Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign

Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and Empress of India from 1 January 1877, until her death. Her reign lasted more than sixty-three years, longer than that of any other British monarch. As well as being Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, she was also the first monarch to use the title Empress of India. The reign of Victoria was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire. The Victorian Era was at ...

Including:

• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early life
• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign
• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Marriage
• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early Victorian politics
• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Ireland
• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Middle years
• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Widowhood
• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Gladstone and Disraeli
• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Later years
• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Legacy
• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Style and arms
• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Surname
• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Trivia
• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Children
• Victoria of the United Kingdom - Cultural references

Read more here: » Victoria of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia - Victoria of the United Kingdom

King William IV died at the age of seventy-one on 20 June 1837, leaving the throne to Victoria. As the young queen had just turned eighteen years old, no regency was necessary. By Salic law, no woman could rule Hanover, a realm which had shared a monarch with Britain since 1714. Hanover went not to Victoria, but to her uncle, the Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, who became King Ernest Augustus of Hanover. As the young queen was as yet unmarried and childless, Ernest ...

See also:

Victoria of the United Kingdom, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early life, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Marriage, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early Victorian politics, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Ireland, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Middle years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Widowhood, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Gladstone and Disraeli, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Later years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Legacy, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Style and arms, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Surname, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Trivia, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Children, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Cultural references

Read more here: » Victoria of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign

Victoria's father, the Duke of Kent and Strathearn, was the fourth son of King George III. The Duke of Kent and Strathearn, like many other sons of George III, did not marry during his youth. The eldest son, the Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), did marry, but had only a daughter, Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales. When she died in 1817, the remaining unmarried sons of King George III scrambled to marry (the Prince Regent and the Duke of York were already married, but estranged from their wives) and father children to provide an ...

See also:

Victoria of the United Kingdom, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early life, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Marriage, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early Victorian politics, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Ireland, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Middle years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Widowhood, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Gladstone and Disraeli, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Later years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Legacy, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Style and arms, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Surname, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Trivia, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Children, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Cultural references

Read more here: » Victoria of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early life

Queen Victoria was Britain's first modern monarch. Previous monarchs had been active players in the process of government. A series of legal reforms saw the House of Commons' power increase, at the expense of the Lords and the monarchy, with the monarch's role becoming more symbolic. Since Victoria's reign the monarch has had, in Walter Bagehot's words, "the right to be consulted, the right to advise, and the right to warn". Victoria's monarchy became more symbolic than political, with a strong emphasis on morality and family values, ...

See also:

Victoria of the United Kingdom, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early life, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Marriage, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early Victorian politics, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Ireland, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Middle years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Widowhood, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Gladstone and Disraeli, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Later years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Legacy, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Style and arms, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Surname, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Trivia, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Children, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Cultural references

Read more here: » Victoria of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Victoria of the United Kingdom - Legacy

Victoria belonged to the House of Hanover, whereby some assign the surname d'Este or the surname Guelph to her though she never needed to use any surname (some other descendants of the House of Hanover have used the surname Hanover in Britain). Her husband belonged to the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and accordingly at Victoria's death, that House ascended the British throne in person of her son and heir Edward VII - according to custom of nobles and royals, a wife never gains the membership of her husband's house, but remains as belonging ...

See also:

Victoria of the United Kingdom, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early life, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Marriage, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early Victorian politics, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Ireland, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Middle years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Widowhood, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Gladstone and Disraeli, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Later years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Legacy, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Style and arms, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Surname, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Trivia, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Children, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Cultural references

Read more here: » Victoria of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Victoria of the United Kingdom - Surname

In 1887, the United Kingdom celebrated Victoria's Golden Jubilee. Victoria marked 20 June 1887 — the fiftieth anniversary of her accession — with a banquet, to which fifty European kings and princes were invited. Although she could not have been aware of it, there was a plan by Irish freedom fighters to blow up Westminster Abbey while the Queen attended a service of thanksgiving. This assassination attempt, when it was discovered, became known as The Jubilee Plot. On the next day, she participated in a procession that, in the words of Ma ...

See also:

Victoria of the United Kingdom, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early life, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Marriage, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early Victorian politics, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Ireland, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Middle years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Widowhood, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Gladstone and Disraeli, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Later years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Legacy, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Style and arms, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Surname, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Trivia, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Children, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Cultural references

Read more here: » Victoria of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Victoria of the United Kingdom - Later years

Victoria's first official style as monarch was "Victoria, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith". The title "Empress of India" was added in 1876. At birth Victoria was a granddaughter of a monarch (George III) through the male line and as such held the style and title of a Royal Highness and Princess of the United Kingdom and was styled Her Royal Highness Princess Victoria of Kent (as the daughter of the Duke of Kent and Strathearn). When she acceded to the throne a ...

See also:

Victoria of the United Kingdom, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early life, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Marriage, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early Victorian politics, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Ireland, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Middle years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Widowhood, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Gladstone and Disraeli, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Later years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Legacy, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Style and arms, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Surname, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Trivia, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Children, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Cultural references

Read more here: » Victoria of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Victoria of the United Kingdom - Style and arms

The Prince Consort died in 1861, devastating Victoria, who entered a semi-permanent state of mourning and wore black for the remainder of her life. She avoided public appearances and rarely set foot inside London in the following years, her seclusion earning her the nickname "Widow of Windsor". She regarded her son, the Prince of Wales, as an indiscreet and frivolous youth, blaming him for his father's death. Victoria began to increasingly rely on a Scottish manservant, John Brown; and a romantic connection and even a secret marriage ...

See also:

Victoria of the United Kingdom, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early life, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Marriage, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early Victorian politics, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Ireland, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Middle years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Widowhood, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Gladstone and Disraeli, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Later years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Legacy, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Style and arms, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Surname, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Trivia, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Children, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Cultural references

Read more here: » Victoria of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Victoria of the United Kingdom - Widowhood

The Queen married Prince Albert on 10 February 1840 at the Chapel Royal in St. James's Palace; four days before, Victoria granted her husband the style His Royal Highness. Prince Albert was commonly known as the "Prince Consort", though he did not formally obtain the title until 1857. Prince Albert was never granted a peerage dignity. During Victoria's first pregnancy, eighteen-year old Edward Oxford attempted to assassinate the Queen whilst she was riding in a carriage with Prince Albert in London. Oxford fired twice, but both ...

See also:

Victoria of the United Kingdom, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early life, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Marriage, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early Victorian politics, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Ireland, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Middle years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Widowhood, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Gladstone and Disraeli, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Later years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Legacy, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Style and arms, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Surname, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Trivia, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Children, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Cultural references

Read more here: » Victoria of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Victoria of the United Kingdom - Marriage

Peel's ministry faced a crisis involving the repeal of the Corn Laws. Many Tories (by then known also as Conservatives) were opposed to the repeal, but some Tories (the "Peelites") and most Whigs supported it. Peel resigned in 1846, after the repeal narrowly passed, and was replaced by Lord John Russell. Russell's ministry, though Whig, was not favoured by the Queen. Particularly offensive to Victoria was the Foreign Secretary, Lord Palmerston, who often acted without consulting the Cabinet, the Prime Minister, or the Queen. In 1849, Victori ...

See also:

Victoria of the United Kingdom, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early life, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Marriage, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early Victorian politics, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Ireland, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Middle years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Widowhood, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Gladstone and Disraeli, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Later years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Legacy, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Style and arms, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Surname, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Trivia, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Children, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Cultural references

Read more here: » Victoria of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early Victorian politics

The young Queen Victoria fell in love with Ireland, choosing to holiday in Killarney in Kerry, in the process, launching the location as one of the nineteenth century's prime tourist locations. Her love of the island was matched by initial Irish warmth towards the young queen. In 1845, Ireland was hit by a potato blight that over four years cost the lives of over one million Irish people and saw the emigration of another million. In response to what came to be called the Irish Potato Famine (An Gorta Mor) the queen personally donated ...

See also:

Victoria of the United Kingdom, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early life, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Marriage, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early Victorian politics, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Ireland, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Middle years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Widowhood, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Gladstone and Disraeli, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Later years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Legacy, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Style and arms, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Surname, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Trivia, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Children, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Cultural references

Read more here: » Victoria of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Victoria of the United Kingdom - Ireland

In 1851, the first World Fair, known as the Great Exhibition of 1851, was held. Organised by Prince Albert, the exhibition was officially opened by the Queen on 1 May 1851. Despite the fears of many, it proved an incredible success, with its profits being used to endow the South Kensington Museum (later renamed the Victoria and Albert Museum). Lord John Russell's ministry collapsed in 1852, when the Whig Prime Minister was replaced by a Conservative, Lord Derby. Lord Derby did not stay in power for long, for he failed to maintain a ma ...

See also:

Victoria of the United Kingdom, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early life, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Marriage, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early Victorian politics, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Ireland, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Middle years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Widowhood, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Gladstone and Disraeli, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Later years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Legacy, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Style and arms, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Surname, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Trivia, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Children, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Cultural references

Read more here: » Victoria of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Victoria of the United Kingdom - Middle years

In 1868, the Conservative Benjamin Disraeli entered office. He would later prove to be Victoria's favourite Prime Minister. His ministry, however, soon collapsed, and he was replaced by William Ewart Gladstone, a member of the Liberal Party (as the Whig-Peelite Coalition had become known). Gladstone was famously at odds with both Victoria and Disraeli during his political career. She once remarked that she felt he addressed her as though she were a public meeting. The Queen disliked Gladstone, as well as his policies, as much as she admired ...

See also:

Victoria of the United Kingdom, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early life, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early reign, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Marriage, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Early Victorian politics, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Ireland, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Middle years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Widowhood, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Gladstone and Disraeli, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Later years, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Legacy, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Style and arms, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Surname, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Trivia, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Children, Victoria of the United Kingdom - Cultural references

Read more here: » Victoria of the United Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Victoria of the United Kingdom - Gladstone and Disraeli