Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria (born Alexandrina Victoria (24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 to 1901. She was born to a German princess and an English prince. She became Queen of the United Kingdom Great Britain at the age of 18 after her uncle King William IV died. She inherited the throne because her father's three elder brothers died without leaving any legitimate children.
Victoria was taught by her governess, Louise Lehzen, and Reverend George Davys. She learned to speak and read German and French well. Queen Victoria enjoyed dancing, drawing, horse riding and singing. She had lessons as a child from the famous opera singer Luigi LaBlache. She liked to paint and could play the piano.[1] She kept a regular diary throughout her life.
Victoria married her first cousin, Prince Albert, in 1840. He supported science, trade and art in Britain. Victoria and Albert had nine children. They believed that a good family life and Christianity were very important. In general, English people followed their example.
The Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace opened in 1851. It happened partly because of Albert's hard work. The exhibition showed the success of British people in Victorian times.
In 1861, Prince Albert died of typhoid fever and Victoria stayed away from public life.
Britain became more powerful in the following years, and in 1877, Victoria got the title 'Empress of India'. Victoria was very interested in India, but she never went there to the subcontinent. Her son went there instead.
In 1897, Victoria celebrated 60 years of being monarch. This surpassed her grandfather King George III. She was queen for 63 years, seven months longer than any other king or queen of Britain. People called her the 'grandmother of Europe' because many of Victoria's children became kings, princes and princesses of other countries.
After she died from a brain haemorrhage, her son Edward VII became King of the United Kingdom and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 till his death 6 May 1910 .
ChildrenEdit
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Princess Victoria, Princess Royal German Empress Queen of Prussia | 21 November 1840 | 5 August 1901 | Married 1858, Friedrich III, German Emperor and King of Prussia; had children including Wilhelm II, German Emperor Queen Sophia, of Greece. |
| King Edward VII | 9 November 1841 | 6 May 1910 | Married 1863, Princess Alexandra of Denmark; had children included King George V Queen Maud, of Norway. |
| The Princess Alice Grand Duchess of Hesse by Rhine | 25 April 1843 | 14 December 1878 | Married 1862, Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse; had children included Alexandra Fyodorovna. |
| The Prince Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Duke of Edinburgh | 6 August 1844 | 31 July 1900 | Married 1874, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia; had children included Queen Marie, of Romania. |
| The Princess Helena Princess Christian | 25 May 1846 | 9 June 1923 | Married 1866, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg; had children. |
| The Princess Louise Duchess Argyll | 18 March 1848 | 3 December 1939 | Married 1871, John Douglas Sutherland Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll; no children. |
| The Prince Arthur Duke of Connaught, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn | 1 May 1850 | 16 January 1942 | Married 1879, Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia; had children included Margaret, Crown Princess of Sweden. |
| The Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany | 7 April 1853 | 28 March 1884 | Married 1882, Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont; had children. |
| The Princess Beatrice Princess Henry of Battenberg | 14 April 1857 | 26 October 1944 | Married 1885, Prince Henry of Battenberg; had children Included Queen Victoria, Eugenie of Spain |
AncestorsEdit
| Victoria of the United Kingdom | Father: Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn |
Paternal Grandfather: George III of the United Kingdom |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Frederick, Prince of Wales |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha | |||
| Paternal Grandmother: Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Charles Louis Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Mirow | ||
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Magdalena Augusta of Anhalt-Zerbst | |||
| Mother: Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld |
Maternal Grandfather: Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld | |
| Maternal Great-grandmother: Duchess Sophia Antonia of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel | |||
| Maternal Grandmother: Princess Augusta Reuss of Ebersdorf |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Ernest Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen | ||
| Maternal Great-grandmother: Sophia Albertine of Erbach-Erbach |
ReferencesEdit
- ↑ Arnstein, Walter L. "Victoria, Queen of Great Britain." Europe 1789-1914, Encyclopedia of the Age of Industry & Empire. Gale Biography in Context. Web. 10 June 2014.
Other websitesEdit
| Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Victoria of the United Kingdom |
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to Victoria of the United Kingdom. |
- Queen Victoria Citizendium