Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria is associated with Britains great age of industrial expansion, economic
progress and, especially, empire. Her reign was the longest in British history It lasted for
63 years .It saw a diminution of Royal power and the transformation of Britain.
The Victorian era emphasided appearance in dress and manner .This was a time of strict
social codes, where morality was sustituted for religion.
Black side : Even though industrialization brought about a burgeoning middle class,social
issues such as prostitution, child labor and poverty were on the rise.
At her death, it was said, Britain had a worldwide empire on which the sun never set.
How did Victoria become Queen?
Victoria was born on 24 May 1819, ay Kensington Palace, London. She was the
daughter of Edward Augustus (duke of Kent) and Victoria of Saxe-Cobur-Saafeld
(German princess). She was fifth in the line of succession after her father and his three
other brothers had died whithout living a direct heir. George IV and Frederick (the duke of
York) were estranged from their wives, who were both past child- bearing age( who were
unlikly to have any children). William IV and Edward married on the same day (eager to
have an heir to the throne) but, williams daughters died as infants. His father and
grandfather died on the same day, so Victoria became next in the line to the throne.
She was brought up in some isolation at Kensington Palace with her mother, her half
sister Fodore, a German governess and her colection of 132 dolls.
Victoria led a sheltered life even sleeping in her mothers bedroom. Her mother didnt
have a good relationship with his wicked uncles (George IV and William IV ), she
boycoted the last coronation.But on the 20th June 1837 she was woken to be informed
that his uncle Willian Iv had died and that she was now the queen of Great Britain and
Ireland.
Hanover and the the United Kindom had shared a personal union since 1714. But the
Salic law pertaining in Hanover said that no woman could be monarch. Instead another
uncle, Ernest Augustus became the King of Hanover, while Victoria became queen of the
United Kindom, ending the personal union between Britain and Hanover (123 years)
In the early part of her reign, Victoria was influenced by the Prime Minister Lord
Melboune,He was an amiable and avancular Whig of the old school. He took her under
his wig and taught her much about how to be a ruler in a constitutional monarchy( where
the monarch had very few powers but could use much influence).

Her marriage
She married her cousin Albert of Saxe- Couburg-Gotha, a German prince. It wasnt love
at first sight, she had met him when they were both17, but when Albert came to England
in 1839, Victoria was instantly smitten / crazy. She said (book).
Later Victoria proposed to Albert (a man couldnt propose if he was of inferior rank). They
married in February 1940 and she recorded of her weding night that we did not sleep
much. They had 9 children and she refered to them as the nasty objects.She did not
like children, she prefered Albert.
As an anecdote: chloroform came into use as an anaesthetic in 1858, but traditionalist
held that it broke the laws of God and nature. However when Victoria said that she had
used it during her later confinements, opposition dwindled / reduced.
Albert was well- educated, cultural and hard working. But he was treated by great
suspicion by his adopted countrymen. Parliament cut his proposed allowance, squabbled
about his position in hierarchy of precedence and would not award him the title of prince
consort until 1857.
He was kept out of the business politics and devoted his energies to encouraging
science, technology and arts.He is best remembered for the Great Exibition of 1851,
which showcased British inventions and manufactures to the world which helped to
establish the Sout Kensington museums complex in London.
Alberts relations with his eldest son Edward were strained. He did not rise his fathers
high academic expectations. Worried about his son, combined with a tendency to
overwork, took his toll (affect seriously) on Alberts heath. He died of typhooid on 1861
and left Victoria utterly bereft.