queen victoria and prince albert family tree

Queen Victoria had first been introduced to her cousin, Prince Albert, in 1836. Some even claimed that she had refused on purpose to engineer Melbourne’s return. Lord Melbourne duly returned as Prime Minister but Victoria was not forgiven for flouting convention. However, when Victoria refused to dismiss her Whig Ladies of the Bedchamber and have them replaced by the wives of Tory MPs Peel refused to form a government. Lord Melbourne had resigned over a political matter and the Tory Robert Peel was the natural choice to become Prime Minister. The same year the Queen became embroiled in the ‘Bedchamber Crisis’. The press intimated that Victoria had fabricated the rumours. The examination revealed that Lady Flora was a virgin and that the growth was a tumour. Seeing an opportunity to bring about Conroy’s fall, Victoria insisted that Lady Flora be examined. In 1839 Victoria responded to court gossip that suggested Lady Flora Hastings had become pregnant by Sir John Conroy. When appearing in public bystanders often called her ‘Mrs Melbourne’. As the monarch has to be politically neutral, many resented his influence on the young Queen and her reliance on his advice. Initially, the politically inexperienced Victoria relied heavily on the Whig Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne. However, her popularity very quickly declined. When Victoria became Queen she was very popular and over 400,000 people came to London to see her Coronation procession. One of her first acts as Queen was to ban John Conroy from her presence. Victoria had celebrated her 18th birthday in May 1837 which meant she could rule in her own right without a regent. King William IV died without legitimate issue on 20th June 1837. George’s brother William succeeded as King William IV and Victoria became heir to the throne. In 1827 Victoria’s uncle Frederick, Duke of York died and three years later King George IV passed away without issue. Victoria’s uncle George became King George IV and she became third in line to the throne.

Her father died in January 1820, six days before the death of King George III. Path to the ThroneĪt the time of her birth Victoria was fifth in line to the throne. They continually pressured the young princess to appoint Conroy as her private secretary but she continually refused. Her mother wanted to keep Victoria wholly dependent on her and her comptroller Sir John Conroy.Īs she grew older Conroy and her mother sought to control her even more. Her mother was very strict and kept her young daughter isolated from other people. Victoria was educated by private tutors at home.

At the time of her birth, she was fifth in line to the throne, after her father and her three uncles. Queen Victoria was born Alexandrina Victoria to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Saalfeld-Coburg at Kensington Palace, London.

Queen victoria and prince albert family tree