Queen Victoria

Front cover of book

Book- 'Queen Victoria by Richard Garrett' 

The nineteenth Century in Britain is often known as the Victorian Age. For many years, "Victorian" was a term of abuse; now, we are better able to see what was good in this remarkable period during which our modern way of life was shaped. Victorias reign (1837-1901) was an age of invention, of discovery, of heroism, of confidece in an endless progress towards a better way of life.

Princess Victoria aged 2, with
her mother the Duchess of Kent

What was she like, this tiny women who ruled for sixty-four years over the worlds most powerful nation, who gave her name to everything from railway stations to an Australian state? Queen Victoria too was a mass of contradictions- she was thoroughly happy to be a woman monarch, but she thought it disgusting that women should dream of becoming doctors. She was less than five feet tall, and neither beautiful nor regal in her apappearanceYet she was loved by her people as few rulers have ever been loved, and statesmen from Europe to India trembled when the "Great White Queen" showed her displeasure.

Victoria, aged 15

The young Princess Victoria was a podgy infant, with fair hair and blue eyes. As she grew older, she was given to tantrums, and one of her governesses said she has never seen 'such a naughty hild'. Nevertheless, she was, they all agreed, very pretty, and she had one great vitue. She always spoke the truth. As Victoria grew older King George lV died in 1837, when his successor was only 18 years of age. The work of preparing Victoria for the throne had been gathering pace. The Queen-to-be was less than five feet tall, but that was no reason why she should not walk in a queenly manner. Victoria was very found of learning as the Bishops of London and Lincoln were asked to examine her in scripture, history, grammar, geography, arithmetic and Latin. She answered their questions with no great difficulty, and they  pronounced her fit for any task which might lie ahead. Strangely Victoria had never seen herself as a future Queen, and the discovery made her unhappy.

Being anointed with oil by
the Archbishop of Canterbury 

"I cried much on learning it" she confined to her diary.
"I am nearer to the throne than I thought." To the bishops, she simply said: "I will be good."

The rude Hanoverian clay, which had produced so many grotesques, had at last modelled a figure of unimagined beauty. In fact, Victoria was not beautiful and, with her short stature, not particularly impressive to look at; but the public was entranced. What reality could not produce in their Queen, her subjects fashioned in their imaginations. On 28th June 1838, her coronation was due to take place.

Victoria at her coronation
regalia

The Queen herself, was in no hurry to get married. In April 1839, she told Melbourne that "at present my feeling is against ever marrying." Had she decided to model herself on Elizabeth 1. On the 10th October 1839, Albert and his brother Ernest presented themselves at Windsor castle. As children they had met several times and was a very serious person. He was, as ir happened, Victorias first cousin. However in short, she fell hopelessly in love with him. It was agreed that they should be married in the following February, 1840. In their relationship, and upbringing of the royal children, she always made one thin perfectly clear. She might be Head of State, but he was the head of the family. She adapted herself to him: to his stiff principles and his stern views. The fun-loving Queen, who used to dance all night, had vanished. The age of Victorian prudery had began.

The wedding of Victoria and Albert
in the Chapel Royal, Windsor Castle

The new eposch, which followed Prince Alberts view of life. Somehow Queen Victoria believed there had to be a symbol of these new attitudes, and of progress progress since her uncles' reign: a grand demonstration of what could be regarded as Prince Alberts manifesto. Eventually, it was decided that there should be a great exhibition- or, rather, the Great Exhibition. The year was 1851.

Victoria as she appeared on the
worlds first postage stamp, the
Penny Black 1840

Nineteenth century Britain was a land of violent contrasts: of an affluent middle class whose prosperity depended on the ill-paid labours of those whom Victoria was affectionately as "the lowest of lows." Prince Albert had been warned by his advisers to live without to much display. His Royal Highness did his best to comply. In 1842, for instance, a costume ball was held at Buckingham Palace in aid of the unemployed silk weavers of Spitalfields, London.

Victoria with Princess Beatrice,
the youngest daughter

All told, Victoria and Albert had nice children, not an unusual number at the time. The first to arrive was Victoria, Princess Royal (fondly known as "Vicky"), who was born in 1840. The Prince of Wales (later Edward Vll) was born in the following year. the last of the line was Princess Beatrice who arrived in 1857.

The death of Albert: Albert had been overworking; there was no doubt about that. The first signs that there might be something seriously wrong with him appeared at the end of a wet day in November, 1861. He then started complaining of feeling unwell. The symptoms seemed to be rheumatism, insomnia, and a general feeling of depression. Prince Albert was suffering from typhoid fever, unfortunately it was now too late. At last the reality of the situation became cleare to the Queen. One by one, the royal children were assembled; and, one by one, they said goodbye to their father. At 10.45 on the evening of the 14th December, 1861, he died. The Queen let out a short, heart-rendering, cry of despair. The long evening on her own life had begun. Her Grief threw her into agonies until it seemed as if she would go mad.

Victoria and Albert together
just before the Princes last
illness

"My life as a happy one is ended" wrote this window of forty-two.

Queen Victoria as she was often seen
in old age- gazing lovingly at
portraits and mementoes of Prince
Albert

Her life had, indeed, bacome a gradual process of withdrawal. One year of mouring faded into another, and the Queens grief showing no signs of abating. They were compelled to go out in dark clothes: balls and parties were forbidden and even the clothing trade suffered from this. At last, the Queen had stepped out of the dark corridor of mourning, and, within two years, there was Mr. Disraeli to guide her through the patchy sunshine of government The British Empire was growing in size and wealth, although she was still actively involved in affairs of state, nobody could deny that the Queen was getting older. Her eyesight was beginning to fail, and she once misread a telegram. As she aged, so did Victorias popularity with her people seem to swell. In June 1887, she celebrated the Golden Jubilee of her reign by driving to Westminter Abbey. She felt "very tired, but very happy." All her sons and daughters were married, and there were frequent visits by grandchildren to Osbourne. Towards the end of her life there were thirty-seven of them. But she was becoming very old and tired. Nevertheless when, on the 14th January, 1901, Lord Roberts came to see her. When the general had gone, however she collapsed. Just over a week later, on the 22nd January, she died. The Prince of Wales sent the following message in the afternoo.

"My beloved mother the Queen had just (6.30) passed away, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. (signed) Albert Edward.

Only Queen Victoria was happy. She had gone to join Albert.

Richard Garrett's 'Queen Victoria' is a fascinating portrait of the woman and the sovereign. It reveals her thoughts on public and private affairs during twenty years of idyllic love with Prince Albert, and forty years of unhappy widowhood. It also shows how she helped to shape the world in which we live today.