Who was Queen Victoria?
Queen Victoria ruled the United Kingdom from 1837 to 1901. Her 63-year reign, known as the Victorian era, was a time of industrial growth and expansion of the British Empire.
Victoria was born in London in 1819 and became queen at just 18, after the death of her uncle, King William IV. In 1840, she married her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. They had nine children, many of whom married into other European royal families, earning Victoria the nickname grandmother of Europe.
Albert died in 1861, and Victoria wore black in mourning for the rest of her life. Her reign saw railways, factories and cities grow rapidly, along with great changes in science, art and politics. In 1876, she was given the title Empress of India.
Her legacy
Victoria died in January 1901 at age 81. Her reign was the longest of any British monarch until Queen Elizabeth II, her great-great-granddaughter, passed it in 2015. Many places are named after her, including the Australian state of Victoria, Lake Victoria in Africa and Victoria Falls.
Did You Know?
Queen Victoria helped popularize white wedding dresses. Before her 1840 wedding, brides often wore dresses in many different colors.