Queen Victoria

Victoria, Queen of England from 1837 to 1901, was a remarkable figure in history – not only for having been the longest reigning British monarch, but also as the icon of a vast empire, and as the inspiration for a highly complex culture.

Victoria was born at Kensington Palace, London, on 24 May 1819. She was the granddaughter of King George III of England. Her parents were Edward, Duke of Kent, and his wife, Victoire of Saxe-Coburg, a German princess. She was christened Alexandrina Victoria after the Russian Tsar Alexander (her godfather) and her mother.

Eight months later, both her father and grandfather died, and the infant Victoria became third in line to the throne, after two of her uncles. Victoria’s early years were spent in Kensington Palace, under her mother’s strict supervision. In preparation for her future role as ruler of the country, she was educated in the palace by a governess and made to lead a disciplined life-style. At age 13, she began maintaining a journal – a habit which she continued throughout her long life. She also showed considerable promise in sketching and painting.

On June 20, 1837,William IV,Victoria’s uncle who had ascended the throne after his brother’s death, died. Thus, the 18-yearold AlexandrinaVictoria became the Queen of Britain. The new influence in her life, replacing that of her mother, was the Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne.

On February 10, 1840, Victoria married her cousin, Albert of Saxe-Coburg Gotha – a minor German prince. She adored him, and the marriage was a happy one.

In the beginning, Albert had a difficult time. As the husband of a reigning Queen, his role was an ambiguous one in the British royal system, and he had no official duties or functions.

Further, as a foreigner, he was distrusted by the British people. So, initially,Victoria did not let him get involved in state affairs. But as she realized that he was a sensible, clear-headed thinker, she came to depend on him for guidance. This dependence gradually increased as she came to be confined by her many pregnancies (she gave birth to nine children). Soon, Albert had replaced Lord Melbourne as the dominating influence in her life and on the administration. Almost single-handedly, he made a crucial difference to royal involvement in state affairs and in art, science and industry. He created a new image for the royal family, bringing it into the public arena as caring leaders deeply concerned with their subjects’ welfare.

She became the first reigning monarch to travel by train (in 1842). In 1861, at the age of 41, Albert fell ill with typhoid and died. Victoria was devastated and retired into seclusion, neglecting her royal duties and her family. She would wear only black for the rest of her life. Finally, after several years, she gradually resumed her public duties.

During Queen Victoria’s reign, Britain witnessed unprecedented expansion in industry, advances in science such as Darwin’s theory of evolution and the invention of the telegraph, increase in literacy, and widened imperial reach, eventually becoming the proverbial “empire on which the sun never sets”.

Victoria died on January 20, 1901, at the age of 82, after a reign of almost 64 years. She was buried atWindsor beside her beloved Albert.

Queen Victoria lives on in public memory as the symbol of a bygone age of imperialism. Such was the stamp her persona left on the country during her long reign that Britain of the 19th century is known as Victorian England. Her personality has come to be synonymous with the era. She made a significant contribution to the political solidarity of the British people, and can hence be described as one of the makers of the 20th century.