Victoria
Victoria (1819-1901). Queen of Britain and empress of India. She succeeded her uncle, William IV, to the throne in 1837 and in 1840 married her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, who had considerable influence on her policies. She became devoted to him and bore him nine children. Following Albert’s early death from typhoid (1861) she withdrew into seclusion for several years in mourning for him. She concerned herself dutifully with affairs of state, her favourite minister being Disraeli, who proclaimed her empress of India (1876). Her long reign (63 years) saw considerable industrial and colonial expansion and restored stability and dignity to the British crown.
“Queen Victoria in her eighties was more known, more revered, and a more important part of the life of the country than she had ever been. Retirement, for a monarch, is not a good idea. Charles, Prince of Wales (1974)”
