Princess Victoria, born 1819, grew up at Kensington Palace. She became queen aged 18 and ruled for 63 years.

The Victorian era saw massive social and political change in Britain, which became the greatest of all imperial powers.

Did you know?

The tiny (5ft) queen was a slim girl but in old age her waist measured 49in, making her look almost spherical.

Kensington became a royal residence in 1689 when King William III and Queen Mary II purchased a private country house and commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to enlarge it for their use. For the next 70 years the palace was at the centre of the life and government of the kingdom and played host to the courts of William and Mary, Queen Anne, George I and George II. In the 19th century, Kensington was the birthplace and home of Princess Victoria (later Queen Victoria).

Victoria as wife and mother

Victoria married her German cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Corburg Gotha; a union largely arranged by scheming relatives. However, it was a marriage based on genuine love, affection and shared interests. The couple first met at Kensington Palace in 1836. When they met again at Windsor in 1839 Victoria fell madly in love and they were married in 1840. The couple produced nine children and the happiness of family Christmases and birthdays were all recorded in Victoria’s diaries. She also followed Albert’s taste in music, art, and literature. Together they shared an ardent interest in raising and educating their children.

A fashion plate showing Queen Victoria in 'Royal Robes', 1838

'My dearest Albert put on my stockings for me. I went in and saw him shave; a great delight for me'

Victoria records her happiness three days after her wedding

Victoria as widow

Prince Albert died from what was thought to be typhoid fever on 14 December 1861, aged 42. Victoria was devoted to her husband and her grief was overwhelming. She wore black for the rest of her reign and for the next decade rarely appeared in public. Victoria never recovered fully from the shock of his death. She became close to her personal servant John Brown and the exact nature of their relationship continues to be controversial today. Although she never neglected her duties, Victoria was widely criticised for living in seclusion.

Gifts

Albert once designed a brooch for Victoria containing their first daughter Vicky’s milk tooth!

Victoria’s World: Britain is transformed

The Queen lived in a world marked by radical change.

Queen Victoria came to the throne as Britain was moving from an agriculturally based economy. By the end of her reign colonial expansion, industrial production and new technologies had transformed the way people viewed the world, how they communicated with one another and how they moved from place to place. Victoria embraced many of these advances. She enthused about the telegraph machine she had seen at the Great Exhibition of 1851. She used chloroform to ease the labour pains during the birth of two of her children and made a voice recording in 1888. The British Empire expanded until it stretched across Africa, Asia, Australia and Canada.

A History of Royal Fashion

Want to take a peek into the wardrobes of the kings and queens of the past?

With exclusive access to the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, this free online course from Historic Royal Palaces & the University of Glasgow explores clothing from the Tudors to the Windsors.

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