by Anne Penny

Created on: July 22, 2011

Mention of the Victorian era evokes an image of Queen Victoria as she is best remembered: the dumpy figure, a forbidding look and her oft-quoted words, "We are not amused". Victoria reigned from 1837 to 1901, her 63 years on the throne surpassed recently by the present monarch, Queen Elizabeth; they were years that brought immense change and development to the United Kingdom and during which time the British Empire expanded enormously - an empire on which, it was claimed, "the sun never set".

Alexandria Victoria was born 24 May, 1819, the granddaughter of King George III. Her father died when she was 8 months old, followed by the king 6 days later. King William IV also died young and at the tender age of 18, Victoria ascended to the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, a position she held until her death in 1901.

Victoria had a very sheltered childhood with a domineering mother who, with her secretary devised the "Kensington System", which was a strict regimen to be followed in the bringing up of the young princess: her every action was carefully planned and supervised; she was not even allowed to have a bedroom of her own, but shared one with her mother through all her early years. On her accession, one of her first acts was to demand her own room.

The young queen was, of course, inexperienced in all aspects of governance and was fortunate in having Lord Melbourne as her prime minister, a man who was willing to patiently help and guide her in matters of state. Her naturally impetuous and stubborn nature was tempered by his kindly, yet firm direction and Victoria respected and depended on him in the early years of her reign. She firmly rejected all attempts at manipulation by her mother.

The young Victoria had met her future husband for the first time in 1836, when she was 16 years old and had liked the look of the young man; various plans were afoot to arrange an advantageous marriage and eventually it was decided that marriage to Albert would be suitable. The couple met again in 1839, when Victoria was 19 years old, and this time Victoria fell deeply in love with her young German cousin. He was Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, born in the same year as Queen Victoria, with connections to many of Europe's ruling families. Victoria and Albert were married in 1840.

There is no doubt that the youthful royal couple were in love and devoted to each other and their marriage proved to be a very happy one. Nine children were born to them,

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