The life of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

The extremely close relationship between Victoria and Albert has inspired dozens of books, films and series. They idolized one another and wrote about their love in numerous letters and diary entries. But how was the life and marriage of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert?

Queen Victoria, or Alexandrina Victoria to give her her full name, was born in London on 24 May 1819. Her later husband, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, was born in Germany on 26 August of the same year. Queen Victoria ascended the throne in 1837, at the age of just 18, from which point on she bore the title of Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. From 1 May 1876, the additional title of Empress of India was bestowed upon her.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were cousins, as Victoria’s mother and Albert’s father had been siblings. Albert’s family had long intended for them to marry, yet Victoria and Albert had never met in person until 18 May 1836. Their uncle, the King of the Belgians Leopold I, arranged for the two to meet in London. On 18 May 1836, Victoria penned the following diary entry about the meeting:

“Albert, who is just as tall as Ernest, but stouter, is extremely handsome; his hair is about the same colour as mine; his eyes are large & blue, & he has a beautiful nose, & a very sweet mouth with fine teeth; but the charm of his countenance is his expression, which is most delightful; c’est à la fois, full of goodness & sweetness, & very clever & intelligent.”

Three years later Victoria made a proposal of marriage to Albert, as befitted her position.

“I sent for Albert; he came to the Closet where I was alone, and after a few minutes I said to him, that I thought he must be aware why I wished them to come here,– and that it would make me too happy if he would consent to what I wished (to marry me); we embraced each other over and over again, and he was so kind, so affectionate; oh! to feel I was, and am, loved by such an Angel as Albert, was too great delight to describe! he is perfection; perfection in every way,– in beauty – in everything! I told him I was quite unworthy of him and kissed his dear hand,- he said he would be very happy, “das Leben mit dir zu zubringen”, and was so kind, and seemed so happy, that I really felt it was the happiest brightest moment in my life, which made up for all that I had suffered and endured. Oh! how I adore and love him, I cannot say!!” (15.10.1839)

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert married on 10 February 1840. They had nine children in all and spend 21 years of married life together. Prince Albert is thought to have died of typhoid at the age of 42 (14 December 1861), leaving Victoria distraught. She wore mourning for the rest of her life, for 40 years. Following the death of her husband she avoided London and withdrew as far as possible from public life for the first ten years after his death. She herself lived to the age of 81 and died at Osborne House on 22 January 1901.

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