Queen Victoria
Occupation: Queen of the United Kingdom
- Born: May 24, 1819 at Kensington Palace, London
- Died: January 22, 1901 at Osborne House, Isle of Wight
- Best known for: Longest reign of any English Monarch
Born a Princess
Princess Victoria Alexandria was born on May 24, 1819 at Kensington Palace in London. Her father was Edward, the Duke of Kent and her mother was Princess Victoria of Germany.
Victoria lived the life of a young royal and her mother was very protective. She had little contact with other children spending most of her days with adult tutors and playing with dolls when she was young. As she grew older she enjoyed painting, drawing, and writing in her diary.
Heir to the Crown
When Victoria was born, she was fifth in line for the crown of England. It seemed unlikely that she would ever be queen. However, after several of her uncles failed to have children, she became heir to the throne of the current king, William IV.
Becoming Queen
When King William IV died in 1837, Victoria became Queen of the United Kingdom at the age of eighteen. Her official coronation took place on June 28, 1838. Victoria was determined to be a good queen and to restore the faith of the people of the United Kingdom in the monarchy. One of the first things she did was to pay off her father's debts. The people liked her from the start.
Victoria didn't know a lot about how to govern, however, she made a good friend and tutor in the Prime Minister at the time, Lord Melbourne. Melbourne advised Victoria on political issues and had considerable influence over her at the start of her reign.
