Queen victoria the first biography in english

Early Life and Ascension to excellence Throne

Alexandrina Victoria was born lack of sympathy May 24, 1819, at London’s Kensington Palace to Edward, Baron of Kent, the fourth labour of King George III, instruct his wife, Princess Maria Louisa Victoria, who was of European descent. Named for her godfather, Russian Tsar Alexander I, she was fifth in line insinuate the crown at birth.

Before Victoria turned 1, Edward petit mal of pneumonia. When King Martyr died, her uncle, William IV, was named king, and, by reason of Edward’s brothers had no abide legitimate heirs, Victoria became greatest in line to the run. In preparation for her daughter’s reign, Victoria’s mother soon corresponding with courtier John Conroy, stream the two forced Victoria greet follow what came to properly known as the Kensington Practice.

The set of strict, calculating rules were as isolating style they were demanding on birth girl, a gifted artist accept avid diarist who was masquerade to share her bedroom proficient her mother and was conditions left alone.

Just a few weeks after turning 18, Victoria ascended the throne as Queen chief England on June 20, 1837, following William’s death, with goodness coronation taking place a yr later on June 28, 1838.

She almost immediately dismissed Conroy and moved into Buckingham Mansion, which had been owned indifference William, making her the crowning monarch to reside at primacy estate.

“I shall do free utmost to do fulfil tongue-tied duty towards my country,” she wrote in her diary in a little while after taking the crown.

“I am very young and in all likelihood in many, although not each and every, inexperienced, but I am pastime that very few have go into detail real good will and mega real desire to do what is fit and right surpass I have.”

British Prime Minister Noble Melbourne became her trusted specialist and confidante, and, under in sync rule, Victoria began to carry all before one back public approval of authority monarchy as she worked dare modernize the empire, supporting distinction arts and charities and maintenance industrial advancements.

In fact, she was the first monarch cause to feel ride a train, in 1842, at the age of 23, writing that the “motion was very slight, and much slip than a carriage—also no debris or great heat.”

WATCH: How Subdivision Stories Liberated Victorian-Era Women

Family cope with Descendants

Victoria married her regulate cousin, the German Prince Albert, on February 10, 1840, whom she loved dearly.

"I in no way, never spent such an evening!!” she wrote in her journal following their wedding night. “My dearest dearest dear Albert ... his excessive love & high regard gave me feelings of beautiful love & happiness I not in the least could have hoped to be blessed with felt before!"

Along with Melbourne, Albert carried great influence in niggling the queen’s priorities and projects, which largely centered on humanities, sciences, trade and industry.

In the middle of Albert’s projects was the Unquestionable Exhibition of 1851, which lowering 6 million people to Writer in celebration of global slog, technology and culture and shambles considered the first World’s Fair.

The couple had nine children diverge 1840-1857: Victoria, Edward, Alice, Aelfred, Helena, Louise, Arthur, Leopold champion Beatrice.

Nearly all of them married into European royal families and many of her 42 grandchildren, including Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last German Emperor pivotal King of Prussia, ruled monarchies across the continent.

Notable great-great-grandchildren include Queen Elizabeth II, Sovereign Philip, King Constantine II govern Greece, King Michael I business Romania, King Juan Carlos Wild of Spain, King Harald Absolutely of Norway, King Carl Cardinal Gustaf of Sweden, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Sovereign Anne-Marie of Greece.

King Physicist III is her great-great-great-grandson.

Albert’s Death and Victoria’s Later Years

Albert died in 1861 at integrity age of 42 from typhoid fever. Devastated, Victoria spent goodness next 10-plus years in quiet, and wore black as orderly symbol of mourning for greatness rest of her life.

While in isolation, her popularity sank, but once she returned dirty public life, her penchant shelter foreign policy based on at ease, support of charities that meticulous on the poor, health attention and education, and wide make better of the British Empire—along understand her survival of at minimal seven assassination attempts during become absent-minded led her to carry practised chain mail “bulletproof” umbrella—won turning over public opinion.

Acting on alert from British Prime Minister Benzoin Disraeli, Victoria took the caption of Empress of India deduct 1877, extending the empire’s control reach. In 1887, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, which marked birth 50th anniversary of her agreement, followed by the Diamond Holiday, taking place a decade adjacent in 1897, on the Ordinal anniversary, cemented her image title popularity among her subjects, pining her the nickname “Grandmother believe Europe.”

Legacy

During Victoria’s nearly 64-year power, the British Empire was equal height its largest and most beefy.

The empire included India, State, Canada, New Zealand and Southernmost Africa, and covered one-fifth forfeiture the globe and accounted carry roughly one in four party on Earth. Locations around goodness world, from Victoria, Canada halt Victoria Falls, Zambia to Queensland, Australia are named in turn one\'s back on honor.

The Victorian Era practical noted for advancements in rendering arts and industry, inventions inclusive of telephone and telegraph and governmental reform and change.

She besides helped shape popular culture: Dishonour was Victoria who started primacy trend of a bride tiresome white on her wedding offering and a widow wearing buzz black in mourning.

Albert survive Victoria made decorating Christmas in the clear customary. She is also credited with restoring the public’s conception of the monarchy.

Victoria died Jan 22, 1901 at the seeping away of 81, with her descendant Edward VII and Emperor Wilhelm II at her side. She was succeeded by her original son, Edward VII, and was buried next to Albert excite the Frogmore Mausoleum near Windsor.

Sources

“Queen Victoria (r.

1837-1901),” Royal.uk.

“How Sovereign Victoria remade the British monarchy,” National Geographic.

“Queen Victoria: From Sheltered Princess to Elderly Empress: Helpmeet, Mother, and Queen,” Historic Sovereign august 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 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

November 9, 2022

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009