London Guide

Queen History

VICTORIA (r. 1837-1901)

Warmhearted and lively Victoria was born on 24 May 1819 at Kensington Palace, London.
She was the only daughter of Edward, Duke of Kent, fourth son of George III.After the death of her father she became heir to the throne .On William IV's death in 1837, she became Queen at the age of 18.
She married to Prince Albert in 1840 and her marriage to Prince Albert brought nine children between 1840 and 1857. Most of her children married into other Royal families of Europe.
Edward VII (born 1841), married Alexandra, daughter of Christian IX of Denmark. Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (born 1844) married Marie of Russia. Arthur, Duke of Connaught (born 1850) married Louise Margaret of Prussia. Leopold, Duke of Albany (born 1853) married Helen of Waldeck-Pyrmont. Victoria, Princess Royal (born 1840) married Friedrich III, German Emperor. Alice (born 1843) married Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine. Helena (born 1846) married Christian of Schleswig-Holstein. Louise (born 1848) married John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll. Beatrice (born 1857) married Henry of Battenberg.

Victoria was deeply attached to her husband and she sank into depression after he died, aged 42, in 1861. She had lost a devoted husband and her principal trusted adviser in affairs of state. For the rest of her reign she wore black. Seven attempts were made on Victoria's life, between 1840 and 1882 - her courageous attitude towards these attacks greatly strengthened her popularity. In foreign policy, the Queen's influence during the middle years of her reign was generally used to support peace and reconciliation. In her later years, she almost became the symbol of the British Empire. Both the Golden (1887) and the Diamond (1897) Jubilees, held to celebrate the 50th and 60th anniversaries of the queen's accession, were marked with great displays and public ceremonies.

Victoria died at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, on 22 January 1901 after a reign which lasted almost 64 years, the longest in British history. She was buried at Windsor beside Prince Albert, in the Frogmore Royal Mausoleum, which she had built for their final resting place. Above the Mausoleum door are inscribed Victoria's words: 'farewell best beloved, here at last I shall rest with thee, with thee in Christ I shall rise again'.

ElizabethI(1558-1603)

Elizabeth was born on September 7, 1533, in Greenwich an estate near London; she was the daughter of Henry VIII. . Elizabeth became the queen of England at the age of 25. She ruled from 1558 to 1603. Elizabeth was well-educated and knew a number of languages. She loved all music and the arts. Elizabeth never married and died on March 24, 1603, at the age of 69 after 45 years of being the queen.

Elizabeth brought in new types of architecture. The first theatre was built under her rule. Shakespeare wrote plays and she had them performed in her theatre. Her court became the centre for musicians, writers and scholars. She encouraged dancing, banquets, poetry, music and, most of all, drama. She also made the first church of England a Protestant denomination. She avoided war with the Roman Catholic nations. She published an Elizabethan Prayer Book.
ElizabethII(1952-1997)

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth was born in London on April, 21 1926, first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, Five weeks later she was christened in the chapel of Buckingham Palace and was given the names Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor. After the death of her father she became heir to the throne on February, 1952. Princess Elizabeth had her early education at home After the Second World War Princess Elizabeth's public engagements grew in number and frequency. Her first official visit overseas took place in 1947, when she accompanied her parents and sister on a tour of South Africa.

Princess Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten in Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947. Prince Charles, now the Prince of Wales and heir apparent to the throne, was born in 1948, the Princess Anne, now the Princess Royal, was born in 1950, the Prince Andrew, now the Duke of York, was born in 1960, and the Prince Edward, in 1964.The Princess was killed in a car crash in Paris on 31st August, 1997. The Princess lay in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace until the night before the funeral.





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