Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, was born on May 24, 1819. Victoria’s father was Prince Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, the fourth son of George III. Her mother was Princess Victoria Maria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfield. Her father, Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, died shortly after her birth making her the heiress presumptive to the throne.
Her mother raised her in a very protective and sheltered environment and raised her using the Kensington System. It dictated rules and protocols for her everyday life and it would make her resent her overprotective mother later in life. Her mother, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld supervised her daughters life until she came of age (18 years old) in 1837.
Marriage To Prince Albert
Victoria married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha on February 10, 1840 at St. James’s Palace. After their marriage they lived at Buckingham Palace where Victoria gave birth to nine children. Together they had nine children: Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise (born 1841), Alice Maud Mary (born 1843), Alfred Ernest Albert (born 1844), Helena Augusta Victoria (born 1846), Louise Caroline Alberta (born 1848), Arthur William Patrick Albert (born 1850), Leopold George Duncan Albert (born 1853), Beatrice Feodore Victoria (born 1857) and John Conroy Henry Spencer Churchill (born 1863).
Prince Albert died in 1861 at the age of 42 from typhoid fever contracted from drinking contaminated water. He died with his wife and children at his side. She was devastated by his death and wore black mourning clothes until her own death nearly 40 years later.
Victoria’s reign lasted from 1837 until 1901 when she died after 63 years as queen. During her reign she created the Victorian era which brought about many changes to England such as industrialization, imperialism in foreign affairs, urbanization and scientific progress. Queen Victoria introduced many reforms during her reign including the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire. Perhaps her greatest achievement is her legacy as a monarch who loved England deeply and worked tirelessly for its people. In addition Queen Victoria was the great-grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Victoria On Numismatics
This Queen Victoria Coin Album contains a silver shilling that was issued from 1893-1901. It weighs 5.66 g and has a diameter of 23.5 mm. Its obverse side features the “Old Head” of Queen Victoria bust by Thomas Brock. She is known as the Grandmother of Europe because her grandchildren were part of some of the largest royal houses in Europe. Its reverse side contains three crowned shields within a garter with a rose in between the two upper shields. This mini-album comes with a Certificate of Authenticity for the coin.
