Queen Victoria

Victoria
Portrait by Alexander Bassano, 1882
Queen of the United Kingdom
Reign	20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901
Coronation	28 June 1838
Predecessor	William IV
Successor	Edward VII
Empress of India
Reign	1 May 1876 – 22 January 1901
Imperial Durbar	1 January 1877
Predecessor	Position established
Successor	Edward VII
Born	Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent (1819-05-24)24 May 1819 Kensington Palace, London, England
Died	22 January 1901(1901-01-22) (aged 81) Osborne House, Isle of Wight, England
Burial	4 February 1901 Royal Mausoleum, Frogmore, Windsor
Spouse	Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha ​ ​ (m. 1840; died 1861)​
Issue	Victoria, German Empress Edward VII Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Helena, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany Beatrice, Princess Henry of Battenberg
House	Hanover
Father	Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn
Mother	Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Religion	Protestant[a]
Signature

Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom from 1837 until her death in 1901. She reigned for 63 years and 216 days, until she was surpassed by her great-great granddaughter Queen Elizabeth ll.

She was taught by her governess, Louise Lehzen, and Reverend George Davys. She learned to speak and read German and French well. Queen Victoria enjoyed dancing, drawing, horse riding and singing. She had lessons as a child from the famous opera singer Luigi LaBlache. She liked to paint and could play the piano.^[1] She kept a regular diary throughout her life.

Victoria married her first cousin, Prince Albert, in 1840. He supported science, trade and art in Britain. Victoria and Albert had nine children. They believed that a good family life and Christianity were very important. In general, English people followed their example.

The Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace opened in 1851. It happened partly because of Albert's hard work. The exhibition showed the success of British people in Victorian times.

In 1861, Prince Albert died and Victoria stayed away from public life.

Britain became more powerful in the following years, and in 1877, Victoria got the title Empress of India. Victoria was very interested in India, but she never went there to the subcontinent. Her son went there instead.

In 1897, Victoria celebrated 60 years of being monarch. This surpassed her grandfather King George III. She was queen for 63 years, seven months longer than any other king or queen of Britain. People called her the 'grandmother of Europe' because many of Victoria's children became kings, princes and princesses of other countries.

After she died from a brain haemorrhage, her son Albert Edward became King Edward VII became King of the United Kingdom and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 to 6 May 1910.
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1. ↑ Arnstein, Walter L. "Victoria, Queen of Great Britain." Europe 1789-1914, Encyclopedia of the Age of Industry & Empire. Gale Biography in Context. Web. 10 June 2014.