Before Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria was the longest-reigning British monarch, ruling for 63 years and 216 days (1837-1901).¹⁾

Her full name was Alexandrina Victoria. She was named after her godfather, Tsar Alexander I of Russia.²⁾

Victoria became queen at the age of 18 after the death of her uncle, King William IV.³⁾

She was quite short, standing at only 4 feet 11 inches tall.⁴⁾

After the death of her husband, Prince Albert, in 1861, Victoria wore black for the rest of her life as a symbol of mourning.⁵⁾

She was known as the “Grandmother of Europe” because many of her children married into other royal families across Europe.⁶⁾

Queen Victoria deeply loved her husband, Prince Albert, and had nine children with him.⁷⁾

Victoria and Albert were first cousins, both being grandchildren of Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.⁸⁾

In Canada, Victoria Day is celebrated on the last Monday before May 25th in honor of her birthday.⁹⁾

During her reign, the British Empire expanded significantly, with Victoria becoming the first Empress of India in 1876.¹⁰⁾

Despite being a female monarch, Victoria was opposed to the women’s suffrage movement.¹¹⁾

There were several attempts on her life, but she survived all of them. The first was in 1840 by Edward Oxford.¹²⁾

During her reign, Britain fought the Opium Wars with China, leading to the Treaty of Nanking and the acquisition of Hong Kong.¹³⁾

Victoria was one of the first royals to be extensively photographed, contributing to the medium’s popularity.¹⁴⁾

Queen Victoria enjoyed painting, drawing, and writing in her journals.¹⁵⁾

She kept a detailed journal throughout her life, starting at age 13 and writing over 60 million words by the time of her death.¹⁶⁾

Victoria was raised under the “Kensington System,” a strict regimen imposed by her mother and her mother's adviser, Sir John Conroy.¹⁷⁾

After Albert's death, Victoria had his room maintained as if he were still alive, with fresh clothes laid out daily.¹⁸⁾

The Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration for valor in the British and Commonwealth forces, was named in her honor.¹⁹⁾

Victoria held numerous titles, including Queen of the United Kingdom, Empress of India, and Queen of Hanover.²⁰⁾

Her Golden Jubilee in 1887 marked 50 years on the throne and was celebrated with great pomp across the empire.²¹⁾

In 1897, she celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years as queen.²²⁾

Queen Victoria was extremely popular in her later years, though her popularity had waned after Albert’s death.²³⁾

After Albert's death, Victoria largely withdrew from public life, earning her the nickname “The Widow of Windsor.”²⁴⁾

The English language during her reign became more standardized, contributing to the development of “Queen's English.”²⁵⁾

She opened the Great Exhibition in 1851, showcasing the industrial advances of the era.²⁶⁾

Victoria was fascinated by new technology, including the telegraph and the railway.²⁷⁾

Her grandson, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, died unexpectedly in 1892, devastating her.²⁸⁾

The Anglo-Zulu War occurred during her reign, resulting in the annexation of the Zulu Kingdom.²⁹⁾

Victoria’s first Prime Minister was Lord Melbourne, who acted as a mentor to the young queen.³⁰⁾

Victoria was one of the first women to use chloroform during childbirth, despite opposition from the Church.³¹⁾

She lived to the age of 81, an impressive feat for the time.³²⁾

The “Victorian era” is named after her and is known for its distinctive culture, fashion, and values.³³⁾

She never remarried after Albert’s death, although she was very close to her servant, John Brown.³⁴⁾

Queen Victoria was known for her love of jewelry, particularly diamonds, and pearls.³⁵⁾

Victoria made one of the first public telephone calls in 1878, speaking with inventor Alexander Graham Bell.³⁶⁾

Numerous statues and monuments were erected in her honor during her lifetime and after her death, including the Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace.³⁷⁾

Victoria’s personal secretary, Sir Henry Ponsonby, influenced the administration of the British Raj.³⁸⁾

Victoria had a strained relationship with her eldest son, Edward VII, whom she blamed for the death of Prince Albert.³⁹⁾

Victoria had a hearty appetite and particularly enjoyed Scottish cuisine, introduced to her by Prince Albert.⁴⁰⁾

She was the first monarch to live through the abolition of the royal prerogative to veto legislation, a power now held only in theory.⁴¹⁾

She was a prolific writer, penning thousands of letters, many of which have been published.⁴²⁾

Victoria was the first reigning British monarch to meet a sitting U.S. president, when she met President Buchanan in 1857.⁴³⁾

Victoria died on January 22, 1901, and was buried beside Prince Albert in the Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore, Windsor.⁴⁴⁾