With a 63-year reign, Queen Victoria was one of the most notable monarchs in British history. She oversaw Britain’s age of widespread industrial expansion, economic progress, and growth of the Empire.
On the advice of her husband, Prince Albert, and her first Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, she learned how to best use her influence as the leader of a young empire: exploring and colonizing new overseas territories. By the end of her reign in 1901, she ruled over nearly a quarter of the world’s people.
Despite several attempts on her life, she was incredibly popular with her subjects, even as she retired from public life after the early death of her husband in 1861.
For over a century, Queen Victoria held the title of the longest-reigning monarch of the UK, before being surpassed by Elizabeth II in 2015.
The remnants of the British Empire as directed under Victoria is still visible today, with the formation of the Commonwealth, a network of nations working towards common goals of development, democracy, and peace.
