1. Her journals 2. Letters and written records of family members, servants, and other public officials 3. Official government documents

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1 QUEEN VICTORIA S LIFE Queen Victoria has a diverse life and reign due to the length of time she reigned. While some speculation still remains about her life, most of it is well-documented and verified. Information comes from 3 primary sources: 1. Her journals 2. Letters and written records of family members, servants, and other public officials 3. Official government documents Birth & Childhood Born at Kensington Palace on May 24, She was christened as Alexandrina Victoria, but she only went by Victoria. Victoria s birthplace Born of: 1. Prince Edward, Duke of Kent & Strathearn and Earl of Dublin, the 4 th son of King George III. Died of pneumonia 8 months after Victoria s birth. 2. Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Duchess of Kent the sister of Prince Leopold, the King of Belgium. Victoria was the only child of the Duke and Duchess the only grandchild of the King. She was born 5 th in line of succession behind her father and his 3 brothers.

2 Victoria with her mother Victoria s father Childhood & Education Her mother, the Duchess, developed and enforced what came to be known as the Kensington System, a strict set of rules and protocols regarding Victoria s behavior and social life. The Kensington System ensured that Victoria was never away from her mother, tutor, or governess. It isolated her from other children and guaranteed that her mother and John Conroy controlled whom she met. Sir John Conroy

3 John Conroy was the duchess s comptroller, the controller of the estate. He was rumored to be the Duchess s lover, though probably false. Conroy was a supporter of the Kensington System and was detested by Victoria. It is widely believed that the Duchess and Conroy developed the system to wield Victoria weak and dependent and use her as an access point to power. Victoria learned English, French, German, and a little Italian before the age of 4. She was schooled at home and favored history and geography. She excelled in arithmetic, writing, singing, and drawing. She would draw and paint most of her life. Known for her bull-headedness as a child (and even into her teenage years and adulthood), Victoria was a terror for her tutors and governesses. One time she hurled a pair of scissors at her governess. Ascension to the Throne Victoria was shown her family tree at the age of 11. It was then that she said, I see I am nearer to the throne than I thought. She then burst into tears. One of her ladies tried to comfort her by reminding her that her Aunt Adelaide was still young enough to have children and that another heir could be produced. A few weeks later, King George III passed away, making William IV King and moving Victoria one spot closer to the crown as the heir apparent. The Duchess desired a regency in case King William IV died before Victoria s 18 th birthday. This would enable the Duchess (and Conroy, in turn) to act in Victoria s stead. Tensions mounted between the Duchess of Kent and the crown. The Duchess and Conroy used Victoria s status for personal gain on multiple occasions. The King publicly stated in front of the royal family (including Victoria and the Duchess) that he desired to live only long enough for Victoria to turn 18 to avoid the regency. He blasted the Duchess by saying that he could leave the throne to Victoria and not in the hands of a person now near [him], who is surrounded by evil advisers [Conroy] and who is herself incompetent to act with propriety in the station in which She would be placed.

4 Jim Broadbent depicting King William IV giving his controversial speech in The Young Victoria. King William IV died 26 days after Victoria s 18 th birthday. A regency was avoided, and Queen Victoria s reign began. She would reign longer than any other British monarch in history. This knowledge could win you a million dollars. ( Queen Victoria s coronation was a year later. Marriage & Children Marriage to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg on February 10, 1840.

5 Prince Albert Albert was Victoria s first cousin on her mother s side, and the two were introduced by her uncle, and one of her best friends and confidants, Leopold. Victoria spent their wedding night in bed with a headache, but the couple had their first child, Victoria, nine and a half months later. They had 8 more children: Edward (1841), Alice (1843), Alfred (1844), Helena (1846), Louise (1848), Arthur (1850), Leopold (1853), and Beatrice (1856). Alice, Leopold, and Alfred (in that order) died before Victoria. Victoria s 9 children and 26 of her 42 grandchildren married into royal families across Europe. This earned Queen Victoria the nickname The Grandmother of Europe. Victoria and Albert with their children Victoria, Edward, Alice, Alfred, and Helena

6 Victoria and Albert s wedding Victoria was the first to start the trend of wearing a white wedding dress. Buckingham Palace Queen Victoria was the first monarch to occupy Buckingham Palace. Buckingham Palace King George III began remodeling what was then the Buckingham House. After work began, the King expanded the plan to become Buckingham Palace.

7 In 1911, the Victoria Memorial was completed. It is in the center of the Queen s Gardens in front of the Palace. It has a large statue of Queen Victoria as well as bronze sculptures. Queen Victoria s statue on the Victoria Memorial

8 After many remodeling projects, here are some quick facts about the Palace: 775 rooms (19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms) Buckingham Palace measures 354 feet wide, 394 feet deep, and 79 feet tall The ballroom was installed by Queen Victoria. It was 120 feet long, 59 feet wide, and 44 feet tall. At the time it was built, it was the largest room in London Ballroom at the time of Victoria Grand Staircase