Queen Victoria

Is it Georgiana Charlotte Augusta Alexandrina Victoria or just Alexandrina Victoria? Queen Victoria was born at Kensington Palace, London on May 24, 1819. She was the only child of Edward, the fourth son of King George III, and Victoria Mary Louise, the daughter of a German Duke. It was planned

that the duke and duchess were to name their daughter Georgiana Charlotte Augusta Alexandrina Victoria but Prince Regent refused to have his name (George) nor his daughters name (Charlotte Augusta) to be his god daughter’s name. She was known as Alexandrina Victoria but was nicknamed Drina, her mother always called her Victoria. All this happiness ended when her dad, the Duke of Kent, died only eight months after she was born. The reason was because he let a small fever turn into pneumonia. Only a week after the death, King George III died and Prince Regent became King George IV.

Princess Victoria was brought up in the Kensington Palace, London by he governess. Her mom was so afraid of Victoria getting murdered by her uncle, who wanted to next in line for the throne. Victoria was never left alone there were always people who kept an eye out for her. She was too overprotected; she couldn’t even walk up the stairs with out holding some ones hand. John Conroy, who was her mother’s comptroller, kept a close eye on Victoria and was responsible for her. German was her main language until she the age of three. She then learned English and could speak it with out an accent. She also learned Italian because she loved listening to opera. Her favorite subject in school was his but she never knew she was soon going to play a major part in it. At age eleven she saw a family tree and said, “I’m nearer to the throne then I thought.” In her teens she became ill from complications of tonsillitis. With this weakness Conroy tried to take advantage of her and asked her to sign a document saying he would be her secretary when she became Queen. Victoria refused. Victoria was close to her older sister, Feodora. She would send Victoria letters to cheer her up. In the summer of 1836, her cousins, Ernest and Albert, came to visit. Her mother thought one of the boys would be a good match for Victoria. Their father the Duke of Saxe-Coberg-Gotha, didn’t like the idea. May 24, 1837, she celebrated her 18th birthday. Now the only person standing in the way of her and the throne is King William IV. On June 20th 1937 at 6am, she was woken to hear the news that her uncle William (King William IV) had died. She was not a child anymore. She’s a woman and a Queen. Queen Victoria’s life, compared to other queens, was one of the better ones.

Victoria was one most liked Queens of England. But before Victoria the monarchy was not very popular any more. She won back the hearts and the respect of her people. She was served by powerful prime ministers. They included: Robert Peel. William Gladstone, and Benjamin Disraeli. Victoria’s favorite was Disraeli. In 1897, Britain celebrated 60 years of Victoria’s rein. The guest that joined her there were monarchs and princes and princesses who were children and grandchildren of Queen Victoria.

Albert, Victoria’s first cousin, met up with her again when she was nineteen. She thought he was a nice, sweet, handsome young man. She proposed to him because she was in higher rank then her was. He accepted although he didn’t really want to but he had to keep the heir going. He felt he was the only that could do that. February 10, 1840, the couple got married. Albert grew to love his wife. One of their major arguments was when their first daughter became ill and the governess didn’t handle it properly. Albert got mad. Victoria was against him and thought that the governess was doing a good job. He left it alone and said if the child died it would be her fault. She dismissed the governess and Vicky survived. The “dark cloud” was lifted from the royal family. Albert was known personally by the public. He helped people who faced in security, privation, epidemic diseases, and early deaths. Queen Victoria looked up to her husband and felt like he deserved a royal name. She gave him the title Prince Consort by Royal Letters Patent. No queen has ever done that before. When Albert died, Victoria’s grief grew. She started wearing black and became seriously depressed. Victoria became obsessive with her relationship that she cast him as a saint. As she put it he was, “an almost supernatural being who was too fine for this world and therefore left it early.” Her marriage to Albert brought nine kids from the years 1840-1852.

Princess Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise was born in 1840. Her nickname was Vicky. She married Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia. Vicky had seven children.

Prince Albert Edward was born in 1841. His nickname was Bertie. In 1863 he married Princess Alexandra of Denmark. They had six children. He became king after Victoria