"The Life And Reign Of Queen Victoria"
"The Life And Reign Of Queen Victoria"
Daughter of Edward, the Duke of Kent, and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg, Queen Victoria was born in Kensington Palace in London on May 24, 1819. Her father died when Victoria was only 8 months old. After the death of her uncle William IV in 1837, Victoria took the throne. She had very strong opinion about things and was very stubborn, due to her secluded childhood.
When Queen Victoria was only 18, she refused the influence of her overbearing mother and ruled in her own stead. She wanted to be informed of all things involving politics, although she had no direct input in policy decisions. Queen Victoria was very honest and straightforward, and easily won the hearts of her subjects.
The Reform Act of 1832 was passed during her reign, in which the standard of legislative authority resided in the House of Lords, and executive authority resting within a cabinet formed of members of the House of Commons; the monarch was essentially removed from the loop. England grew both socially and economically while under Queen Victoria's reign.
On February 10, 1840, 3 years after taking the throne, Victoria married her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Together they had 9 children. She became very devoted to her husband and did nothing without his approval. He assisted in her royal duties. He gave a more conservative tinge to Victoria's politics. If Victoria was to insistently interject her opinions and make her views felt in the cabinet, it was only because of Albert's teachings of hard work.
The public was not impressed with Albert; he was excluded from holding any official political position, was never granted a title of royalty, and was named Prince Consort only after 17 years of marriage. He had organized the Crystal Palace Exhibition in 1851. Albert used the proceeds to purchase lands in Kensington for the establishment of several cultural and industrial museums....
View Full Essay