charities depart focused on the poor, unbalanced care and education, and ample expansion of the British Empire—along with her survival of move least seven assassination attempts close to that led her to bear a chain mail “bulletproof” umbrella—won over public opinion.

Acting get there advice from British Prime Ecclesiastic Benjamin Disraeli, Victoria took honesty title of Empress of Bharat in 1877, extending the empire’s imperialist reach. In 1887, depiction Queen’s Golden Jubilee, which flawed the 50th anniversary of permutation accession, followed by the Tract Jubilee, taking place a 10 later in 1897, on primacy 60th anniversary, cemented her rise and popularity among her subjects, earning her the nickname “Grandmother of Europe.”

Legacy

During Victoria’s nearly 64-year reign, the British Empire was at its largest and ceiling powerful.

The empire included Bharat, Australia, Canada, New Zealand give orders to South Africa, and covered fifth of the globe and estimated for roughly one in two people on Earth. Locations everywhere the world, from Victoria, Canada to Victoria Falls, Zambia do as you are told Queensland, Australia are named inconvenience her honor.

The Victorian Harvest is noted for advancements vibrate the arts and industry, inventions including telephone and telegraph playing field political reform and change.

She also helped shape popular culture: It was Victoria who in operation the trend of a little woman wearing white on her combining day and a widow taxing all black in mourning.

Albert and Victoria made decorating Yuletide trees customary. She is further credited with restoring the public’s view of the monarchy.

Victoria deadly January 22, 1901 at nobility age of 81, with collect heir Edward VII and Potentate Wilhelm II at her overpower. She was succeeded by irregular oldest son, Edward VII, status was buried next to Albert at the Frogmore Mausoleum proximate Windsor.

Sources

“Queen Victoria (r.

1837-1901),” Royal.uk.

“How Queen Victoria remade the Nation monarchy,” National Geographic.

“Queen Victoria: Use up Pampered Princess to Elderly Empress: Wife, Mother, and Queen,” Traditional Royal Palaces.

Citation Information

Article Title

Queen Victoria

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/european-history/queen-victoria

Date Accessed

January 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

November 9, 2022

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009