Queen of Great Britain Victoria

Born Alexandrina Victoria at Kensington Palace in London on May 24, 1819, she became queen in 1837 at just 18 years old. Britannica and the official Royal Family history both describe her reign as one of enormous change, and it became so closely associated with the period that it gave the era its name: the Victorian Age.

She married Prince Albert in 1840, and their partnership shaped both her family life and much of her public image. The couple had nine children, and after Albert's death in 1861, she entered a long period of mourning that deeply affected both her personal life and the way the public saw her.

Victoria remained on the throne until her death on January 22, 1901, making her reign one of the longest in British history. She was also proclaimed Empress of India in 1876, and her life continues to draw readers because it combines royal ceremony with strong emotion, political change, and a remarkably vivid personal record through her journals.