Queen Victoria

Date of Birth: May 24, 1819

Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Date of Death: January 22, 1901

Biography

Queen Victoria, born Alexandrina Victoria on May 24, 1819, was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from June 20, 1837, until her death on January 22, 1901. Her reign of 63 years and seven months, known as the Victorian era, was longer than that of any of her predecessors and marked a period of significant industrial, cultural, political, scientific, and military change within the United Kingdom, and was characterized by a great expansion of the British Empire. Victoria was the only child of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. She inherited the throne at the age of 18, after her father’s three elder brothers had all died, leaving no legitimate, surviving children. In 1840, she married her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Their marriage produced nine children, many of whom married into royal and noble families across the continent, earning Victoria the nickname “the grandmother of Europe.” During her reign, Victoria became a national icon and was associated with Britain’s great age of industrial expansion, economic progress, and, especially, empire. She became the Empress of India in 1877. Her reign saw the establishment of many modern political and social institutions, and she was a central figure in the cultural transformation of Britain.

5 Interesting Facts about Queen Victoria

1. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to reside at Buckingham Palace.

2. She survived seven assassination attempts during her reign.

3. Queen Victoria was the first known carrier of hemophilia, a genetic disorder, which she passed on to various royal families in Europe.

4. She was the first British monarch to use trains, making her first journey in 1842.

5. Queen Victoria spoke several languages, including English, German, French, Italian, and Latin.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Queen Victoria

1. “We are not interested in the possibilities of defeat; they do not exist.”

2. “Great events make me quiet and calm; it is only trifles that irritate my nerves.”

3. “The important thing is not what they think of me, but what I think of them.”

4. “I feel sure that no girl would go to the altar if she knew all.”

5. “Beware of artists – they mix with all classes of society and are therefore most dangerous.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the time of her death in 1901, Queen Victoria’s estimated net worth was around £500 million in today’s money, considering her personal assets and properties.

Children

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had nine children: 1. Victoria, Princess Royal (1840-1901) 2. Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (1841-1910), later King Edward VII 3. Alice, Princess of Hesse (1843-1878) 4. Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1844-1900) 5. Helena, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein (1846-1923) 6. Louise, Duchess of Argyll (1848-1939) 7. Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1850-1942) 8. Leopold, Duke of Albany (1853-1884) 9. Beatrice, Princess Henry of Battenberg (1857-1944)