Queen Victoria
A history of Victoria’s early life
Queen Victoria, who served as monarch of Great Britain from 1837 till 1901, and as empress of India from 1876, was born Alexandrina Victoria on May 24, 1819, in London. She was the only child of the fourth son of George III, Edward, and Victoria Maria Louisa of Saxe-Coburg, whose brother was Leopold, king of the Belgians.
She was taught by Lord Melbourne, her first prime minister, at a young age. Victoria had a clear understanding of both constitutional principles and the breadth of her own prerogative, which she exercised in 1839, just two years into her reign, by discarding the precedent which stated the dismissal of the current ladies of the bedchamber. This caused Peel not to take up office as prime minister. In 1840, she married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. They would later have four sons and five daughters together.
The Queen of England
She was strongly influenced by Prince Albert, with whom she worked in closest harmony. Following his death in 1861, the queen went into lengthy seclusion. She neglected several duties, which brought her unpopularity and prompted a republican movement. But with her recognition as the empress of India and the celebratory golden (1887) and diamond (1897) jubilees, she reclaimed her former popularity, and increased the prestige of the monarchy for good.