Victoria, Alexandrina

Alexandrina (1819-1901), queen of Great Britain and Ireland. She was born at Kensington Palace, London, May 24, 1819, and died at Osborne, Isle of Wight, January 22, 1901. She was the only child of Edward, Duke of Kent, fourth son of George III. Her mother was the daughter of the duke of Saxe-Coburg. Her father died when she was but eight months old. The Duchess of Kent brought Victoria up sensibly, giving her the best of training in music and literature. Princess Victoria was fond of modern languages and of botany. Her grandfather, George III, left his crown to his son, George IV. On the death of the latter without children the crown passed to his brother, William IV. He died without children. Victoria's father, the next in succession, being dead, Victoria fell heir to the crown of Great Britain and Ireland. She was proclaimed queen June 21, 1837, and was crowned at Westminster June 28, 1838.

The policy of her government was shaped by such statesmen as Melbourne, Peel, Russell, Derby, Aberdeen, Palmerston, Gladstone, and Disraeli. Victoria herself abstained from taking sides in politics. In early life, under the influence of Melbourne, however, she was known to be a Whig, if not a Radical. In later years, with the caution common to old age, she became Conservative in her thinking and leaned decidedly to Disraeli in preference to Mr. Gladstone.

February 10, 1840, Queen Victoria was wedded to her cousin, Prince Albert, of the house of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The queen's mother, to whom she owed much, died March 16, 1861. On December fourteenth of the same year, the Prince Consort, as he was termed, died. He was buried in the royal mausoleum at Frogmore near Windsor.

In 1876 Disraeli procured the passage of a bill conferring the title of Empress of India upon Queen Victoria. This pleased her. After the death of Albert, however, the Queen took as little part as possible in social functions. Her regular home was at Windsor Castle. Her city residence was at Buckingham Palace. Her country homes were at Balmoral in the Highlands and at Osborne in the Isle of Wight. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had nine children, four sons and five daughters: