Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Karina Urbach: Queen Victoria, die unbeugsame Königin. During her reign the British monarchy took on its modern ceremonial character. Princess Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise (1840-1901), who married the future emperor of Germany Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia in 1858. Prince Albert became Victoria’s strongest ally, helping her navigate difficult political waters. Even the most dedicated fans of Queen Victoria are sure to learn something new in this biography of the monarch. At times, their marriage was tempestuous, a clash of wills between two extremely strong personalities. MS Queen Victoria is a Vista-class cruise ship operated by the Cunard Line and is named after the British Monarch Queen Victoria. Corrections? Queen Victoria Biography, Life, Interesting Facts Childhood and Early Life . Although she hated pregnancy and childbirth, detested babies, and was uncomfortable in the presence of children, Victoria reigned in a society that idealized both motherhood and the family. DOWNLOAD BIOGRAPHY'S QUEEN VICTORIA FACT CARD. She was born in London to a German princess and an English prince in 1819. Their daughter Alexandra, or Alix, married Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia.… Victoria, birth name Alexandrina Victoria, was born May 24, 1819 to Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Germany at Kensington Palace. Omissions? Her son, the future King Edward VII, and her eldest grandson, Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany, were both at her bedside. Alice married Prince Ludwig of Hesse. Queen Victoria Biography (1819–1901) Updated: May 11, 2020 Original: Feb 27, 2018. She also commissioned several portraits. He became known as “the queen’s stallion” in the royal household and pledged his lifelong loyalty to her. As a child, she was said to be warm-hearted and lively. George VI served as king of the United Kingdom during World War II and was an important symbolic leader. Young Victoria showed exceptional talent with French and Italian as well as with her drawing and singing lessons. Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Queen Victoria Biography. She celebrated 65 years on the throne in February 2017 with her Sapphire Jubilee. Her mother remarried Queen Victoria’s father, the Duke of Kent, and promptly moved from Germany to England for the future queen’s birth. After several years of suffering from stomach ailments, Victoria's beloved Albert died of typhoid fever in 1861 at the age of 42. Victoria's reign was known as the "Victorian era", a period of industrial, cultural, political, scientific, and military change within Britain, and one marked by a great expansion of the British Empire. In keeping with tradition, she spent the Christmas of 1900 at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, where her health quickly declined to the point that she was unable to return to London. Moreover, her retentive memory did not allow her to forgive readily. https://www.biography.com/royalty/queen-victoria. In 1818, therefore, three of his sons, the dukes of Clarence, Kent, and Cambridge, married to provide for the succession. Queen Victoria, queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1837–1901) and empress of India (1876–1901), who gave her name to an era, the Victorian Age. A German governess named Louise Lehzen, who sparked the future queen's life-long interest in reading history, tutored Victoria. Queen Victoria was queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and … At birth, Victoria was fifth in line to the throne. When King William IV died in June 1837, Victoria became queen at the age of 18. Queen Victoria was born on May 24, 1819. Her father died shortly after her birth and she became T owards the end of this subtle, thoughtful biography of Queen Victoria AN Wilson presents his defining argument. At first, the British public didn’t warm up to the German prince and he was excluded from holding any official political position. When she died and her son Edward VII moved from Marlborough House to Buckingham Palace, the change was one of social rather than of political focus; there was no doubt about the monarchy’s continuance. Although the family followed through with the queen’s wish for Karim to be among a small group of mourners at her funeral, they later evicted Karim from the home Victoria gave to him and sent him back to India. Queen Victoria’s Biography. From Victoria's struggle to claim her … Albert initially was seen by the British as an interloper in British society, but his intelligence, interest in inventions, and capability in diplomatic affairs made him a respected figure. Queen Victoria was the only child of Edward, Duke of Kent, who was King George III's fourth son. One of the problems was the early loss of her father, the Duke of Kent. Alexandrina Victoria was born on May 24, 1819, in London, England. For the rest of her reign, she wore black. She is also known for her successful fashion empire and her marriage to former soccer star David Beckham. ‘Dumpy’ dowager or vibrant beauty: what did Queen Victoria really look like, and how tall was she? During her reign, England grew into an empire of 4 million square miles and 124 million people. We strive for accuracy and fairness. During this time, the British Empire experienced only a few small wars, exerting its authority over foreign possessions. Karim was the son of a hospital assistant in Northern India and was brought to England to serve at the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. Editor. She was raised by her mother at Kensington Palace and had a lonely childhood until she became queen at the age of 18. She became queen at the age of 18 after her uncle William died.. She was taught by her governess, Louise Lehzen, and Reverend George Davys. Occupation: Queen of the United Kingdom Born: May 24, 1819 at Kensington Palace, London Died: January 22, 1901 at Osborne House, Isle of Wight Reign: June 20, 1837 to January 22, 1901 Nicknames: The Grandmother of Europe, Mrs. Brown Best known for: Ruling the United Kingdom for 63 years Biography: Born a Princess Princess Victoria Alexandria was born on May 24, 1819 at Kensington … Victoria was the only child of Edward, duke of Kent, the fourth son of King George III. Victoria, in full Alexandrina Victoria, (born May 24, 1819, Kensington Palace, London, England—died January 22, 1901, Osborne, near Cowes, Isle of Wight), queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1837–1901) and empress of India (1876–1901). There is a Statue of her in Southend, pointing imperiously out to sea, but missing the pointing hand. “Victoria the Queen, Julia Baird’s exquisitely wrought and meticulously researched biography, brushes the dusty myth off this extraordinary monarch.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editor’s Choice) When Victoria was born, in 1819, the world was a very different place. On his death three months after taking the throne, their eldest son became, Prince Albert Edward Wettin (1841-1910), who succeeded his mother to the crown as, Princess Alice Maude Mary (1843-1878), whose daughter Alix married, Prince Alfred Ernest Albert (1844-1900), who married the daughter of, Princess Helena Augusta Victoria (1846-1923). The queen, however, rejected important Victorian values and developments. She resisted technological change even while mechanical and technological innovations reshaped the face of European civilization. Victoria ascended to the throne at age 18 on June 20, 1837, and she served until her death at the age of 81 on January 22, 1901. So she proposed to him on October 15, 1839. Victoria was outraged when he was found not guilty by reason of insanity, but was so pleased by the many expressions of loyalty after the attack that she said it was "worth being shot at—to see how much one i… As a child, Victoria was described as warmhearted, lively, and occasionally mischievous. Educated at the Royal Palace by a governess, she had a gift for drawing and painting and developed a passion for journal writing. Her father, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, was the fourth son of the reigning King of the United Kingdom, George III. Victoria’s father died when she was a baby. Though she detested Liberal Prime Minister William Gladstone, she found ways to work with him, even during her mourning period. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Victoria-queen-of-United-Kingdom, English Monarchs - Biography of Queen Victoria, The Victorian Web - Biography of Queen Victoria, Maps of World - Map of Victoria, Seychelles, Spartacus Educational - Biography of Queen Victoria, Undiscovered Scotland - Biography of Queen Victoria, The home of the Royal Family - Biography of Victoria, Queen Victoria - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Victoria - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Explore the life and reign of Queen Victoria, Prince Consort Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathern, Earl of Dublin. Karl-Heinz Wocker: Königin Victoria. Victoria continued in her duties up to her death. Her father died of pneumonia in 1820, when Victoria was less than a year old, and she was raised primarily at Kensington Palace, where she lived with her mother, the German-born Victoria Saxe-Saalfield-Coburg, duchess of Kent. Victoria's reign saw great cultural expansion; advances in industry, science and communications; and the building of railways and the London Underground. The Queen was emblematic of the time: an enthusiastic supporter of the British Empire, which stretched across the globe and earned the adage: “The sun never sets on the British Empire.”. She became an Indophile in part because of her affection for him. Her strict ethics and personality have become synonymous with the era. Victoria and Albert had nine children together: John Brown was Victoria’s Scottish servant and one of her closest friends, with some suggestions that the two may have been lovers. Stanley Weintraub: Queen Victoria. Benziger Verlag, Solothurn und Düsseldorf 1994, ISBN 3-545-34070-8. Queen Victoria also had a half-sister who was 12 years her senior, Princess Feodora, from her mother’s first marriage to Emich Carl, Prince of Leiningen. Victoria, by her own account, “was brought up very simply,” principally at Kensington Palace, where her closest companions, other than her German-born mother, the duchess of Kent, were her half sister, Féodore, and her governess, Louise (afterward the Baroness) Lehzen, a native of Coburg. When Princess Feodora was 6 years old, her father died. She was the only daughter of Edward, Duke of Kent, fourth son of George III. Queen Victoria was queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 to 1901 — the second-longest reign of any British monarch. Under Victoria's reign, Great Britain experienced unprecedented expansion in industry, building railways, bridges, underground sewers and power distribution networks throughout much of the empire. She became queen at the age of 18 after her uncle William died.. She was taught by her governess, Louise Lehzen, and Reverend George Davys. Two schoolboys from Eton Collegestruck him with their umbrellas, until he was hustled away by a policeman. Victoria and Karim’s close relationship was scandalous to the royal family. Aged 18 she became Queen of Great Britain and she went on to rule for 63 years – at the time – she was the longest-serving Monarch in Europe. © 2021 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. Almost four decades later Victoria’s governess recalled that the future queen reacted to the discovery by declaring, “I will be good.” This combination of earnestness and egotism marked Victoria as a child of the age that bears her name. Since her mother was a German, German was Victoria’s first language.However, she mastered English soon even though never expected to reign as monarch. She became Empress of India in 1877. Victoria was born in 1819, She was very short, a little plump and rather plain. Jan 1, 1877. Later in life, her weight ballooned, with her waist reportedly measuring 50 inches. Updates? There were advances in science (Charles Darwin's theory of evolution) and technology (the telegraph and popular press), with vast numbers of inventions; tremendous wealth and poverty; growth of great cities like Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham; increased literacy; and great civic works, often funded by industrial philanthropists. Video appunto: Victorian age and biography of the Queen Victoria. A Magnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert, and the Death That Changed the British Monarchy by … Third in line for the throne (after the duke of York, who died in 1827, and the duke of Clarence, third son of George III, who would become William IV), the future queen became estranged from her mother, … Victoria’s childhood was made increasingly unhappy by the machinations of the duchess of Kent’s advisor, Sir John Conroy. Elizabeth I was a long-ruling queen of England, governing with relative stability and prosperity for 44 years. Victoria lavished Karim with gifts including a private carriage, titles and honors. Her mother became a domineering influence in her life. Victoria died after a lengthy period of poor health on January 22, 1901, at the age of 81. The Elizabethan era is named for her. Obviously this biography of Queen Victoria published in 1921 is a bit dated, but the author infuses humor throughout and seems to capture the essence of who Victoria actually was, rather than focusing on purely dates and events. An important father figure to the orphaned princess was her uncle Leopold, her mother’s brother, who lived at Claremont, near Esher, Surrey, until he became king of the Belgians in 1831. In control of the pliable duchess, Conroy hoped to dominate the future queen of Britain as well. Born Alexandrina Victoria on May 24, 1819, Queen Victoria’s father died when she was 8 months old. Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University of Oxford, 1968–80; Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford, 1945–80. Prince Albert (August 26, 1819—December 13, 1861) was a German prince who married Britain's Queen Victoria and helped spark an era of technological innovation as well as personal style. She is best known for her moral support to the British people during WWII and her longevity. She was the longest-ruling monarch of Great Britain until Queen Elizabeth II surpassed her record and ruled during a time of economic and imperial expansion known as the Victorian Era. After Queen Elizabeth II, Victoria is the second-longest reigning British monarch. Victoria was born at Kensington Palace, London, on 24 May 1819. Secretary, Rhodes Trust, 1959–80. She and her husband, Prince Consort Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, had nine children, through whose marriages were descended many of the royal families of Europe. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Take advantage of our Presidents' Day bonus! "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives.