Q is for Queen Victoria! Bet you didn’t expect that one? 😉
In my introductory post for ‘A’ it was all about Victoria’s
accession to the throne. This post for the letter 'Q' will be more about her and her life,
although there are so many great publications out there if you need/want to
learn lots more of the nitty gritty of Victoria’s life.
Victoria was born in Kensington Palace on the 24th May 1819. She was an only child, her father dying before she reached her first birthday. Initially, she had little expectations of becoming queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, having three uncles who were in line before her.
Her upbringing was very regimented, controlled by her German-born mother (Duchess of Kent and Strathearn), who in turn was very much in the control of Sir John Conroy. A British officer and official comptroller of her mother's household, Conroy was also the Duchess of Kent's private secretary throughout Victoria's young life. Though said to be a very close relationship between the Duchess and Conroy, it was insinuated even intimate, they were not popular in Royal circles. Conroy and the Duchess' situation caused a hostile environment to develop around the child Victoria.
_(after)_-_Queen_Victoria_(1819%E2%80%931901),_as_a_Child_with_Her_Mother,_Maria_Louisa_Victoria_of_Saxe-Coburg-Saalfield_(1786%E2%80%931861),_Duchess_of_Kent_-_436114_-_National_Trust.jpg) |
| Young Victoria and the Duchess of Kent and Strathearn |
The 'Kensington System' prevailed (though whose idea for the regime is unclear) which meant that young Victoria was shielded from most of what was happening outside Kensington Palace. She was not allowed the freedom to make friends with anyone, or be educated with any other girls. She was accompanied within the Palace by a servant, ensuring nobody could harm her. She slept in her mother's room till she acceded to the throne. The virtual imprisonment was a ploy between Conroy and the Duchess, their plan being for the Duchess to become the 'Regent' (ruling in Victoria's stead) when Victoria became queen. Conroy was seeking elevated status to a knighthood, but this did not happen. When it became clear that Victoria would accede to the throne, she would not sign any 'Regency' papers. After her uncle died she rejected their control and moved out of her mother's room to her own apartments.
Victoria was educated at home, her governess encouraging her to keep a diary which became a regular routine during the whole of her life. It's been said that Victoria wrote in excess of an average of 2000 words a day, even on days when she undertook Royal commitments, She
was artistic and many of her drawings and paintings survive today.
At the age of 18 she became queen, but was not really prepared for being a queen. Her lack of experience of outside Kensington Palace meant she knew little of the ways of the world. Lord Melbourne, her first prime minister and said to be a 'charmer' was a large influence in the early part of her reign, instructing and guiding her in being a constitutional monarch. That meant she did not make the laws herself as an absolute monarch would. She was subject to the parliament in Westminster though, as she grew older, her influence became considerable.
She married her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg and Gotha, in 1840. He was also a great influence in her life, both of them being interested in the arts, sciences, trade, and industry. As mentioned in the ‘G for the Great Exhibition’ post, Albert’s encouragement was considerable and led to the Great Exhibition being held at the purpose-built Crystal Palace, London.
Victoria and Albert had nine children born between 1840 and 1857. The bulk of their children married into the Royal families of Europe, making the already complicated European Royalty relationships even more complex. A nickname for Victoria was that she was ‘the grandmother of Europe’ which was reasonable given the circumstances. What was less good was that the haemophilia that was prevalent in British/European royalty spread even further via two of her daughters: Alice, and Beatrice being carriers. Victoria's youngest son Leopold suffered from the Haemophilia B blood clotting disorder. Victoria and Albert also had 42 grandchildren scattered throughout European Royalty.
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| One of the earliest photographs of Victoria with her eldest daughter, also Victoria - the princess Royal. |
I have read that Queen Victoria hated being pregnant and thought that newly-born babies were ugly. Breastfeeding was, apparently, a disgusting experience. Whatever the truths of those statements, Victoria and Albert had a total of nine children.
Victoria (b. 1840), Albert Edward (b. 1841), Alice (b.
1843), Alfred (b. 1844), Helena (b. 1846), Louise (b. 1848), Arthur (b. 1850),
Leopold (b. 1853) and Beatrice (b. 1857).
Alice, Arthur (Duke of Connaught), Prince Albert, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), Leopold (later Duke of Albany), Louise, Queen Victoria with Beatrice, Alfred
When Albert died of Typhoid at 42 years of age in 1861, Victoria went into a long time of deep depression. For the rest of her life, she wore only black, mourning her most trusted adviser and devoted husband. It's recorded that she had a valet set out clothes for Albert every day after his death till Victoria's own death in 1901.
Her husband may have died in 1861, but Victoria was still a queen and after a period of isolating herself from public duties they were resumed, and continued for many decades afterwards.
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During the 1860s Victoria relied increasingly on John Brown, a manservant from Balmoral, Scotland. She highly favoured him but the rumours of them having a romantic relationship, and even a secret marriage, are unproven. He appeared, though, to have served as a personal, loyal bodyguard for many years, constantly at her side and keeping her from danger. John Brown died in 1883.
Another man of influence, though for a shorter duration, was Abdul Karim. Karim, originally a waiter, became her ‘munshi’, effectively a tutor. Karim taught her Urdu and did some clerking work till it was discovered he had lied about his origins and, possibly, lied about other things he had told Victoria, things which had impressed her.
Victoria's official
Diamond Jubilee Photograph 1897
She died on the 22nd January 1901 at Osborne House, Isle of
Wight, after a reign of almost 64 years. She was buried beside her beloved
Albert, in the Frogmore Royal Vault at Windsor Castle.
There were many major events and developments during Victoria’s reign, far too many to mention here.
Till next time, enjoy your reading!
Slà inte!
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Victoria_Marriage01.jpg
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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Queen_Victoria_Prince_Albert_and_their_nine_children.JPG
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