As Platinum Jubilee celebrations are in full swing, all eyes are on Britain’s longest-reigning monarch – Queen Elizabeth II.
While Britain’s current queen will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the UK’s most impressive rulers, in this she joins her ancestor Queen Victoria, Britain’s second-longest reigning monarch.
Namesake of all things under the Victorian era, Queen Victoria ruled for most of the 19th century, a period of significant industrial, political, scientific, and military change, and which saw the British Empire expand.
Here’s everything you should know about this impressive royal.
Queen Victoria ruled over the United Kingdom for 63 years, making her England’s second-longest reigning monarch, behind her great, great, granddaughter Queen Elizabeth II.
Victoria succeeded her uncle William IV as royal sovereign in 1837 following his death aged 71.
She was aged 18 at the time – seven years younger than Elizabeth was at the time of her ascension.
Victoria’s coronation took place in Westminster Abbey a year later in 1838, when the young monarch was 19.
Perhaps unthinkable in modern times, the ceremony, which lasted five hours, was underrehearsed and a bit of a mess.
Few people at the ceremony knew what was going on; the coronation ring was jammed painfully onto her wrong finger, an elderly baron, Lord Rolle, fell down the steps during proceedings, and the bishop prematurely told Queen victoria the ceremony was over, leaving the young queen to come back to her seat to see the service out to the end.
Yet despite the confusion, Westminster Abbey records state Victoria recorded the day as ‘the proudest of my life’ in her journal.
Queen Victoria was succeeded by Edward VII, who took over from her in 1901, 63 years after she first donned the crown.
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Queen Victoria died on January 22, 1901, aged 81 following a stroke, and after being the only monarch many of her subjects knew.
She passed away surrounded by her family at Osbourne House on the Isle of Wight.
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