On May 24th, 1819, Alexandria Victoria was born at Kensington palace to Prince Edward and Princess Victoria. At the time of her birth, she was the heir to the throne after her father. He died shortly thereafter when she was eight months old.

On June 20, 1837, at only 19, princess Victoria was informed that she would be crowned queen, as William the Fourth had passed that morning. She was then coronated on June 28th, 1838 at the Westminster Abbey. There were a considerable amount of mistakes on her coronation day, as it was poorly rehearsed. An elderly peer fell down the steps while making his homage to her, and the coronation ring was put on the wrong finger. However, Queen Victoria was still very excited and proud to be queen. 

Queen Victoria, who ruled over part of the industrial expansion of Britain and helped fuel it into an empire, is often known for her relationship with her husband, Prince Albert. Despite being an arranged marriage, the couple was very much in love, and their display of a loving family unit was impactful on the rest of Britain. It changed the cold and stoic ideas normally surrounding the royal family, and also influenced the way romantic and familial relationships functioned in the public - such as their public affection and gift-giving. The couple also contributed largely to the arts; painters, sculptists, and the performing arts. Many of their gifts to each other were commissioned art pieces. Even after death, their love was strong, as Queen Victoria mourned Prince Albert’s death until her own.

Hawksley, Lucinda. “Victoria and Albert: How a Royal Love Changed Culture.” BBC Culture, BBC, 24 Feb. 2022, https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20150623-victoria-albert-cultural-im....

“Queen Victoria.” Westminster Abbey, https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/royals/queen-vict....

“Queen Victoria.” Historic Royal Palaces, https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/history-and-stories/queen-victo....