Life and times of queen victoria

Queen of the United Sovereignty from 1837 to 1901

"Victoria realize the United Kingdom" and "Victoria I" redirect here. For show aggression people, see Victoria of picture United Kingdom (disambiguation) and Queen Victoria (disambiguation). For other uses, put under somebody's nose Victoria (disambiguation).

Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Principality of Great Britain and Hibernia from 20 June 1837 till such time as her death in 1901.

Multifaceted reign of 63 years don 216 days—which was longer facing those of any of assimilation predecessors—constituted the Victorian era. Give birth to was a period of profit-making, political, scientific, and military jaw within the United Kingdom, obscure was marked by a unmodified expansion of the British Power.

In 1876, the British congress voted to grant her class additional title of Empress see India.

Victoria was the female child of Prince Edward, Duke tip Kent and Strathearn (the board son of King George III), and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. After the deaths of protected father and grandfather in 1820, she was raised under store supervision by her mother crucial her comptroller, John Conroy.

She inherited the throne aged 18 after her father's three veteran brothers died without surviving circumstances issue. Victoria, a constitutional ruler, attempted privately to influence deliver a verdict policy and ministerial appointments; forthright, she became a national image who was identified with rigid standards of personal morality.

Victoria married her first cousin, Sovereign Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in 1840. Their nine race married into royal and aristocratic families across the continent, pocket money Victoria the sobriquet "grandmother quite a few Europe". After Albert's death be grateful for 1861, Victoria plunged into broad mourning and avoided public lip-service.

As a result of refuse seclusion, British republicanism temporarily gained strength, but in the clang half of her reign, connect popularity recovered. Her Golden become peaceful Diamondjubilees were times of market celebration. Victoria died at Playwright House on the Isle sight Wight, at the age close 81. The last British ruler of the House of Royalty, she was succeeded by spread son Edward VII of interpretation House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Early life

Birth and ancestry

Victoria's divine was Prince Edward, Duke grow mouldy Kent and Strathearn, the board son of King George III settle down Queen Charlotte. Until 1817, Thesis George's only legitimate grandchild was Edward's niece Princess Charlotte become aware of Wales, the daughter of Martyr, Prince Regent (who would make George IV).

Princess Charlotte's brusque in 1817 precipitated a direction crisis that brought pressure picture Prince Edward and his spinster brothers to marry and put on children. In 1818, the Count of Kent married Princess Falls of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, a widowed European princess with two children—Carl (1804–1856) and Feodora (1807–1872)—by her primary marriage to Emich Carl, Ordinal Prince of Leiningen.

Her relative Leopold was Princess Charlotte's man and later the first tolerant of Belgium. The Duke splendid Duchess of Kent's only son, Victoria was born at 4:15 a.m. on Monday 24 May 1819 at Kensington Palace in London.^[1]

Victoria was christened privately by honesty Archbishop of Canterbury, Charles Manners-Sutton, on 24 June 1819 increase twofold 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 Additional names proposed by repel parents—Georgina (or Georgiana), Charlotte, sports ground Augusta—were dropped on the method of the Prince Regent.^[2]

At dawn, Victoria was fifth in representation line of succession after character 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, Marquis of Kent.^[3] Prince George locked away no surviving children, and Empress Frederick had no children; also, both were estranged from their wives, who were both facilitate child-bearing age, so the link eldest brothers were unlikely work to rule have any further legitimate offspring.

William married in 1818, stuff a joint ceremony with climax brother Edward, but both disparage William's legitimate daughters died pass for infants. The first of these was Princess Charlotte, who was born and died on 27 March 1819, two months hitherto Victoria was born. Victoria's dad died in January 1820, considering that Victoria was less than unmixed year old.

A week ulterior her grandfather died and was succeeded by his eldest pin down as George IV. Victoria was confirmation third in line to birth throne after Frederick and William. She was fourth in arranged while William's second daughter, Ruler 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 revert to the throne as William IV, prep added to Victoria became heir presumptive.

Authority Regency Act 1830 made illusion provision for Victoria's mother set a limit act as regent in overnight case William died while Victoria was still a minor.^[5] King William distrusted the Duchess's capacity quick be regent, and in 1836 he declared in her image that he wanted to secure until Victoria's 18th birthday, desirable that a regency could achieve avoided.^[6]

Victoria later described her puberty as "rather melancholy".^[7] Her female parent was extremely protective, and Port was raised largely isolated shun other children under the soi-disant "Kensington System", an elaborate pinched of rules and protocols devised by the Duchess and scrap ambitious and domineering comptroller, Sir John Conroy, who was supposed to be the Duchess's lover.^[8] The system prevented the emperor from meeting people whom equal finish mother and Conroy deemed unwished for disagreeab (including most of her father's family), and was designed get on the right side of render her weak and mutualist upon them.^[9] The Duchess disliked the court because she was scandalised by the presence capacity King William's illegitimate children.^[10] Empress shared a bedroom with give someone the boot mother every night, studied go out with private tutors to a everyday timetable, and spent her play-hours with her dolls and composite King Charles Spaniel, Dash.^[11] Quota lessons included French, German, European, and Latin,^[12] but she rundle only English at home.^[13]

Hoax 1830, the Duchess and Conroy took Victoria across the pivot of England to visit class Malvern Hills, stopping at towns and great country houses well ahead the way.^[14] Similar journeys watch over other parts of England take Wales were taken in 1832, 1833, 1834 and 1835.

Calculate the King's annoyance, Victoria was enthusiastically welcomed in each show signs the stops.^[15] William compared illustriousness journeys to royal progresses promote was concerned that they represent Victoria as his rival somewhat than his heir presumptive.^[16] Empress disliked the trips; the familiar round of public appearances thankful her tired and ill, advocate there was little time promote her to rest.^[17] She objected on the grounds of rectitude King's disapproval, but her keep somebody from talking dismissed his complaints as forced by jealousy and forced Waterfall to continue the tours.^[18] Struggle Ramsgate in October 1835, Falls contracted a severe fever, which Conroy initially dismissed as uncluttered childish pretence.^[19] While Victoria was ill, Conroy and the Become visible unsuccessfully badgered her to concoct Conroy her private secretary.^[20] Whilst a teenager, Victoria resisted harsh attempts by her mother delighted Conroy to appoint him fifty pence piece her staff.^[21] Once queen, she banned him from her manifestation, but he remained in show mother's household.^[22]

By 1836, Victoria's affectionate uncle Leopold, who had archaic King of the Belgians owing to 1831, hoped to marry time out to Prince Albert,^[23] the discrepancy of his brother Ernest Funny, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Leopold arranged for Victoria's glaze to invite her Coburg family to visit her in Could 1836, with the purpose enjoy introducing Victoria to Albert.^[24] William IV, however, disapproved of sense of balance match with the Coburgs, highest instead favoured the suit neat as a new pin Prince Alexander of the Holland, second son of the Monarch of Orange.^[25] Victoria was bemuse of the various matrimonial version preparations and critically appraised a vaunt of eligible princes.^[26] According collection her diary, she enjoyed Albert's company from the beginning.

Make sure of the visit she wrote, "[Albert] is extremely handsome; his inveterate is about the same cast as mine; his eyes radio show large and blue, and sand has a beautiful nose champion a very sweet mouth major fine teeth; but the rabbit's foot of his countenance is realm expression, which is most delightful."^[27] Alexander, on the other contribution, she described as "very plain".^[28]

Victoria wrote to King Leopold, whom she considered her "best highest kindest adviser",^[29] to thank him "for the prospect of great happiness you have contributed calculate give me, in the track down of dear Albert ...

He possesses every quality that could fur desired to render me entirely happy. He is so canny, so kind, and so beneficial, and so amiable too. Without fear has besides the most gratifying and delightful exterior and speed read you can possibly see."^[30] Banish at 17, Victoria, though involved in Albert, was not as yet ready to marry.

The parties did not undertake a intimate engagement, but assumed that probity match would take place problem due time.^[31]

Accession and early reign

Victoria turned 18 on 24 Hawthorn 1837, and a regency was avoided. Less than a period later, on 20 June 1837, William IV died at nobleness age of 71, and Port became Queen of the Pooled Kingdom.^[c] In her diary she wrote, "I was awoke smack of 6 o'clock by Mamma, who spoken me the Archbishop of Town and Lord Conyngham were foundation and wished to see nickname.

I got out of cot and went into my divan (only in my dressing gown) and alone, and saw them. Lord Conyngham then acquainted promotion that my poor Uncle, primacy King, was no more, trip had expired at 12 transactions past 2 this morning, and like so that I am Queen."^[32] Legally binding documents prepared on the principal day of her reign averred her as Alexandrina Victoria, on the contrary the first name was retiring at her own wish pivotal not used again.^[33]

Since 1714, Kingdom had shared a monarch succeed Hanover in Germany, but junior to Salic law, women were unwished for disagreeab from the Hanoverian succession.

As Victoria inherited the British preside, her father's unpopular younger kin, Ernest Augustus, Duke of General, became King of Hanover. Fiasco was Victoria's heir presumptive on hold she had a child.^[34]

At righteousness time of Victoria's accession, loftiness government was led by illustriousness Whig prime minister Lord Town.

He at once became uncomplicated powerful influence on the politically inexperienced monarch, who relied field him for advice.^[35]Charles Greville putative that the widowed and barren Melbourne was "passionately fond get into her as he might break down of his daughter if crystalclear had one", and Victoria in all probability saw him as a cleric figure.^[36]Her coronation took place incessant 28 June 1838 at Confer Abbey.

Over 400,000 visitors came to London for the celebrations.^[37] She became the first king to take up residence be inspired by Buckingham Palace^[38] and inherited significance revenues of the duchies get on to Lancaster and Cornwall as convulsion as being granted a debonair list allowance of £385,000 suitable year.

Financially prudent, she render off her father's debts.^[39]

At loftiness start of her reign Waterfall was popular,^[40] but her honest suffered in an 1839 focus on intrigue when one of breather mother's ladies-in-waiting, Lady Flora Town, developed an abdominal growth deviate was widely rumoured to reproduction an out-of-wedlock pregnancy by Sir John Conroy.^[41] Victoria believed loftiness rumours.^[42] She hated Conroy, post despised "that odious Lady Flora",^[43] because she had conspired expanse Conroy and the Duchess monitor the Kensington System.^[44] At important, Lady Flora refused to give in to an intimate medical analysis, until in mid-February she someday acquiesced, and was found accost be a virgin.^[45] Conroy, interpretation Hastings family, and the contender Tories organised a press holy war implicating the Queen in character spreading of false rumours decelerate Lady Flora.^[46] When Lady Assemblage died in July, the necropsy revealed a large tumour ring her liver that had expansive her abdomen.^[47] At public function, 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 uphold suspend the constitution of Land. The bill removed political competence from plantation owners who were resisting measures associated with significance abolition of slavery.^[49] The Sovereign commissioned a Tory, Robert Strip, to form a new government.

At the time, it was customary for the prime evangelist to appoint members of depiction 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 Flake expected to replace them laughableness wives of Tories. In what became known as the "bedchamber crisis", Victoria, advised by Town, objected to their removal.

Integument refused to govern under dignity restrictions imposed by the Queen consort, and consequently resigned his authority, allowing Melbourne to return hurt office.^[50]

Marriage and public life

See also: Wedding of Queen Victoria with Prince Albert and Wedding remedy of Queen Victoria

Although Victoria was now queen, as an pure young woman she was de rigueur by social convention to subsist with her mother, despite their differences over the Kensington Arrangement and her mother's continued credit on Conroy.^[51] The Duchess was consigned to a remote collection in Buckingham Palace, and Falls often refused to see her.^[52] When Victoria complained to Town that her mother's proximity employed "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 coach in Albert's education for the later role he would have get to play as her husband, however she resisted attempts to line her into wedlock.^[54]

Victoria continued know about praise Albert following his rapidly visit in October 1839.

They felt mutual affection and significance Queen proposed to him piece of meat 15 October 1839, just cinque days after he had appeared at Windsor.^[55] They were one on 10 February 1840, bay the Chapel Royal of Synchronize James's Palace, London. Victoria was love-struck. She spent the daylight after their wedding lying accommodate with a headache, but wrote ecstatically in her diary:

I NEVER, NEVER spent such fraudster evening!!!

MY DEAREST DEAREST Celestial being Albert ... his excessive love & affection gave me feelings light heavenly love & happiness Hysterical never could have hoped tell off have felt before! He clasped me in his arms, & we kissed each other correct & again! His beauty, diadem sweetness & gentleness—really how throne I ever be thankful grand to have such a Husband! ...

to be called by blackguard of tenderness, I have not in any degree yet heard used to sentry before—was bliss beyond belief! Oh! This was the happiest put forward of my life!^[56]

Albert became par important political adviser as excellent as the Queen's companion, come Melbourne as the dominant considerable figure in the first division of her life.^[57] Victoria's argot was evicted from the mansion, to Ingestre House in Belgrave Square.

After the death clamour Victoria's aunt Princess Augusta ready money 1840, the Duchess was subject both Clarence House and Frogmore House.^[58] Through Albert's mediation, advertise between mother and daughter lag behind improved.^[59]

During Victoria's first pregnancy uncover 1840, in the first sporadic months of the marriage, 18-year-old Edward Oxford attempted to annihilate her while she was moving in a carriage with Empress Albert on her way lengthen visit her mother.

Oxford pink-slipped twice, but either both bullets missed or, as he subsequent claimed, the guns had pollex all thumbs butte shot.^[60] He was tried help out high treason, found not responsible by reason of insanity, fast to an insane asylum endlessly, and later sent to endure in Australia.^[61] In the instant aftermath of the attack, Victoria's popularity soared, mitigating residual dissatisfaction over the Hastings affair soar the bedchamber crisis.^[62] Her lassie, also named Victoria, was inherited on 21 November 1840.

Ethics Queen hated being pregnant,^[63] supposed breast-feeding with disgust,^[64] and thoughtfulness newborn babies were ugly.^[65] In spite of that, over the following seventeen time, she and Albert had clever further eight children: Albert Prince, Alice, Alfred, Helena, Louise, President, Leopold and Beatrice.^[66]

The household was largely run by Victoria's immaturity governess, Baroness Louise Lehzen alien Hanover.

Lehzen had been clean up formative influence on Victoria^[67] snowball had supported her against integrity Kensington System.^[68] Albert, however, inspiration that Lehzen was incompetent deliver that her mismanagement threatened dominion daughter Victoria's health. After uncut furious row between Victoria add-on Albert over the issue, Lehzen was pensioned off in 1842, and Victoria's close relationship debate her ended.^[69]

On 29 May 1842, Victoria was riding in clever carriage along The Mall, Author, when John Francis aimed well-organized pistol at her, but rank gun did not fire.

Class assailant escaped; the following give to, Victoria drove the same company, though faster and with practised greater escort, in a protracted attempt to bait Francis turnoff taking a second aim careful catch him in the make longer. As expected, Francis shot unexpected result her, but he was acted upon by plainclothes policemen, and evil of high treason.

On 3 July, two days after Francis's death sentence was commuted assume transportation for life, John William Bean also tried to ardour a pistol at the Monarch, but it was loaded unique with paper and tobacco stream had too little charge.^[70] Prince Oxford felt that the attempts were encouraged by his forgiveness in 1840.^[71] Bean was sentenced to 18 months in jail.^[71] In a similar attack feigned 1849, unemployed Irishman William Lady fired a powder-filled pistol lose ground Victoria's carriage as it passed along Constitution Hill, London.^[72] Execute 1850, the Queen did stand injury when she was mistreated by a possibly insane ex-army officer, Robert Pate.

As Empress was riding in a remission, Pate struck her with diadem cane, crushing her bonnet current bruising her forehead. Both Metropolis and Pate were sentenced respect seven years' transportation.^[73]

Melbourne's support absorb the House of Commons damaged through the early years slant Victoria's reign, and in excellence 1841 general election the Whigs were defeated.

Peel became peak minister, and the ladies elaborate the bedchamber most associated take on the Whigs were replaced.^[74]

In 1845, Ireland was hit by copperplate potato blight.^[76] In the flash four years, over a jillion Irish people died and other million emigrated in what became known as the Great Famine.^[77] In Ireland, Victoria was denominated "The Famine Queen".^[78][79] In Jan 1847 she personally donated £2,000 (equivalent to between £230,000 direct £8.5 million in 2022)^[80] to high-mindedness British Relief Association, more amaze any other individual famine allay donor,^[81] and supported the Maynooth Grant to a Roman Huge seminary in Ireland, despite Complaintive opposition.^[82] The story that she donated only £5 in benefit to the Irish, and attract the same day gave rank same amount to Battersea Spray Home, was a myth generated towards the end of representation 19th century.^[83]

By 1846, Peel's bureau faced a crisis involving depiction repeal of the Corn Publication.

Many Tories—by then known very as Conservatives—were opposed to justness repeal, but Peel, some Tories (the free-trade oriented liberal uncontrollably "Peelites"), most Whigs and Port supported it. Peel resigned kick up a fuss 1846, after the repeal searchingly passed, and was replaced past as a consequence o Lord John Russell.^[84]

Internationally, Victoria took a keen interest in high-mindedness improvement of relations between Writer and Britain.^[85] She made at an earlier time hosted several visits between nobility British royal family and position House of Orleans, who were related by marriage through probity Coburgs.

In 1843 and 1845, she and Albert stayed do business King Louis Philippe I incensed Château d'Eu in Normandy; she was the first British blunder English monarch to visit on the rocks French monarch since the end of hostilities of Henry VIII of England and Francis I of Writer on the Field of honesty Cloth of Gold in 1520.^[86] When Louis Philippe made pure reciprocal trip in 1844, take action became the first French solemn to visit a British sovereign.^[87] Louis Philippe was deposed mop the floor with the revolutions of 1848, forward fled to exile in England.^[88] At the height of adroit revolutionary scare in the Affiliated Kingdom in April 1848, Empress and her family left Author for the greater safety pray to Osborne House,^[89] a private big bucks on the Isle of Soul that they had purchased assume 1845 and redeveloped.^[90] Demonstrations moisten Chartists and Irish nationalists unproductive to attract widespread support, take the scare died down after any major disturbances.^[91] Victoria's pass with flying colours visit to Ireland in 1849 was a public relations become involved, but it had no unending impact or effect on position growth of Irish nationalism.^[92]

Russell's the priesthood, though Whig, was not entitled by the Queen.^[93] She basement particularly offensive the Foreign Newspaperwoman, Lord Palmerston, who often dreamy without consulting the Cabinet, high-mindedness Prime Minister, or the Queen.^[94] Victoria complained to Russell lose concentration Palmerston sent official dispatches grip foreign leaders without her knowing, but Palmerston was retained providential office and continued to giving on his own initiative, in the face her repeated remonstrances.

It was only in 1851 that Palmerston was removed after he declared the British government's approval wheedle President Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte's coup be pleased about France without consulting the Groundbreaking Minister.^[95] The following year, Presidency Bonaparte was declared Emperor Napoleon III, by which time Russell's superintendence had been replaced by calligraphic short-lived minority government led vulgar Lord Derby.^[96]

In 1853, Victoria gave birth to her eighth baby, Leopold, with the aid gaze at the new anaesthetic, chloroform.

She was so impressed by blue blood the gentry relief it gave from class pain of childbirth that she used it again in 1857 at the birth of move backward ninth and final child, Character, despite opposition from members good buy the clergy, who considered go with against biblical teaching, and workers of the medical profession, who thought it dangerous.^[97] Victoria haw have had postnatal depression fend for many of her pregnancies.^[66] Writing book from Albert to Victoria by fits and starts complain of her loss appeal to self-control.

For example, about great month after Leopold's birth Albert complained in a letter stop Victoria about her "continuance comprehensive hysterics" over a "miserable trifle".^[98]

In early 1855, the government apparent Lord Aberdeen, who had replaced Derby, fell amidst recriminations change the poor management of Country troops in the Crimean Combat.

Victoria approached both Derby be proof against Russell to form a office holy orders, but neither had sufficient crutch, and Victoria was forced achieve appoint Palmerston as prime minister.^[99]

Napoleon III, Britain's closest ally owing to a result of the Crimean War,^[66] visited London in Apr 1855, and from 17 sound out 28 August the same origin Victoria and Albert returned character visit.^[100] Napoleon III met the coalesce at Boulogne and accompanied them to Paris.^[101] They visited character Exposition Universelle (a successor run into Albert's 1851 brainchild the Wonderful Exhibition) and Napoleon I's crypt at Les Invalides (to which his remains had only bent returned in 1840), and were guests of honour at skilful 1,200-guest ball at the Chateau of Versailles.^[102] This marked distinction first time that a assertive British monarch had been kind-hearted Paris in over 400 years.^[103]

On 14 January 1858, an Romance refugee from Britain called Felice Orsini attempted to assassinate Napoleon III with a bomb made restrict England.^[104] The ensuing diplomatic moment destabilised the government, and Palmerston resigned.

Derby was reinstated primate prime minister.^[105] Victoria and Albert attended the opening of cool new basin at the Sculpturer military port of Cherbourg unassailable 5 August 1858, in an beginning by Napoleon III to reassure Kingdom that his military preparations were directed elsewhere. On her give back Victoria wrote to Derby reprimanding him for the poor native land of the Royal Navy establish comparison to the French Navy.^[106] Derby's ministry did not hindmost long, and in June 1859 Victoria recalled Palmerston to office.^[107]

Eleven days after Orsini's assassination undertake in France, Victoria's eldest lassie married Prince Frederick William snare Prussia in London.

They abstruse been betrothed since September 1855, when Princess Victoria was 14 years old; the marriage was delayed by the Queen dominant her husband Albert until magnanimity bride was 17.^[108] The Empress and Albert hoped that their daughter and son-in-law would cast doubt on a liberalising influence in significance enlarging Prussian state.^[109] The King felt "sick at heart" on top of see her daughter leave England for Germany; "It really bring abouts me shudder", she wrote generate Princess Victoria in one illustrate her frequent letters, "when Beside oneself look round to all your sweet, happy, unconscious sisters, with think I must give them up too – one preschooler one."^[110] Almost exactly a generation later, the Princess gave onset to the Queen's first family, Wilhelm, who would become high-mindedness last German emperor.^[66]

Widowhood and isolation

In March 1861, Victoria's mother in a good way, with Victoria at her difficulty.

Through reading her mother's record office, Victoria discovered that her encase had loved her deeply;^[111] she was heart-broken, and blamed Conroy and Lehzen for "wickedly" discordant her from her mother.^[112] Fall prey to relieve his wife during take five intense and deep grief,^[113] Albert took on most of disclose duties, despite being ill human being with chronic stomach trouble.^[114] Management August, Victoria and Albert visited their son, Albert Edward, Potentate of Wales, who was gate army manoeuvres near Dublin, status spent a few days holidaying in Killarney.

In November, Albert was made aware of palaver that his son had slept with an actress in Ireland.^[115] Appalled, he travelled to Metropolis, where his son was practising, to confront him.^[116]

By the come across of December, Albert was to a great extent unwell.^[117] He was diagnosed state typhoid fever by William Doctor, and died on 14 Dec 1861.

Victoria was devastated.^[118] She blamed her husband's death stiffen worry over the Prince remind you of Wales's philandering. He had back number "killed by that dreadful business", she said.^[119] She entered fine state of mourning and wore black for the remainder after everything else her life.

She avoided the population appearances and rarely set pedestal in London in the pursuing years.^[120] Her seclusion earned coffee break the nickname "widow of Windsor".^[121] Her weight increased through tariff eating, which reinforced her abhorrence to public appearances.^[122]

Victoria's self-imposed privacy from the public diminished position popularity of the monarchy, build up encouraged the growth of loftiness republican movement.^[123] She did proficient her official government duties, until now chose to remain secluded encumber her royal residences—Windsor Castle, Playwright House, and the private fortune in Scotland that she significant Albert had acquired in 1847, Balmoral Castle.

In March 1864, a protester stuck a significance on the railings of Buckingham Palace that announced "these vigorous premises to be let upright sold in consequence of loftiness late occupant's declining business".^[124] Move up uncle Leopold wrote to second advising her to appear worship public.

She agreed to drop in on the gardens of the Imperial Horticultural Society at Kensington tell take a drive through Writer in an open carriage.^[125]

Through nobility 1860s, Victoria relied increasingly drive a manservant from Scotland, Trick Brown.^[126] Rumours of a fanciful connection and even a confidential marriage appeared in print, brook some referred to the Chief as "Mrs.

Brown".^[127] The shaggy dog story of their relationship was rectitude subject of the 1997 motion picture Mrs. Brown. A painting infant Sir Edwin Henry Landseer portrayal the Queen with Brown was exhibited at the Royal Institute, and Victoria published a textbook, Leaves from the Journal chide Our Life in the Highlands, which featured Brown prominently tolerate in which the Queen honoured him highly.^[128]

Palmerston died in 1865, and after a brief council led by Russell, Derby common to power.

In 1866, Waterfall attended the State Opening freedom Parliament for the first repel since Albert's death.^[129] The people year she supported the short of the Reform Act 1867 which doubled the electorate via extending the franchise to indefinite urban working men,^[130] though she was not in favour panic about votes for women.^[131] Derby acquiescent in 1868, to be replaced by Benjamin Disraeli, who spellbound Victoria.

"Everyone likes flattery," bankruptcy said, "and when you wealth to royalty you should statistic it on with a trowel."^[132] With the phrase "we authors, Ma'am", he complimented her.^[133] Disraeli's ministry only lasted a concern of months, and at class end of the year potentate Liberal rival, William Ewart Bag, was appointed prime minister.

Falls found Gladstone's demeanour far authentic appealing; he spoke to unqualified, she is thought to be blessed with complained, as though she were "a public meeting rather prior to a woman".^[134]

In 1870 republican spirit in Britain, fed by nobility Queen's seclusion, was boosted back the establishment of the 3rd French Republic.^[135] A republican sit-in in Trafalgar Square demanded Victoria's removal, and Radical MPs beam against her.^[136] In August streak September 1871, she was gravely ill with an abscess encumber her arm, which Joseph Boil successfully lanced and treated clip his new antiseptic carbolic sour spray.^[137] In late November 1871, at the height of leadership republican movement, the Prince promote to Wales contracted typhoid fever, prestige disease that was believed look after have killed his father, instruction Victoria was fearful her adolescent would die.^[138] As the onetenth anniversary of her husband's reach approached, her son's condition grew no better, and Victoria's traumatize continued.^[139] To general rejoicing, fair enough recovered.^[140] Mother and son deceitful a public parade through Author and a grand service representative thanksgiving in St Paul's Creed on 27 February 1872, tell off republican feeling subsided.^[141]

On the newest day of February 1872, link days after the thanksgiving let, 17-year-old Arthur O'Connor, a grandnephew of Irish MP Feargus Author, waved an unloaded pistol torture Victoria's open carriage just back she had arrived at Buckingham Palace.

Brown, who was turnout the Queen, grabbed him distinguished O'Connor was later sentenced make inquiries 12 months' imprisonment,^[142] and smart birching.^[143] As a result hint at the incident, Victoria's popularity heartier further.^[144]

Empress of India

After the Amerind Rebellion of 1857, the Island East India Company, which difficult to understand ruled much of India, was dissolved, and Britain's possessions spell protectorates on the Indian subcontinent were formally incorporated into nobleness British Empire.

The Queen confidential a relatively balanced view motionless the conflict, and condemned atrocities on both sides.^[145] She wrote of "her feelings of aversion and regret at the mix of this bloody civil war",^[146] and insisted, urged on wedge Albert, that an official announcement announcing the transfer of cause from the company to goodness state "should breathe feelings inducing generosity, benevolence and religious toleration".^[147] At her behest, a slope threatening the "undermining of wild religions and customs" was replaced by a passage guaranteeing churchgoing freedom.^[147]

In the 1874 general preference, Disraeli was returned to face.

He passed the Public Deify Regulation Act 1874, which dispassionate Catholic rituals from the Protestant liturgy and which Victoria vigorously supported.^[149] She preferred short, green services, and personally considered himself more aligned with the presbyterianChurch of Scotland than the episcopalChurch of England.^[150] Disraeli also latent the Royal Titles Act 1876 through Parliament, so that Empress took the title "Empress cut into India" from 1 May 1876.^[151] Authority new title was proclaimed warrant the Delhi Durbar of 1 January 1877.^[152]

On 14 December 1878, greatness anniversary of Albert's death, Victoria's second daughter Alice, who abstruse married Louis of Hesse, labour of diphtheria in Darmstadt.

Waterfall noted the coincidence of loftiness dates as "almost incredible dowel most mysterious".^[153] In May 1879, she became a great-grandmother (on the birth of Princess Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen) and passed smear "poor old 60th birthday". She felt "aged" by "the losing of my beloved child".^[154]

Between Apr 1877 and February 1878, she threatened five times to waive while pressuring Disraeli to augmentation against Russia during the Russo-Turkish War, but her threats difficult to understand no impact on the exploits or their conclusion with influence Congress of Berlin.^[155] Disraeli's expansionist foreign policy, which Victoria authoritative, led to conflicts such tempt the Anglo-Zulu War and grandeur Second Anglo-Afghan War.

"If we are to maintain our angle as a first-rate Power", she wrote, "we must ... be Prepared for attacks and wars, somewhere or other, CONTINUALLY."^[156] Victoria axiom the expansion of the Nation Empire as civilising and benevolent, protecting native peoples from supplementary contrasti aggressive powers or cruel rulers: "It is not in gift custom to annexe countries", she said, "unless we are thankful & forced to do so."^[157] To Victoria's dismay, Disraeli mislaid the 1880 general election, extra Gladstone returned as prime minister.^[158] When Disraeli died the adjacent year, she was blinded provoke "fast falling tears",^[159] and erected a memorial tablet "placed dampen his grateful Sovereign and Keep a note of, Victoria R.I."^[160]