The nineteenth century is remembered by mankind for the rapid growth of trade and industry, the development of new lands, numerous wars of independence and attempts to redraw the political maps of the world. Against the backdrop of a bustling Europe, the British Empire stood out for its stable politics, a stable national currency and enormous achievements in science, industry and economics. Queen Victoria played a significant role in achieving the prosperity of the British Empire - a woman whose name is inscribed in golden letters in the annals of world history.

Background

The Hanoverian royal dynasty has ruled Great Britain since 1714. Representatives of the royal power were distinguished by unworthy behavior, unbalanced character and violent disposition. Apart from this, none of the members of the large royal family had legitimate heirs. And therefore, the news that on May 24, 1819, the Duke of Kent’s daughter Victoria was born was greeted with particular joy. Russian Emperor Alexander 1 was invited to baptize her, so the baby’s middle name was Alexandrina. When the little princess was eight months old, her father died, leaving behind nothing but numerous debts.

Childhood and youth

Victoria was brought up in the greatest severity. Particular attention was paid to the study of etiquette. The portrait of Queen Victoria at that time conveys all the advantages and virtues of a modest, well-mannered girl from a noble family. She was raised with the idea that a real lady should not allow herself to disrupt her daily routine, talk to strangers, raise her voice, or show her emotions in public. Lord Melbourne was involved in the education of the young princess. Under his leadership, the future Queen Victoria studied history, the foundations of state and law, legislation, and foreign languages. Fundamental knowledge served her well; as she later admitted, not a single problem related to government was completely unfamiliar to her. The princess's cheerful disposition was restrained by her strict and scrupulous mother. The inability to visit places where she would like to go, to meet people who would be close to her, made Victoria despondent. But one summer day everything changed.

Young Queen

In the early morning of June 20, 1837, eighteen-year-old Victoria was awakened by her mother. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the first chamberlain of England wanted to see the princess. As soon as Victoria entered the hall, the chamberlain knelt before her. So the princess learned that the king had died and that she had the honor of becoming the queen of one of the most powerful countries in the world - the British Empire.

Freed from her mother's control, young Victoria, Queen of England, plunged into a series of pleasures and entertainment. She had balls and receptions scheduled several weeks in advance.

Matchmaking

Even before the coronation, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha seemed to be the most acceptable groom for Victoria. The princess met with him several times and was, in principle, not against the wedding. But after Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, assumed full power, she preferred not to hear her family’s urgent requests for marriage. Relatives sounded the alarm. Prince Albert was urgently summoned to England to stay. Seeing Albert after a long separation, Queen Victoria was struck to the heart. However, Victoria had many competitors - noble English ladies were also not averse to meeting the educated, influential and eminent prince. The Queen decided to consult her friend and mentor, the Lord Chamberlain. The decision was made to act immediately. Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, invited Albert to an audience. The Duke of Saxe-Coburg was aware that before him was not only a beautiful young girl, but also the queen of a huge state. Victoria herself proposed marriage to him - a step almost impossible for a girl of her position and upbringing... But she is not just a girl, she is a queen...

The offer was accepted immediately. Victoria was aware that by leading her down the aisle, Albert would lose many, many rights. He will never be king of Great Britain, will not have the right to guardianship of his own children and will lose many of his privileges. But Albert was conquered... This girl with an iron will and a Puritan upbringing, modest, but at the same time brave and decisive, achieved her goal. Much later, in our time, a film was released about this period of her life. Queen Victoria is presented in it as a young girl who, despite enormous difficulties, knows how to achieve her goal.

Wedding

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert married on 10 February 1840. The husband was methodical and punctual, and had an encyclopedic education. Having fallen under his influence, the queen gradually becomes an exemplary monarch, whose life is focused on governing the state. Victoria and Albert's relationship was ideal. No ill-wishers could unearth betrayals, scandals, or rumors discrediting the behavior of these spouses. In letters to her uncle Leopold, the Belgian king, Victoria, the queen of a huge state, said that she was the happiest woman in the world.

Family life

From the very first days of his married life, Albert tried to be useful to his queen. According to the law, he had no right to interfere in the political life of the country and change its laws. Therefore, Albert tried to apply his ideas and knowledge in those areas in which he had influence. First of all, this concerned charity. Albert oversaw major hospitals and charities in all corners of Great Britain, and was interested in new advances in science and medicine. Under his direct leadership, preparations were made for the opening of the London World Exhibition. For his queen, he turned out to be a valuable assistant and secretary. Rising at dawn, Albert was busy sorting important papers, drafting answers for the cabinet of ministers, and corresponded with the royal houses of all continental Europe. Seeing how her husband worked, Queen Victoria noted that she would gladly give up running the state, shifting this heavy burden onto the shoulders of her beloved husband. But... duty was above all.

Transformations

At the heart of England's well-being was the middle class of businessmen, capitalists and landowners, whose well-being rested unshakably on two pillars - family and business. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert managed to create ideal personal and public relationships and became an example for many, many British families. Queen Victoria gave her husband 9 children, listened to his advice and thanked him for his help. Their relationship became the basis for preserving family values; it was during their time that the expressions “Victorian morality” and “Victorian family” appeared and became stronger in consciousness.

The joint efforts of the spouses bore fruit. England became an industrial country with a developed economy and trade. Their joint rule brought transformation to the cities, with running water, sewerage and street lighting. People began to think about sanitation and hygiene. Inventions such as photography, the music box, the mechanical piano, toys and postcards appeared and became widespread. It was Queen Victoria and Albert who first introduced the fashion for Christmas pageants, and with them the phrase “English Christmas” was filled with a new meaning.

The spouses did not forget about state affairs. The development of the merchant fleet proceeded by leaps and bounds. Attention was paid to the latest developments in the field of weapons. Britain's participation in the Crimean War strengthened the country's authority among its allies. The children of the royal couple became related to all the royal houses of Europe. For this, Victoria, Queen of England, was awarded the honorary nickname “Grandmother of Europe.”

Loss of a spouse

The husband was the queen's most faithful and devoted assistant throughout the twenty years of their marriage. Albert's sudden illness and then death in 1861 shocked the Queen. Inconsolable grief almost broke the queen; she refused to speak at public ceremonies and postponed her participation in the public life of the country. Her goal was to perpetuate the memory of Albert. The idea arose of building a memorial complex, named Albert Hall in honor of the prince, and a monument was built in his honor on the busy streets of London. After the loss of her husband, Victoria lived for another forty years, and all these years she mourned her late husband and grieved that without his advice it was much more difficult for her to manage the empire.

Last years of reign

But her duty to her late husband and her country told her to plunge into work. After all, her Albert did not give up under any circumstances. In her work, Victoria began to be guided by the principles and ideas of her deceased husband. It is not surprising that under such rule Great Britain only strengthened its position on the international stage. The new adviser Benjamin Disraeli was busy strengthening the prestige of the royal house and even gave Victoria a new title - Empress of India.

Death of the Queen

Queen Victoria ruled the country for 64 years. Until the end of her days, she maintained good health and amazing performance. Her death at the age of 82 shocked the entire nation. For the people, Victoria has long become an idol of the British nation, a symbol of British reliability, prosperity and respectability. Her role in the life of the country was enormous, the history of her personal relationships deserved description. Poems were composed in her honor, lands, rivers, cities and waterfalls were named. Her biography occupies entire shelves in libraries; a film was made about the early years of her life.

Queen Victoria will forever remain a symbol of the ideal statesman, loving wife and caring mother. The success and prosperity of a huge state is associated with her name. Along with it, an entire era, which was rightfully called “Victorian,” went into oblivion.

At baptism Alexandrina Victoria. The first name was given in honor of the Russian godfather of Emperor Alexander I, while the second, which became the main one, was given in honor of the mother. Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland since June 20, 1837, Empress of India since May 1, 1876.

Princess Victoria, by Henry Collen.

Victoria's father

Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent (The prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent) (1767-1820) - Member of the British royal family, fourth son of King George III.

Edward,Duke of Kent, by Johann Paul Georg Fischer

Victoria's mother

Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld,Duchess of Kent(Victoria von Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld) (1786-1861) -born in the family of Duke Franz of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld and his wife Augusta of Reuss-Ebersdorf. At the age of 17, Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld married Prince Emil Karl of Leiningen, who died in 1814. This marriage produced two children: Karl Friedrich Wilhelm and Anna Theodora Augusta. Four years later, in 1818, Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld married for the second time to Edward, Duke of Kent, and in this marriage she gave birth to Alexandrina Victoria.

Victoria, Duchess of Kent, by Henry Collen

Victoria's sister - Anna Theodora Augusta(1807-1872) - married Princess Theodora of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

Princess Feodora of Hohenlohe-Langenburg when Princess of Leiningen, by Henry Collen

Victoria's brother- Karl Friedrich Wilhelm (1804-1856) 3rd Prince of Leiningen.

Prince of Leiningen, by Henry Collen

Princess Victoria by Anthony Stewart

Victoria's childhood could not be called either frivolous or cloudless. When she was only 8 months old, her father, famous for his excellent health, died suddenly of pneumonia, leaving his wife and children with nothing but debts. Therefore, the family had to save on literally everything. As a child, Victoria, whom everyone at home except her mother called Drina, wore the same dress until she grew out of it, and was firmly convinced that ladies who endlessly changed outfits and jewelry were not just skeins, but extremely immoral people. Subsequently, already in power, she was never interested in toilets, and the famous jewelry of the British Crown was more of a tribute to prestige.
Victoria's mother, the Duchess of Kent, was a serious woman. She raised her daughter in strictness and gave her an extensive education, which was so useful to Victoria later. Not trusting anyone, the Duchess herself watched over her daughter, and not a single acquaintance of the girl could happen in secret from her mother. When Victoria was sixteen years old, her mother introduced her to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg. And a little later she directly told her daughter that she was counting on arranging their marriage. Albert was Victoria's cousin, but this did not bother anyone.

Victoria, Duchess of Kent, with Princess Victoria-1824, by Henry Bone

Queen Victoria, 1823, by Stephen Poyntz Denning

Queen Victoria as a girl,1830, by Richard Westall

Princess Victoria, by George Hayter

Princess Victoria,1832, unknown artist.

Queen Victoria by Alfred Edward Chalon

Queen Victoria,by Edwin Henry Landseer

The Young Queen Victoria.

by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Queen Victoria, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Queen Victoria, by Charles-Lucien-Louis Muller

Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

June 20, 1837 King William IV died and his niece Victoria ascended the throne, who was destined to become both the last representative of the unhappy Hanoverian dynasty and the ancestor of the House of Windsor that still rules in Britain. There was no woman on the English throne for more than a hundred years.

The painting depicts the early morning of June 20, 1837, Princess Victoria, now the Queen, being greeted by William Howley (1766-1848), Francis Conyngham (1797-1876),by Henry Tanworth Wells

another picture of this event:

by Henry Tanworth Wells

by Sir George Hayter

by Charles Robert Leslie

Queen Victoria, by Alfred Edward Chalon

by Stephen Catterson Smith

Queen Victoria, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

On a summer day, Victoria, seated in a “golden carriage,” went to Westminster Abbey for her coronation, the ceremony of which turned out to be unrehearsed. Confused Victoria whispered to the courtiers: “I beg you, tell me what I should do?” Even the ring that she was supposed to wear turned out to be too small, and the archbishop almost dislocated the queen’s finger. Moreover, on the same day a black swan was seen in the sky over London, and this circumstance gave rise to the idea that Victoria would not sit on the throne for long... Very little time passed, and the young queen made it clear that the question “I beg you, tell me me, what should I do? remained in the past.

by Edmund Thomas Parris

by Charles Robert

by Charles Robert Leslie

by Sir George Hayter

by Edmund Thomas Paris

Queen Victoria, by Henry Pierce Bone

Having become queen, Victoria first of all tried to get rid of her mother's tyranny: she had fun, organized balls and was in no hurry to get married. However, the queen, not accustomed to such entertainment, soon got tired of them and, leaving her usual hunting and walks, took up state affairs. They write that Victoria was short in stature and she jokingly said to herself: “We, however, are quite short for a queen.” . She could hardly be called beautiful, but she was undoubtedly attractive to men. Small, plump, despite this, she seemed very dignified.

Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria, by Alfred Edward Chalon

Queen Victoria

by Edmund Thomas Paris

In 1839, Tsarevich Alexander, the future Emperor Alexander II, arrived in London to celebrate the Queen’s 20th birthday. The tall blue-eyed handsome man was 21 years old. Impeccable manners, courtesy, and finally, an exceptionally beautiful uniform that fit like a glove on the Russian prince, caused a real stir among the ladies. It also turned out that the queen’s heart was not made of stone. At the ball, the birthday girl gave both the first and last dances to him. Was this just a gesture of politeness towards the most influential power? In any case, the excited queen admitted to the prime minister’s wife that she “liked the crown prince extremely,” that “they became friends,” and that “things were going well.” But no matter how well they went, that was all over.

Prince Albert, who was Victoria’s cousin on her mother’s side, very opportunely came to visit his aunt, the Duchess of Kent. Victoria and Albert first met when Victoria was 16 years old, then a warm relationship immediately developed between them, and after three years, Victoria herself met again I didn’t notice how I fell in love with him. Without declaring her love, the queen herself made her chosen one an offer that he could not refuse. As a result, already in January 1840, the queen gave a speech in parliament, during which she was terribly worried. She announced her upcoming marriage.

Queen Victoria,1840, by Sir George Hayter

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Victoria (1819-1901) - reign (1837-1901)

Queen Victoria,1841, by Charles Brocky

Prince Albert,1841, by Charles Brocky

The newlyweds spent their honeymoon at Windsor Castle. The queen considered these delightful days to be the best in her long life, although she herself had shortened this month to two weeks. Victoria told her husband: “It is absolutely impossible for me not to be in London. Two or three days is already a long absence. You have forgotten, my love, that I am a monarch.”

Queen Victoria's husband

Albert, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha(Albert Franz August Karl Emmanuel Herzog von Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha) (1819-1861) - Duke of Saxony, Prince Consort, second son of Duke Ernst of Saxe-Coburg (general of the Russian service, participant in the Napoleonic wars) and Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha. In his youth he received a careful upbringing, diligently studying political science, classical languages, natural science, philosophy and history.

Prince Albert,1840. by John Partridge

Prince Albert the Prince Consort, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Prince Albert,1855, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Prince Albert, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Prince Albert, by Sir William Boxall

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, by Benjamin Robert Haydon

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at the Ball Costume, by Edwin Henry Landseer

The 1745 Fancy Ball at Buckingham Palace,1845, by Louis Haghe

Queen Victoria in costume for the 1745 Fancy Ball, 1845, by Louis Haghe

Prince Albert in costume for the 1745 Fancy Ball,1845, by Louis Haghe

Queen Victoria in fancy dress,1845, by Sir Edwin Landseer

The Grand Staircase at Buckingham Palace, State Ball, 5 July 1848, by Eugene-Louis Lami

The Stuart Ball at Buckingham Palace,1851, by Eugene-Louis Lami

Study of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in costumes of the time of Charles II 1851, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Buckingham Palace - The Picture Gallery, 28 June 1853 by Louis Haghe

The Ballroom, Buckingham Palace,1856 by Louis Haghe

Reception at Buckingham Palace.

Opening of the exhibition - May 1, 1851.

Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert inaugurated the first World Industrial Exhibition in London, at which participating countries - Great Britain, France, the German principalities, Austria, Russia, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, China, Persia, Brazil, Mexico and others - demonstrated their achievements in industry, science, agriculture and culture. The event took place in a huge (563 by 138 meters) palace made of glass and metal trusses, specially built in Hyde Park according to the design of Joseph Paxton (1801–1865), gardener to the Duke of Devonshire. And although this structure looked a little like a giant greenhouse, it was perceived as a miracle of construction art and, in fact, the main exhibit. The exhibition, which went down in the history of England as the “Great”, was visited by 6 million people - about a third of the country’s population at that time. The exhibition was a huge success. With money raised from the fair, the South Kensington Museum was built, later renamed the Victoria and Albert Museum. In 1854, Great Britain entered the Crimean War on the side of the Ottoman Empire against Russia. Although the war had somewhat diminished the royal family's popularity, Victoria publicly provided moral support to the troops and created a new award for valor, the Victoria Cross.

The Inauguration of the Great Exhibition,1 May 1851, by David Roberts

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at an Exhibition, 1851, by Joseph Nash

The First Council of Queen Victoria by Sir David Wilkie

Prince Albert was a methodical and punctual man, attractive, slender and elegant. And besides, he was known as a “walking encyclopedia.” He had the most varied interests: he was especially fond of technology, loved painting, architecture, and was an excellent fencer. .Under his influence, the headstrong girl turned into a nun, conscious of her duty to the people. Victoria listened to his advice in everything and loved him passionately all her life.They said, however, that Albert’s feelings for his wife were not as ardent as hers. But this did not affect the strength of their union; they had 9 children. They were an example of an ideal marriage.Everyone could only follow them - not only bad examples are contagious!The British, however, always disliked Albert a little. The queen involved her husband in state affairs and her prestige grew imperceptibly: people thanked Victoria for all successful deeds, and blamed Victoria for troubles on her husband.

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The Royal Family in 1846, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Victoria, Princess Royal,with Eos,1841, by Sir Edwin Landseer

The Christening of Victoria, Princess Royal 1841, by Charles Robert Leslie

On November 21, 1840, Victoria gave birth to her first child - it was a girl, who, according to tradition, was named Victoria Adelaide in honor of her mother.

-Are you happy with me? - she asked Albert, barely coming to her senses.

“Yes, dear,” he answered.

- but won't England be disappointed to learn that it was a girl and not a boy?

- I promise you that next time there will be a son.

The royal word turned out to be firm. A year later, the couple had a son, who was to become King Edward VII.

Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and Victoria, Princess Royal in Windsor Castle, by Sir Edwin Landseer.

Victoria and Albert had 9 children, through her children and grandchildren, Victoria became the “Grandmother of Europe”

1 . Victoria (Princess Royal) (21 November 1840 – 5 August 1901)

Victoria, Princess Royal, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Victoria, Princess Royal

Victoria, Princess Roya ,by Sir William Charles Ross.

Portrait of Victoria, Princess Royal, later Empress Friedrich, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

in 1858 she married the Crown Prince of Prussia (later Emperor Frederick III). Mother of William II.

The Marriage of Victoria, Princess Royal, 25 January 1858, by John Phillip

Victoria, Princess Royal, Crown Princess of Germany, 1876, by Heinrich von Angeli

2. Albert Edward ( Edward VII) (November 9, 1841 - May 6, 1910),

The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, is married to Princess Alexandra of Denmark.

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, 1843, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter.

)King Edward VII when Prince of Wales,1850, by William Charles Bell

Portrait of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, 1846, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Queen Victoria with Victoria, Princess Royal, and Albert Edward, Prince of Wales,1842, by Sir Francis Grant

Victoria, Princess Royal and Albert Edward,Prince of Wales, by Thomas Musgrave Joy

Victoria, Princess Royal with Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, 1843, by Thomas Musgrove Joy

Queen Victoria and two children, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

3. Alice (Princess Alice(April 25, 1843 - December 14, 1878),

married Prince (later Grand Duke) Ludwig of Hesse. Mother of Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas II.

Princess Alice asleep, 1843, by Sir Edwin Landseer

Princess Alice, 1845, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Princess Alice,1861, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

4. Alfred (Prince Alfred Ernest Albert)(August 6, 1844 - July 31, 1900),

Duke of Edinburgh, since 1893 reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in Germany, admiral of the Royal Navy; from 1874 he was married to the Russian Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, daughter of Emperor Alexander II.

Prince Alfred, 1846, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, with Prince Alfred, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

The Marriage of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh with Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna by Nicholas Chevalier

5. Elena (Helena Augusta Victoria)(25 May 1846 - 9 June 1923)

married to Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg

Princess Helena,1865, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Prince Alfred and Princess Helena, 1849, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

6. Louise (Princess Louise)(March 18, 1848 – December 3, 1939)

married John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll, had no children

Princess Louise, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Princess Louise with Prince Arthur and Prince Leopold, 1856, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

7. Arthur (Prince Arthur William Patrick) (May 1, 1850 - January 16, 1942),

Duke of Connaught, married to Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia

Prince Arthur by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

8. Leopold (Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany) (7 April 1853 - 28 March 1884)

Duke of Albany, married to Helen of Waldeck-Pyrmont

Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany,1884 by Carl Rudolph Sohn

married to Prince Battenberg, mother of Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain (wife of Alfonso XIII and grandmother of Juan Carlos I).

Princess Beatrice, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Princess Alice, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Queen Victoria and her children, by John Callcott Horsley

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Queen Victoria, by Sir George Hayter

Queen Victoria, 1899 by Heinrich von Angeli

During Victoria's reign, Britain made enormous strides in industrial development, trade, finance, maritime transport and the expansion of the empire, becoming a symbol of sustainability, decency and prosperity. Both contemporaries and descendants associated these successes with the name of the queen. Victoria became the first modern British monarch. Unlike her predecessors, her role in government was largely symbolic. Unlike previous reigns, which were marred by financial and sexual scandals that discredited the monarchy, the Victorian era emphasized ethics and family values (called Victorian morality). Thanks to her extensive family connections, Victoria influenced all European politics, for which she received the affectionate nickname “grandmother of Europe.”

Queen Victoria, 1844, by Robert Thorburn

Queen Victoria,1845, by Franz Xaver Winterhalter.

“I followed the first twenty-one years of her reign, never tired of being amazed at the inconsistency of her character. In principle, she is a rather simple woman, but her feelings were as immeasurable as life itself. Moderation in anything was alien to her. Above all for her Her point of view always remained exclusively. This woman’s boundless conceit was reflected in her relationship with Albert and even almost destroyed their marriage at the very beginning.
The marriage to Albert was not romantic in the conventional sense of the word. Victoria's love for him can be considered to some extent tragic and at the same time happy, because she loved him with all her soul, and Albert, although he gave her extraordinary bliss, never loved the queen. Victoria was lucky in that, being too carried away by her feelings for her husband, she never wondered: how does he feel about her? But meanwhile, some of his letters clearly indicate this: he died a man devoid of any illusions and very unhappy. His wife's adoration in no way compensated for Albert's failed opportunity to gain respect in his new homeland.
Victoria had nine children, but at the same time there were absolutely no maternal instincts. Let us remember the unhappy childhood of her son Edward - it is she, as well as his father, who is to blame for him.
Too often she showed insensitivity and heartlessness, being a "typical representative" of the Victorian era....
I didn’t come up with anything to somehow change Victoria’s image. Although this is a novel, the domestic events and political facts are real, as are most of the conversations and discussions; Even excerpts from original letters are given.
They say that Albert created Victoria. Of course, he restrained her fits of rage as much as possible and taught her to better manage the affairs of the state - this is true. But the true greatness of the monarch, the strength of will and strength of character of the queen, which in her time made a huge impression on the most sophisticated statesmen, were not the result of his efforts.
Where he did not succeed, Victoria easily achieved her goal.
Being in the thick of things - industrial unrest, popular hatred, war and even attempts on her life - the queen did not worry about anything except her relationship with her adored husband. Love for Albert is perhaps her only weakness, and it was this feeling that made her more humane. Greatness almost never inspires love."

Evelyn Anthony - Preface to the novel "Victoria and Albert"

The apotheosis of Queen Victoria, by Henry Campotosto

Prince Albert died on December 14, 1861, and Victoria spent almost 40 years as a widow. The memory of her deceased husband became almost a cult for her. She constantly wore a black dress (she is depicted in it in most of the most famous paintings and photographs), adding to this a closed, gloomy face and a constant, sometimes manic-like desire to somehow perpetuate the memory of her beloved husband. The last years of Victoria’s life were also darkened the death of her son Alfred, the serious illness of her daughter Victoria and the death of two grandchildren. There were 6 attempts on Victoria's life - all of Irish origin and all unsuccessful.

Princess Beatrice and Queen Victoria

Portrait of Queen Victoria, by Henrietta May Ada Ward

Peace With Honour, by Theodore Blake Wirgman

Queen Victoria with John Brown,26 August 1876, by Charles Burton Barber

Queen Victoria,by Heinrich von Angeli

Queen Victoria,by George Housman Thomas

Queen Victoria,by Henry Richard Graves

Queen Victoria by Francois Flameng

The queen was getting old, her character, already not very flexible, was deteriorating. Now she literally pestered her ministers with nagging and constant discontent. However, the children suffered no less. Victoria, a strict mother, wrote: “Children are a bitter disappointment: most of all they like to do exactly what their parents don’t like most.” Having incredibly increased the fortune of the royal family during her reign, Victoria nevertheless began to show incredible stinginess. The eldest son Edward got it for giving his wife jewelry. She was generally irritated by Edward's love for his wife. When he got married, many were convinced that his mother would give up the throne to him. However, groaning and complaining about the unbearable burden of government concerns, the queen was in no hurry to give up power. As a result, Edward had to wait almost 40 years for the crown.

Queen Victoria Lying In State At Osborne House,1901, by Amedee Forestier

Queen Victoria died on January 22, 1901. She was buried on February 2Frogmore Mausoleum, next to my husband. Victoria's reign lasted 63 years, 7 months and 2 days and was the longest of any British monarch.She was succeeded by her son Edward VII......

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Actor Stephen Fry jokes about Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria managed to restore the reputation of the monarchy, which had been considerably tarnished during the reign of her extravagant uncles. Moreover, Victoria forged a completely new model of relations between society and the Royal Family by introducing civil functions for the latter.

Despite his miniature stature 157 sentiments, about which Stephen Fry joked that Victoria “was wider than long” (her impressive breasts reached 168 centimeters in circumference), this woman became a symbol of the soaring greatness of the British Empire. Together with her husband, Prince Albert, and their nine children, Queen Victoria became the personification of a new, happy era in British history.

Waiting for the throne

Portrait of Princess Victoria and her mother

Alexandrina Victoria received a title at birth Duchess of Kent. Her father was the fourth son of King George III, and little Victoria became fifth in line to the throne, ahead of her father and three elderly uncles.

Victoria's father died when the baby was only 8 months old, and, given the advanced age of the other contenders, baby Victoria had every chance to eventually take the throne.

The princess was brought up in Kensington Palace. Her education was carried out by a governess, Baroness Lehzen, who taught the future Queen languages, arithmetic, drawing and music.

Victoria's widowed mother was lonely and completely dependent on John Conroy- servants of her deceased husband, who strove for power by any means.

Controlled childhood

Portrait engraving of Victoria in 1834

Very soon, young Victoria became first in line to the throne after her only surviving uncle, King William IV.

However, despite this, all the princess’s early years were spent under the yoke of the strictest rules, called “ Kensington system" This system, in particular, meant that the young heir to the throne would share a room with her mother and would not be able to be alone. Invented the system John Conroy, who thus hoped to manipulate Victoria in order to gain more power and influence over her.

When Victoria was 13 years old, she went on a tour of the midlands with Conroy and her mother, the purpose of which was to introduce the future Queen to the public. The princess found this trip extremely tiring, and her character became more and more stubborn and willful. At that time she began to lead diary. Her first entry in it was the following: “Men, women, children, country, houses - everything around is black... And now I see one building blazing with fire.”.

Victoria becomes Queen

Victoria came to the throne only a few weeks after her 18th birthday. Her first order was to leave her alone for an hour - something she had been denied for many years.

Victoria moved to Buckingham Palace, making it his official royal residence in London. The first manifestation of her strong will was the removal of her mother, who was immediately sent to the distant chambers of the palace. Her next step was to expel John Conroy, the courtier who poisoned her childhood, from the state apartments. Her first Prime Minister became the Queen's close associate, Lord Melbourne, who treated young Victoria with paternal affection. Soon after Parliament awarded her an annual annuity of £385,000, Queen Victoria became richest woman in the world.

Victoria was crowned Westminster Abbey, near which a crowd of 400 thousand people had gathered, eager to catch the eye of the newly proclaimed Queen.

Victoria wore a robe of white satin and red velvet. The ceremony lasted as much as 5 hours and was not flawless: this was explained by the fact that the abbot of the abbey, who had been present at previous coronations, was absent due to illness. As a result, Victoria was mistakenly given the orb at the wrong moment, and the Archbishop of Canterbury put the ring on the wrong finger, after which it took an hour to remove it. After the ceremony, Victoria returned to Buckingham Palace for a family celebration and watched the fireworks from her mother's balcony.

Beginning of reign

At the beginning of her reign, Queen Victoria made a number of rash actions, allowing her emotions to prevail over reason. For example, young Victoria believed false reports about the pregnancy of her maid of honor Lady Flora Hastings, for which she was booed by the public. On another occasion, Victoria found itself in the midst of a political crisis when the Whig government fell and Lord Melbourne resigned. Tory politician Robert Peel agreed to become prime minister on the condition that Victoria replace some of her Whig ladies-in-waiting with Tories. The Queen refused and reappointed Lord Melbourne to this post. This decision by the Queen was subsequently heavily criticized as unconstitutional.

Prince Albert and Victoria

Victoria fell in love with her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, when he visited Great Britain in 1839. In her diary on October 15, 1839, she wrote: “He was so kind and so affectionate; ABOUT! The feeling that I was loved, loved by an angel like Albert, is too great a joy to describe in words!”

As head of state, the Queen herself proposed to her lover, and the couple married the following year. On her wedding day Victoria wore white wedding dress, and a multi-level wedding cake was prepared for the guests of the ceremony. This started a new tradition among brides who previously wore their best prom dress to the wedding. It cannot be said that an idyll reigned in this marriage - very often, when communicating with her husband, Victoria lost her composure. Albert took on the role of his wife’s “moral mentor,” which, on the one hand, irritated her very much, but, on the other, allowed her to often resort to his support.

Attempts on Victoria

Queen Victoria, who often traveled in an open carriage, suffered a total of 8 assassination attempts.

During the first attempt, a teenager named Edward Oxford shot her as she left Buckingham Palace with Albert. The shooter was detained by witnesses to this scene. And although the Queen was in shock and horror, she found the strength to smile at the audience during the return trip through Hyde Park.

Here is what Victoria wrote in her diary about this, June 10, 1840: “I saw him aiming at me with another pistol. I lowered my head and another shot immediately followed, just as loud as the previous one.”.

Oxford was declared insane and sent to Bedlam, a hospital for the mentally ill in London, the name of which became a household name. In 1867 he was released from the hospital and deported to Australia. All those who attacked the Queen acted alone and were subsequently recognized as mentally ill.

Royal family

Victoria became pregnant for the first time shortly after the wedding and gave birth to a daughter, named Victoria, 9 months later.

The Queen hated the process of childbirth and suffered from postpartum depression. However, this did not stop her from giving birth to nine children over the 16 years of her marriage to Albert. An astute diplomat, she helped her children marry into the royal families of Europe. Unfortunately, Victoria was a carrier hemophilia gene, which was passed on to her 10 male descendants, including son of Russian Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarevich Alexei.

Love for Scotland

On their first visit to Scotland, the Victoria and Albert couple fell in love with this country with all their hearts. Scotland seemed to them a romantic and untouched land, and the North Scottish Highlands reminded Albert of his native Germany.

As a result, the royal couple acquired in Scotland Balmoral estate, and from 1853 to 1856 Albert personally supervised the construction of a new castle there in the neo-Gothic style. To this day, this castle remains a private residence for members of the royal family. Victoria's frequent visits to Scotland helped strengthen the monarchy in that country.

New royal traditions

Queen Victoria started many royal traditions. In 1852, she attended the Opening of Parliament for the first time in a luxurious Irish parade carriage. The ceremony was held in the new building of the Palace of Westminster (the previous one was destroyed in a fire in 1834). The Queen led the procession and made a speech in Parliament. The protocols and traditions laid down then have since been carefully observed by all subsequent British monarchs.

Together with Albert, Victoria rebuilt the system of constitutional monarchy in order to prevent the growing republican movement.

She became the patron of 150 different institutions, including dozens of charities, and Prince Albert strongly supported the development of educational museums. The royal couple made public visits to industrial cities such as Leeds and attended military training camps to support the military. Together, Victoria and Albert were able to stop rumors that the royal family was not living up to their wages.

Victoria Cross

Reward "Victoria Cross" was introduced by the Queen to encourage acts of military heroism during the Crimean War. This award was awarded for special merits in battle, regardless of rank and type of troops.

The Crimean War was fought by an alliance of several countries, including Great Britain, against Russia. The queen was then suspected of secretly supporting the Russian Tsar. But Victoria managed to dispel these suspicions by showing increased attention to the care of wounded soldiers. She also personally awarded the first Victoria Crosses to 62 military personnel at a grand awards ceremony in Hyde Park in 1857. This marked the first time in history that officers received awards together with ordinary military personnel.

Royal photographs

During Victoria's reign, a set of 14 portrait photographs of the royal couple was published.

Total sold over 60 thousand copies this set, despite the rather high price for those times of four pounds and four shillings each. This led to the emergence of a culture of photographing famous people. Women imitated Queen Victoria's dressing style, and men copied Prince Albert's hairstyle and mustache.

Death of Albert

Prince Albert died at the age of 42. Victoria was inconsolable with grief and mourned for the rest of her life.

After Albert's death, Victoria withdrew from public life, but continued to correspond and receive ministers and official visitors. She ordered the construction of monuments in honor of Prince Albert throughout the country and throughout the British Empire, including the famous Prince Albert Memorial in London. She became very close to John Brown, her servant at Balmoral Castle, which caused rejection from her children. Victoria was mockingly called "Mrs. Brown" in the press, but despite all the speculation, the Queen flatly refused to break off this friendship.

Victoria returns to public life

When her son Edward fell ill with typhus, the Queen became desperate.

This happened a year after the founding of the Third French Republic, which provoked a wave of anti-monarchical sentiment in Great Britain. As Edward recovered, the Queen carefully planned events to increase support for the royal family. She ordered a public thanksgiving service and appeared before the public for the first time in a long time on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. This event marked the Queen's gradual return to public life.

The Queen Who Became Empress

Caricature: Prime Minister Disraeli presenting the Imperial Crown to Victoria

Victoria became Empress of India, in order to strengthen the bonds between the monarchy and the empire.

She accepted this title on the advice of her seventh Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, whose political advice she completely trusted. Victoria approved of his imperial ambitions, which made Britain the most powerful country in the world. As a result, Victoria's popularity in Britain skyrocketed, and by the end of her reign she had become a true symbol of the empire.

New lover from India

In commemoration "Golden Jubilee"(50th anniversary of the reign) of Queen Victoria, she received Indian servants at her disposal. One of them Abdul Karim, became her favorite and personal teacher (“munshi”).

Karim taught Victoria the Urdu language and told her about the peculiarities of life in India, and also introduced her to an Indian dish for the first time. curry” (the most popular dish in Britain these days). He was only 24 years old, but thanks to the efforts of this young man, Victoria was fascinated by India - a country that she ruled, but which she never visited. Despite the disapproval of politicians and members of the royal family, Victoria rewarded Karim with various honors and lands in India, and even took him with her on trips to the French Riviera.

Victoria's Golden Jubilee on the throne strengthened her image as a ruler. In honor of this event, her face appeared on a variety of products, from mugs to mustard jars.

Although the jubilee celebrations centered around the Queen's personality, at the same time they demonstrated Britain's greatness as a world power. Her Majesty's troops proceeded in solemn march through London. In honor of the anniversary, Victoria threw a real feast, which was attended by 50 foreign kings and princes, along with the heads of overseas British colonies and dominions.

Diamond Jubilee

Victoria's Golden Jubilee was followed by Diamond(60 years on the throne). Celebrations were organized in his honor throughout the country.

The elderly Queen attended a number of events, although her health was by then in poor health.

Victoria decided to resort to new technologies and sent telegrams of gratitude to the subjects of her Empire. She also attended the ceremonial procession to St. Paul's Cathedral. Street celebrations were held across Britain to mark the Jubilee, and Sydney Harbor in Australia was decorated with illuminations. In India, 19 thousand prisoners were pardoned by the Queen.

End of the Victorian era

Victoria died after several weeks of serious illness. Her son and heir, Edward VII, and grandson, Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany, were at her deathbed.

Although the Queen ruled a vast Empire that covered a quarter of the globe and numbered 400 million subjects, she never forgot the people who supported her. Before her death, Victoria asked that her late husband Albert's robe and a plaster cast of his hand be placed in her coffin. In addition, she ordered that a lock of John Brown's hair and a photograph of him be placed in her hand. She also ordered that Abdul Karim be among the chief mourners at her funeral.

Until her very last days, Victoria remained an indomitable monarch, consistently implementing her will.

Based on materials from bbc.co.uk. All images taken from bbc.co.uk

She was born in 1819. At the age of eighteen, in 1837, she became queen. The years of her reign (1837-1901) were called the Victorian era - a time of stability, decency and prosperity. This was an unprecedentedly long reign in British history. Queen Victoria of England was a huge mistress. England itself in the 19th century turned into the forge of the world: industrial production gained unprecedented strength, trade flourished and cities grew.

At birth she was given the beautiful name Alexandrina-Victoria. The first name is in honor of her godfather, the Russian emperor. The childhood of the pretender to the throne was more monastic than royal. The basis of her upbringing was all kinds of restrictions and strict instructions from the governess and mother (her father, the Duke of Kent, died 8 months after the birth of her daughter). Victoria learned about her brilliant prospects, that she was the future Queen of England, at the age of 12. “I will be good!” the princess then exclaimed, and throughout the long period of her reign she did not break her promise.

“Iron” upbringing influenced the development of such important character traits for the ruler as firmness in decision-making, the ability to choose the most useful from a variety of advice, and the most faithful from the personalities around her. The Queen of England was a powerful person, demonstrating independence, strength of character, strength of spirit, and at the same time always remained a woman. And then, when she fell madly in love with him, she became his wife, and later the mother of nine children. And then, when, after 20 years of a happy life with her adored husband, she wore mourning for many years and mourned his death.

It was from the time of Victoria's reign that royal power ceased to interfere in the political life of Great Britain. The monarchy lost the features of a political institution, becoming a symbol, an institution more moral than political. Victoria is the first Queen of England, whose role in governing the country was purely symbolic. Under her, the state of the monarchy was formed, which was wonderfully characterized by George Orwell: “... Gentlemen in bowler hats have real power, and another person sits in a gilded carriage, symbolizing greatness...”

Due to her extensive family connections and the influence that Victoria, Queen of England, had on European politics, she was affectionately nicknamed “the grandmother of Europe.” No monarch in England was as popular as Victoria. Her reign strengthened the moral authority of the crown. There are many more monuments erected to Queen Victoria than to any other British monarch, and her name is immortalized in the names of the Australian state, the famous waterfall on the largest lake on the African continent, and a city in Canada.

When the Queen of England died in 1901, people took the sad event as evidence of the end of the 19th century. With the death of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, defender of the faith, Empress of India (this was the title at the end of the queen's reign), the era named after her - the Victorian - ended.

Victoria (1819-1901), Queen of England (from 1837), last of the Hanoverian dynasty.

Born May 24, 1819 in London. Daughter of Edward, Duke of Kent, heir to King William IV. Victoria was the last representative of the Hanoverian dynasty on the English throne. Her husband was a maternal relative, the German Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg. He died in 1861 at the age of 42, and Victoria lived by him until the end of her days.
mourning. Their son Edward VII (1841-1910) is considered the founder of the new Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, or Windsor, dynasty, which still occupies the royal throne in Great Britain.

During Victoria's reign, the tradition of non-interference of the crown in the political life of the country was finally formed, when monarchs “reign, but do not rule.” Nevertheless, it is with Victoria - thanks to the works of her ministers - that the most brilliant era in the modern history of England is associated.

Britain, unlike the countries of continental Europe, parted with the past without civil wars and revolutions, but through peaceful and very effective reforms. It was a time of economic prosperity, which led to increased prosperity, triumphant colonial conquests, and skillful foreign policy intrigues.

Victorian England won the Crimean War with Russia and completed the conquest of India. However, the end of Victoria's reign coincided with an extreme aggravation of the international situation, which cost great losses in the operation in Afghanistan and the bloody and shameful war for England with the Boer republics in South Africa.

Deep social changes were brewing within England. The labor movement strengthened, and the struggle for women's civil rights unfolded.

With the death of the Queen (22 January 1901 in Osborne), English society entered an era of serious social upheaval. The name of Victoria herself, to this day, remains a symbol of “good old England,” which has become a thing of the past under the onslaught of progress.