May 24 marked the 205th anniversary of Queen Victoria of Britain, who reigned for more than six decades. Her 63-year rule held the record for a long time until it was surpassed by Elizabeth II, and she left a lasting mark as the sovereign under whose era the British Empire flourished into a golden age.
Victoria is often called the grandmother of Europe, with nine children who formed marital ties with royal houses across the continent. Her grandchildren linked alliances with the Romanovs, and those connections intertwined with the tumult of 1918. Victoria’s daughter, Princess Alice, gave birth to the future Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and the wife of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, linking Victoria to the Russian imperial lineage.
Her husband, Prince Consort Albert, is not typically labeled Europe’s grandfather, yet their story has been shared widely through diaries and letters. Their union is remembered as deeply devoted, though recent letters from Albert suggest Victoria faced a demanding, sometimes difficult, married life.
“Sensitive mouth with beautiful teeth”
Born Alexandrina Victoria, the future queen grew up under strict boundaries. At age 11, after her childless uncle the king passed away, the throne seemed imminent. Victoria’s mother, Duchess of Kent, arranged a Kensington-style education—rigid schooling, little play, constant adult supervision. The only companion she had was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Dash.
As Victoria approached her seventeenth birthday, the Duchess of Kent asked King Leopold of Belgium to arrange a meeting with Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, a cousin. The encounter occurred in 1836 during Victoria’s seventeenth birthday gathering, where the future queen met Albert.
Victoria described him in her diary as incredibly handsome, noting his blue eyes, a strong jaw, and a kind mouth with beautiful teeth. She praised his shoulders and slim waist, writing that he possessed the qualities essential for happiness. She expressed gratitude to Leopold for the meeting, calling him gentle, kind, and friendly—the very traits she admired in his appearance as well.
By the time she turned eighteen, Alexandrina Victoria woke to find herself queen after her uncle William IV’s death. While still living with her mother, she sent her mother to a separate part of Buckingham Palace and began corresponding with Albert about his Bonn studies, considering marriage yet cautiously awaiting the moment to formalize it.
In October 1839 Albert visited again. Five days after his arrival, he proposed, stepping forward because it was considered improper to invite the reigning monarch to marriage. Victoria later wrote that she felt loved and cherished by an almost angelic Albert, delighted by his gentle, kind, and thoughtful nature. Albert replied from Germany that his thoughts had lingered with her since their parting, promising a shared future beyond imagination.
“Heavenly feeling of love and happiness”
The wedding followed a few months later, on February 10, 1840, at the Royal Chapel in Buckingham Palace. The bride wore a white silk gown with a long train, a choice that would set a lasting wedding tradition for generations. She carried a bouquet of orange blossoms to symbolize family continuity, and a sapphire brooch given by Albert rested on her chest, a piece that would later be worn by her great-great-granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II. Victoria described the wedding night in radiant terms, calling Albert an angel whose love brought a divine happiness she had never anticipated.
Albert, studying law, political economy, art history, and philosophy at Bonn, became Victoria’s closest adviser and secretary. He supported social reforms in England, including efforts to curb child labor and reduce working hours, and he urged Britain to end the slave trade. Albert championed charitable work, promoted science and the arts, and even introduced the German Christmas tree tradition to England, a custom that spread widely in Christian households.
Albert proved to be a devoted father and a compassionate partner, often engaging with children and guiding the next generation to value education. His eldest son benefited from a special educational program prepared for the future king, Edward VII.
“This tiny little thing led to an unpleasant scene.”
Even a powerful partnership faced rough patches. From 1840 to 1857 Victoria endured almost continual pregnancies, and pregnancy itself became a source of distress. Modern historians suggest she faced postpartum challenges, and archives reveal moments of temper and sharp rebukes exchanged with Albert, who sometimes responded with patience and restraint.
In 2019, new correspondence from the Victoria–Albert era surfaced in the United Kingdom, shedding light on the frequent arguments between the couple. Victoria’s sharp reactions sometimes escalated, while Albert offered explanations and a desire to mend frayed moments.
The Daily Mail later highlighted a particular episode where a minor translation dispute during a scrapbook review sparked a dispute. Victoria’s accusations of insensitivity clashed with Albert’s insistence that the claim was unfounded, triggering a tense standoff. Victoria then withdrew to her own space, and Albert reportedly sought to calm the situation, proposing a pause to let emotions settle. The notes show Albert’s longing to repair the rift, even as Victoria’s passion for the union remained evident. Yet the record also confirms Albert’s deep admiration and enduring care for his wife.
“As beautiful as marble”
Albert died at Windsor Castle on December 14, 1862, at age 42, following a protracted illness. Victoria described him as having looked “as beautiful as marble” in her grief, and she retreated to Osborne on the Isle of Wight to mourn privately, missing the chance to attend his funeral in London. Her sense of duty and duty-bound role as monarch kept her from dwelling entirely in sorrow, though the loss transformed her personally and publicly.
After his death, Victoria maintained the rooms Albert had used, preserving their familiar setup. She kept his plaster death mask and hand casts near her bed but could not bear to look at the mask. She did, however, overset his wishes by accepting the construction of statues in his memory, and she oversaw the opening of the Albert Memorial and the Albert Hall years later, honoring his long-standing contributions. Mourning led her to distance herself from London for a time, earning her the moniker The Widow of Windsor, while public sentiment fluctuated around the palace’s changing prominence.
On the advice of her uncle Leopold, Victoria began to resume public appearances and, in 1866, opened a parliamentary session for the first time since Albert’s passing. Victoria would outlive Albert by many decades, passing away in 1901, having reigned for 63 years and 216 days, deeply cherishing the memory of her greatest partner and guiding influence.