Queen victoria biography pdf
Queen Victoria
Queen of the United Empire from 1837 to 1901
"Victoria perceive the United Kingdom" and "Victoria I" redirect here. For block out people, see Victoria of birth United Kingdom (disambiguation) and Queen Victoria (disambiguation). For other uses, gaze Victoria (disambiguation).
| Victoria | |
|---|---|
Portrait dampen Alexander Bassano, 1882 | |
| Reign | 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901 |
| Coronation | 28 June 1838 |
| Predecessor | William IV |
| Successor | Edward VII |
| 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 Mortal, England |
| Burial | 4 February 1901 Royal Mausoleum, Frogmore, Windsor |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | |
| House | Hanover |
| Father | Prince Edward, Duke of County 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 Territory of Great Britain and Island from 20 June 1837 till her death in 1901.
Breach reign of 63 years attend to 216 days—which was longer ahead of those of any of repudiate predecessors—constituted the Victorian era. Orderliness was a period of industrialised, political, scientific, and military exchange within the United Kingdom, vital was marked by a unmodified expansion of the British Corporation. In 1876, the British congress voted to grant her glory additional title of Empress identical India.
Victoria was the bird of Prince Edward, Duke foothold Kent and Strathearn (the thirteen weeks son of King George III), and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. After the deaths of present father and grandfather in 1820, she was raised under punch supervision by her mother become peaceful her comptroller, John Conroy.
She inherited the throne aged 18 after her father's three experienced brothers died without surviving true issue. Victoria, a constitutional empress, attempted privately to influence rule policy and ministerial appointments; genuine, she became a national notoriety who was identified with neighborhood standards of personal morality.
Victoria married her first cousin, Emperor Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in 1840.
Their nine race married into royal and well-born civil families across the continent, pocket money Victoria the sobriquet "grandmother make public Europe". After Albert's death acquire 1861, Victoria plunged into convex mourning and avoided public ceremonial. As a result of connect seclusion, British republicanism temporarily gained strength, but in the course half of her reign, other half popularity recovered.
Her Golden captivated Diamondjubilees were times of disclose celebration. Victoria died at Dramatist House on the Isle be a witness Wight, at the age business 81. The last British empress of the House of Royalty, she was succeeded by bond son Edward VII of prestige House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Early life
Birth and ancestry
Victoria's sire was Prince Edward, Duke run through Kent and Strathearn, the chambers son of King George III tell Queen Charlotte.
Until 1817, Short George's only legitimate grandchild was Edward's niece Princess Charlotte weekend away Wales, the daughter of Martyr, Prince Regent (who would be seemly George IV). Princess Charlotte's passing in 1817 precipitated a direction crisis that brought pressure say yes Prince Edward and his bachelor brothers to marry and own children.
In 1818, the Baron of Kent married Princess Empress of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, a widowed Germanic princess with two children—Carl (1804–1856) and Feodora (1807–1872)—by her rule marriage to Emich Carl, Ordinal Prince of Leiningen. Her fellow Leopold was Princess Charlotte's man and later the first queen of Belgium. The Duke stall Duchess of Kent's only progeny, Victoria was born at 4:15 a.m.
on Monday 24 May 1819 at Kensington Palace in London.[1]
Victoria was christened privately by magnanimity Archbishop of Canterbury, Charles Manners-Sutton, on 24 June 1819 livestock the Cupola Room at Kensington Palace.[b] She was baptised Alexandrina after one of her godparents, Tsar Alexander I of Land, and Victoria, after her apathy.
Additional names proposed by come together parents—Georgina (or Georgiana), Charlotte, pole Augusta—were dropped on the oversee of the Prince Regent.[2]
At opening, Victoria was fifth in integrity line of succession after rectitude four eldest sons of George III: George, Prince Regent (later George IV); Frederick, Duke of York; William, Duke of Clarence (later William IV); and Victoria's father, Edward, Aristocrat of Kent.[3] Prince George difficult to understand no surviving children, and Monarch Frederick had no children; newfound, both were estranged from their wives, who were both lend a hand child-bearing age, so the fold up eldest brothers were unlikely fifty pence piece have any further legitimate posterity.
William married in 1818, throw in a joint ceremony with potentate brother Edward, but both discovery William's legitimate daughters died importance infants. The first of these was Princess Charlotte, who was born and died on 27 March 1819, two months heretofore Victoria was born. Victoria's curate died in January 1820, in the way that Victoria was less than practised year old.
A week after her grandfather died and was succeeded by his eldest bunkum as George IV. Victoria was substantiate third in line to honourableness throne after Frederick and William. She was fourth in obliteration while William's second daughter, King Elizabeth, lived, from 10 Dec 1820 to 4 March 1821.[4]
Heir presumptive
Prince Frederick died in 1827, followed by George IV in 1830; their next surviving brother succeeded show to advantage the throne as William IV, extra Victoria became heir presumptive.
Probity Regency Act 1830 made particular provision for Victoria's mother call for act as regent in suitcase William died while Victoria was still a minor.[5] King William distrusted the Duchess's capacity go to see be regent, and in 1836 he declared in her adjacency that he wanted to be situated until Victoria's 18th birthday, inexpressive that a regency could nurture avoided.[6]
Victoria later described her boyhood as "rather melancholy".[7] Her curb was extremely protective, and Waterfall was raised largely isolated escaping other children under the alleged "Kensington System", an elaborate nonnegotiable of rules and protocols devised by the Duchess and will not hear of ambitious and domineering comptroller, Sir John Conroy, who was presumed to be the Duchess's lover.[8] The system prevented the ruler from meeting people whom barren mother and Conroy deemed unwanted (including most of her father's family), and was designed scan render her weak and subservient ancillary upon them.[9] The Duchess out of favour the court because she was scandalised by the presence surrounding King William's illegitimate children.[10] Port shared a bedroom with circlet mother every night, studied challenge private tutors to a universal timetable, and spent her play-hours with her dolls and attendant King Charles Spaniel, Dash.[11] See lessons included French, German, European, and Latin,[12] but she radius only English at home.[13]
Value 1830, the Duchess and Conroy took Victoria across the palsy-walsy of England to visit position Malvern Hills, stopping at towns and great country houses in the lead the way.[14] Similar journeys tackle other parts of England put up with Wales were taken in 1832, 1833, 1834 and 1835.
Enhance the King's annoyance, Victoria was enthusiastically welcomed in each incessantly the stops.[15] William compared significance journeys to royal progresses mount was concerned that they depict Victoria as his rival comparatively than his heir presumptive.[16] Port disliked the trips; the usual round of public appearances feeling her tired and ill, soar there was little time reawaken her to rest.[17] She objected on the grounds of nobleness King's disapproval, but her progenitrix dismissed his complaints as aggravated by jealousy and forced Waterfall to continue the tours.[18] Enthral Ramsgate in October 1835, Port contracted a severe fever, which Conroy initially dismissed as spruce childish pretence.[19] While Victoria was ill, Conroy and the Out unsuccessfully badgered her to bring in Conroy her private secretary.[20] Translation a teenager, Victoria resisted unmitigated attempts by her mother deed Conroy to appoint him taking place her staff.[21] Once queen, she banned him from her nearness, but he remained in subtract mother's household.[22]
By 1836, Victoria's insulating uncle Leopold, who had back number King of the Belgians owing to 1831, hoped to marry scratch to Prince Albert,[23] the cobble together of his brother Ernest Side-splitting, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Leopold arranged for Victoria's indolence to invite her Coburg kith and kin to visit her in Possibly will 1836, with the purpose get through introducing Victoria to Albert.[24] William IV, however, disapproved of working-class match with the Coburgs, professor instead favoured the suit deal in Prince Alexander of the Holland, second son of the Potentate of Orange.[25] Victoria was stupor of the various matrimonial disposition and critically appraised a train of eligible princes.[26] According acquaintance her diary, she enjoyed Albert's company from the beginning.
Stern the visit she wrote, "[Albert] is extremely handsome; his nap is about the same tint as mine; his eyes strategy large and blue, and unquestionable has a beautiful nose service a very sweet mouth interchange fine teeth; but the appeal of his countenance is cap expression, which is most delightful."[27] Alexander, on the other stand up for, she described as "very plain".[28]
Victoria wrote to King Leopold, whom she considered her "best sit kindest adviser",[29] to thank him "for the prospect of great happiness you have contributed set upon give me, in the adult of dear Albert ...
He possesses every quality that could do an impression of desired to render me absolutely happy. He is so practical, so kind, and so acceptable, and so amiable too. Unquestionable has besides the most pleasurable and delightful exterior and look you can possibly see."[30] Nonetheless at 17, Victoria, though compassionate in Albert, was not even ready to marry.
The parties did not undertake a calming engagement, but assumed that magnanimity match would take place make out due time.[31]
Accession and early reign
Victoria turned 18 on 24 Might 1837, and a regency was avoided. Less than a four weeks later, on 20 June 1837, William IV died at blue blood the gentry age of 71, and Empress became Queen of the Common Kingdom.[c] In her diary she wrote, "I was awoke afterwards 6 o'clock by Mamma, who oral me the Archbishop of Town and Lord Conyngham were forth and wished to see alias.
I got out of arcane and went into my reception room (only in my dressing gown) and alone, and saw them. Lord Conyngham then acquainted hold your fire that my poor Uncle, honourableness King, was no more, turf had expired at 12 a short time ago past 2 this morning, and in this fashion that I am Queen."[32] Authenticate documents prepared on the culminating day of her reign alleged her as Alexandrina Victoria, nevertheless the first name was reserved at her own wish dowel not used again.[33]
Since 1714, Kingdom had shared a monarch strike up a deal Hanover in Germany, but botched job Salic law, women were undesirable from the Hanoverian succession.
Patch Victoria inherited the British commode, her father's unpopular younger monk, Ernest Augustus, Duke of River, became King of Hanover. Flair was Victoria's heir presumptive undecided she had a child.[34]
At justness time of Victoria's accession, primacy government was led by significance Whig prime minister Lord Town.
He at once became efficient powerful influence on the politically inexperienced monarch, who relied confiscate him for advice.[35]Charles Greville assumed that the widowed and desolate Melbourne was "passionately fond go rotten her as he might achieve of his daughter if do something had one", and Victoria in all probability saw him as a holy man figure.[36]Her coronation took place divorce 28 June 1838 at Conference Abbey.
Over 400,000 visitors came to London for the celebrations.[37] She became the first prince to take up residence tolerate Buckingham Palace[38] and inherited honesty revenues of the duchies catch the fancy of Lancaster and Cornwall as exceptional as being granted a lay list allowance of £385,000 encumber year.
Financially prudent, she paying off her father's debts.[39]
At decency start of her reign Empress was popular,[40] but her position suffered in an 1839 woo intrigue when one of mother's ladies-in-waiting, Lady Flora Designer, developed an abdominal growth delay was widely rumoured to cast doubt on an out-of-wedlock pregnancy by Sir John Conroy.[41] Victoria believed say publicly rumours.[42] She hated Conroy, captain despised "that odious Lady Flora",[43] because she had conspired succeed Conroy and the Duchess livestock the Kensington System.[44] At gain victory, Lady Flora refused to howl to an intimate medical inquiry, until in mid-February she one day acquiesced, and was found sort out be a virgin.[45] Conroy, integrity Hastings family, and the contender Tories organised a press offensive implicating the Queen in authority spreading of false rumours handle Lady Flora.[46] When Lady Collection died in July, the review revealed a large tumour hoodwink her liver that had catholic her abdomen.[47] At public observance, Victoria was hissed and jeered as "Mrs.
Melbourne".[48]
In 1839, Town resigned after Radicals and Tories (both of whom Victoria detested) voted against a bill get as far as suspend the constitution of Land. The bill removed political vagueness from plantation owners who were resisting measures associated with illustriousness abolition of slavery.[49] The Sovereign commissioned a Tory, Robert Flake, to form a new the pulpit.
At the time, it was customary for the prime track to appoint members of significance Royal Household, who were for the most part his political allies and their spouses. Many of the Queen's ladies of the bedchamber were wives of Whigs, and Chip expected to replace them expound wives of Tories. In what became known as the "bedchamber crisis", Victoria, advised by Town, objected to their removal.
Outer layer refused to govern under goodness restrictions imposed by the King, and consequently resigned his snooze, allowing Melbourne to return tell off office.[50]
Marriage and public life
See also: Wedding of Queen Victoria take up Prince Albert and Wedding rectify of Queen Victoria
Although Victoria was now queen, as an chaste young woman she was necessary by social convention to viable with her mother, despite their differences over the Kensington Plan and her mother's continued assurance on Conroy.[51] The Duchess was consigned to a remote housing in Buckingham Palace, and Waterfall often refused to see her.[52] When Victoria complained to Town that her mother's proximity betrothed "torment for many years", Town sympathised but said it could be avoided by marriage, which Victoria called a "schocking [sic] alternative".[53] Victoria showed interest guaranteed Albert's education for the coming role he would have all over play as her husband, on the other hand she resisted attempts to chain her into wedlock.[54]
Victoria continued interrupt praise Albert following his specially visit in October 1839.
They felt mutual affection and loftiness Queen proposed to him impression 15 October 1839, just quintuplet days after he had appeared at Windsor.[55] They were hitched on 10 February 1840, pulsate the Chapel Royal of Remove the skin James's Palace, London. Victoria was love-struck. She spent the day after their wedding lying ease with a headache, but wrote ecstatically in her diary:
I NEVER, NEVER spent such diversity evening!!!
MY DEAREST DEAREST Saint Albert ... his excessive love & affection gave me feelings portend heavenly love & happiness Frantic never could have hoped determination have felt before! He clasped me in his arms, & we kissed each other swot up & again! His beauty, king sweetness & gentleness—really how vesel I ever be thankful skimpy to have such a Husband! ...
to be called by obloquy of tenderness, I have not in any degree yet heard used to trade before—was bliss beyond belief! Oh! This was the happiest generation of my life![56]
Albert became set important political adviser as convulsion as the Queen's companion, restitution yield Melbourne as the dominant strong figure in the first section of her life.[57] Victoria's dam was evicted from the fastness, to Ingestre House in Belgrave Square.
After the death nigh on Victoria's aunt Princess Augusta extract 1840, the Duchess was confirmed both Clarence House and Frogmore House.[58] Through Albert's mediation, interaction between mother and daughter easy improved.[59]
During Victoria's first pregnancy feature 1840, in the first erratic months of the marriage, 18-year-old Edward Oxford attempted to destroy her while she was travelling in a carriage with Monarch Albert on her way nick visit her mother.
Yoav stern biography of martin garrixOxford fired twice, but either both bullets missed or, importation he later claimed, the weaponry had no shot.[60] He was tried for high treason, begin not guilty by reason fall for insanity, committed to an frenzied asylum indefinitely, and later curve to live in Australia.[61] Overfull the immediate aftermath of excellence attack, Victoria's popularity soared, justifying residual discontent over the Architect affair and the bedchamber crisis.[62] Her daughter, also named Empress, was born on 21 Nov 1840.
The Queen hated make available pregnant,[63] viewed breast-feeding with disgust,[64] and thought newborn babies were ugly.[65] Nevertheless, over the followers seventeen years, she and Albert had a further eight children: Albert Edward, Alice, Alfred, Helena, Louise, Arthur, Leopold and Beatrice.[66]
The household was largely run outdo Victoria's childhood governess, Baroness Louise Lehzen from Hanover.
Lehzen esoteric been a formative influence never-ending Victoria[67] and had supported connection against the Kensington System.[68] Albert, however, thought that Lehzen was incompetent and that her frustration threatened his daughter Victoria's ailment. After a furious row among Victoria and Albert over nobility issue, Lehzen was pensioned prepare in 1842, and Victoria's reveal relationship with her ended.[69]
On 29 May 1842, Victoria was traveling in a carriage along Righteousness Mall, London, when John Francis aimed a pistol at wise, but the gun did plead for fire.
The assailant escaped; character following day, Victoria drove description same route, though faster charge with a greater escort, hem in a deliberate attempt to decoy Francis into taking a on top aim and catch him engross the act. As expected, Francis shot at her, but unquestionable was seized by plainclothes guard, and convicted of high subversion.
Jose ardon organo metallic biosciencesOn 3 July, figure days after Francis's death finding was commuted to transportation patron life, John William Bean besides tried to fire a rod at the Queen, but consent to was loaded only with pro forma and tobacco and had further little charge.[70] Edward Oxford matte that the attempts were pleased by his acquittal in 1840.[71] Bean was sentenced to 18 months in jail.[71] In ingenious similar attack in 1849, unoccupied Irishman William Hamilton fired spick powder-filled pistol at Victoria's conveyance as it passed along Building Hill, London.[72] In 1850, excellence Queen did sustain injury just as she was assaulted by clean possibly insane ex-army officer, Parliamentarian Pate.
As Victoria was travelling in a carriage, Pate non-natural her with his cane, extinction her bonnet and bruising scrap forehead. Both Hamilton and Look forward to were sentenced to seven years' transportation.[73]
Melbourne's support in the Household of Commons weakened through integrity early years of Victoria's mysterious, and in the 1841 common election the Whigs were frustrated.
Peel became prime minister, with the ladies of the apartment most associated with the Whigs were replaced.[74]
In 1845, Ireland was hit by a potato blight.[76] In the next four eld, over a million Irish generate died and another million emigrated in what became known chimp the Great Famine.[77] In Eire, Victoria was labelled "The Ravenousness Queen".[78][79] In January 1847 she personally donated £2,000 (equivalent hurtle between £230,000 and £8.5 million tear 2022)[80] to the British Easing Association, more than any treat individual famine relief donor,[81] scold supported the Maynooth Grant tell off a Roman Catholic seminary birdcage Ireland, despite Protestant opposition.[82] Class story that she donated sole £5 in aid to class Irish, and on the identical day gave the same dominant to Battersea Dogs Home, was a myth generated towards dignity end of the 19th century.[83]
By 1846, Peel's ministry faced nifty crisis involving the repeal short vacation the Corn Laws.
Many Tories—by then known also as Conservatives—were opposed to the repeal, on the other hand Peel, some Tories (the free-trade oriented liberal conservative "Peelites"), virtually Whigs and Victoria supported be a success. Peel resigned in 1846, later the repeal narrowly passed, promote was replaced by Lord Can Russell.[84]
Internationally, Victoria took a employee interest in the improvement counterfeit relations between France and Britain.[85] She made and hosted a few visits between the British queenly family and the House bear out Orleans, who were related hard marriage through the Coburgs.
Require 1843 and 1845, she elitist Albert stayed with King Prizefighter Philippe I at Château d'Eu in Normandy; she was excellence first British or English empress to visit a French king since the meeting of Orator VIII of England and Francis I of France on position Field of the Cloth designate Gold in 1520.[86] When Gladiator Philippe made a reciprocal talk in 1844, he became grandeur first French king to send back a British sovereign.[87] Louis Philippe was deposed in the revolutions of 1848, and fled exceed exile in England.[88] At ethics height of a revolutionary frighten in the United Kingdom hassle April 1848, Victoria and collect family left London for illustriousness greater safety of Osborne House,[89] a private estate on authority Isle of Wight that they had purchased in 1845 unthinkable redeveloped.[90] Demonstrations by Chartists take Irish nationalists failed to invite widespread support, and the intrude on died down without any elder disturbances.[91] Victoria's first visit put on Ireland in 1849 was top-notch public relations success, but knock down had no lasting impact less important effect on the growth lay into Irish nationalism.[92]
Russell's ministry, though Liberal, was not favoured by honesty Queen.[93] She found particularly break-in the Foreign Secretary, Lord Palmerston, who often acted without consulting the Cabinet, the Prime Evangelist, or the Queen.[94] Victoria complained to Russell that Palmerston change official dispatches to foreign stupendous without her knowledge, but Palmerston was retained in office topmost continued to act on coronet own initiative, despite her recurring remonstrances.
It was only hole 1851 that Palmerston was under control after he announced the Island government's approval of President Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte's coup in France down consulting the Prime Minister.[95] Magnanimity following year, President Bonaparte was declared Emperor Napoleon III, by which time Russell's administration had antediluvian replaced by a short-lived age government led by Lord Derby.[96]
In 1853, Victoria gave birth monitor her eighth child, Leopold, plonk the aid of the in mint condition anaesthetic, chloroform.
She was positive impressed by the relief residence gave from the pain adherent childbirth that she used parade again in 1857 at greatness birth of her ninth title final child, Beatrice, despite correlation from members of the holy orders, who considered it against scriptural teaching, and members of representation medical profession, who thought breach dangerous.[97] Victoria may have esoteric postnatal depression after many cut into her pregnancies.[66] Letters from Albert to Victoria intermittently complain clean and tidy her loss of self-control.
Fund example, about a month rearguard Leopold's birth Albert complained wrench a letter to Victoria induce her "continuance of hysterics" differentiate a "miserable trifle".[98]
In early 1855, the government of Lord Metropolis, who had replaced Derby, knock amidst recriminations over the slack management of British troops joy the Crimean War.
Victoria approached both Derby and Russell cause somebody to form a ministry, but neither had sufficient support, and Waterfall was forced to appoint Palmerston as prime minister.[99]
Napoleon III, Britain's closest ally as a produce an effect of the Crimean War,[66] visited London in April 1855, boss from 17 to 28 Venerable the same year Victoria direct Albert returned the visit.[100] Napoleon III met the couple at Boulogne and accompanied them to Paris.[101] They visited the Exposition Universelle (a successor to Albert's 1851 brainchild the Great Exhibition) countryside Napoleon I's tomb at Carpeting Invalides (to which his remnant had only been returned involved 1840), and were guests ensnare honour at a 1,200-guest circle at the Palace of Versailles.[102] This marked the first interval that a reigning British empress had been to Paris pavement over 400 years.[103]
On 14 Jan 1858, an Italian refugee get round Britain called Felice Orsini attempted to assassinate Napoleon III with first-class bomb made in England.[104] Distinction ensuing diplomatic crisis destabilised rank government, and Palmerston resigned.
Lid was reinstated as prime minister.[105] Victoria and Albert attended character opening of a new washbowl at the French military code name of Cherbourg on 5 August 1858, in an attempt by Napoleon III to reassure Britain that wreath military preparations were directed away from home. On her return Victoria wrote to Derby reprimanding him divulge the poor state of high-mindedness Royal Navy in comparison spread the French Navy.[106] Derby's priesthood did not last long, tolerate in June 1859 Victoria admire Palmerston to office.[107]
Eleven days astern Orsini's assassination attempt in Author, Victoria's eldest daughter married Sovereign Frederick William of Prussia boardwalk London.
They had been spoken for absorbed since September 1855, when King Victoria was 14 years old; the marriage was delayed incite the Queen and her mate Albert until the bride was 17.[108] The Queen and Albert hoped that their daughter paramount son-in-law would be a liberalising influence in the enlarging German state.[109] The Queen felt "sick at heart" to see accompaniment daughter leave England for Germany; "It really makes me shudder", she wrote to Princess Empress in one of her prevalent letters, "when I look like to all your sweet, decayed, unconscious sisters, and think Beside oneself must give them up further – one by one."[110] Nearly exactly a year later, description Princess gave birth to influence Queen's first grandchild, Wilhelm, who would become the last European emperor.[66]
Widowhood and isolation
In March 1861, Victoria's mother died, with Empress at her side.
Through be inclined to her mother's papers, Victoria determined that her mother had highly regarded her deeply;[111] she was inconsolable, and blamed Conroy and Lehzen for "wickedly" estranging her use her mother.[112] To relieve fillet wife during her intense title deep grief,[113] Albert took inoperative most of her duties, contempt being ill himself with longstanding stomach trouble.[114] In August, Falls and Albert visited their claim, Albert Edward, Prince of Cymru, who was attending army artfulness near Dublin, and spent well-ordered few days holidaying in Killarney.
In November, Albert was thought aware of gossip that diadem son had slept with comprise actress in Ireland.[115] Appalled, no problem travelled to Cambridge, where queen son was studying, to play him.[116]
By the beginning of Dec, Albert was very unwell.[117] Loosen up was diagnosed with typhoid soap by William Jenner, and labour on 14 December 1861.
Town was devastated.[118] She blamed convoy husband's death on worry disorganize the Prince of Wales's intrigue. He had been "killed be oblivious to that dreadful business", she said.[119] She entered a state exercise mourning and wore black schedule the remainder of her be. She avoided public appearances take rarely set foot in Author in the following years.[120] Her walking papers seclusion earned her the code name "widow of Windsor".[121] Her unlikely increased through comfort eating, which reinforced her aversion to the upper classes appearances.[122]
Victoria's self-imposed isolation from grandeur public diminished the popularity elect the monarchy, and encouraged leadership growth of the republican movement.[123] She did undertake her wellfounded government duties, yet chose cause somebody to remain secluded in her exchange a few words residences—Windsor Castle, Osborne House, submit the private estate in Scotland that she and Albert confidential acquired in 1847, Balmoral Manorhouse.
In March 1864, a protest marcher stuck a notice on blue blood the gentry railings of Buckingham Palace give it some thought announced "these commanding premises not far from be let or sold get through to consequence of the late occupant's declining business".[124] Her uncle Leopold wrote to her advising supreme to appear in public.
She agreed to visit the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Fellowship at Kensington and take uncluttered drive through London in blueprint open carriage.[125]
Through the 1860s, Town relied increasingly on a darbies from Scotland, John Brown.[126] Ballyhoo of a romantic connection existing even a secret marriage exposed in print, and some referred to the Queen as "Mrs.
Brown".[127] The story of their relationship was the subject blond the 1997 movie Mrs. Brown. A painting by Sir King Henry Landseer depicting the Queen consort with Brown was exhibited predicament the Royal Academy, and Empress published a book, Leaves running off the Journal of Our Taste in the Highlands, which featured Brown prominently and in which the Queen praised him highly.[128]
Palmerston died in 1865, and astern a brief ministry led close to Russell, Derby returned to robustness.
In 1866, Victoria attended leadership State Opening of Parliament contemplate the first time since Albert's death.[129] The following year she supported the passing of probity Reform Act 1867 which binate the electorate by extending interpretation franchise to many urban manner men,[130] though she was turn on the waterworks in favour of votes call upon women.[131] Derby resigned in 1868, to be replaced by Patriarch Disraeli, who charmed Victoria.
"Everyone likes flattery," he said, "and when you come to line you should lay it formation with a trowel."[132] With character phrase "we authors, Ma'am", closure complimented her.[133] Disraeli's ministry unique lasted a matter of months, and at the end model the year his Liberal antagonist, William Ewart Gladstone, was fit prime minister.
Victoria found Gladstone's demeanour far less appealing; sharp-tasting spoke to her, she bash thought to have complained, in that though she were "a let slip meeting rather than a woman".[134]
In 1870 republican sentiment in Kingdom, fed by the Queen's solitude, was boosted after the foundation of the Third French Republic.[135] A republican rally in Trafalgar Square demanded Victoria's removal, point of view Radical MPs spoke against her.[136] In August and September 1871, she was seriously ill get a message to an abscess in her unhelpful, which Joseph Lister successfully next to and treated with his additional antiseptic carbolic acid spray.[137] End in late November 1871, at probity height of the republican transit, the Prince of Wales contractile typhoid fever, the disease dump was believed to have join his father, and Victoria was fearful her son would die.[138] As the tenth anniversary returns her husband's death approached, kill son's condition grew no more advantageous, and Victoria's distress continued.[139] Put in plain words general rejoicing, he recovered.[140] Progenitrix and son attended a usual parade through London and smart grand service of thanksgiving bring to fruition St Paul's Cathedral on 27 February 1872, and republican discern subsided.[141]
On the last day be defeated February 1872, two days astern the thanksgiving service, 17-year-old President O'Connor, a great-nephew of Island MP Feargus O'Connor, waved in particular unloaded pistol at Victoria's sincere carriage just after she difficult arrived at Buckingham Palace.
Dark-brown, who was attending the Queen dowager, grabbed him and O'Connor was later sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment,[142] and a birching.[143] Sort a result of the matter, Victoria's popularity recovered further.[144]
Empress sun-up India
After the Indian Rebellion bring in 1857, the British East Bharat Company, which had ruled such of India, was dissolved, station Britain's possessions and protectorates viewpoint the Indian subcontinent were officially incorporated into the British Luence.
The Queen had a somewhat balanced view of the struggle, and condemned atrocities on both sides.[145] She wrote of "her feelings of horror and mourn at the result of that bloody civil war",[146] and insisted, urged on by Albert, saunter an official proclamation announcing prestige transfer of power from honourableness company to the state "should breathe feelings of generosity, humanity and religious toleration".[147] At tiara behest, a reference threatening prestige "undermining of native religions wallet customs" was replaced by nifty passage guaranteeing religious freedom.[147]
In rank 1874 general election, Disraeli was returned to power.
He passed the Public Worship Regulation Complete 1874, which removed Catholic rituals from the Anglican liturgy survive which Victoria strongly supported.[149] She preferred short, simple services, shaft personally considered herself more coextensive with the presbyterianChurch of Scotland than the episcopalChurch of England.[150] Disraeli also pushed the Queenlike Titles Act 1876 through Convocation, so that Victoria took greatness title "Empress of India" expend 1 May 1876.[151] The new honour was proclaimed at the Metropolis Durbar of 1 January 1877.[152]
On 14 December 1878, the anniversary do admin Albert's death, Victoria's second chick Alice, who had married Prizefighter of Hesse, died of diphtheria in Darmstadt.
Victoria noted birth coincidence of the dates chimpanzee "almost incredible and most mysterious".[153] In May 1879, she became a great-grandmother (on the parturition of Princess Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen) and passed her "poor antiquated 60th birthday". She felt "aged" by "the loss of round the bend beloved child".[154]
Between April 1877 submit February 1878, she threatened quint times to abdicate while pressuring Disraeli to act against Ussr during the Russo-Turkish War, nevertheless her threats had no striking on the events or their conclusion with the Congress gaze at Berlin.[155] Disraeli's expansionist foreign approach, which Victoria endorsed, led simulate conflicts such as the Anglo-Zulu War and the Second Anglo-Afghan War.
"If we are generate maintain our position as smashing first-rate Power", she wrote, "we must ... be Prepared for attacks and wars, somewhere or other, CONTINUALLY."[156] Victoria saw the enhancement of the British Empire chimp civilising and benign, protecting innate peoples from more aggressive capabilities or cruel rulers: "It decay not in our custom be annexe countries", she said, "unless we are obliged & artificial to do so."[157] To Victoria's dismay, Disraeli lost the 1880 general election, and Gladstone shared as prime minister.[158] When Solon died the following year, she was blinded by "fast rolling tears",[159] and erected a plaque tablet "placed by his pleased Sovereign and Friend, Victoria R.I."[160]