Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria is the second longest reigning British monarch in history. She __________ (be) Queen from June, 1837 until her death in January, 1901.

She __________ (be) born on May 24, 1819 and __________ (marry) her first cousin, Prince Albert I in 1840. The couple __________ (have) 9 children, all of whom __________ (marry) into European royal families, and Victoria __________ (be) often known as the grandmother of Europe. Although she __________ (have) 9 children, Victoria __________ (be) never happy at having to go through the experience of giving birth.

She __________ (be) the first monarch to live at Buckingham Palace in London. Queen Victoria’s coronation __________ (take) place on June 28, 1838.

Queen Victoria __________ (be) a prolific writer and __________ (write) about 2. 500 words every day during her adult life. Although some of her diaries __________ (be) accidentally destroyed, many of these 122 volumes __________ (survive) to this day.

Victoria __________ (not smoke) and __________ (have) “no smoking” signs __________ (place) in almost all the rooms in the palace. She also __________ (not like) using the newly invented telephone.

She __________ (enjoy) looking at art and __________ (be) quite a talented artist herself. On several birthdays and anniversaries, she __________ (give) her husband a painting depicting nude, or near nude women.

Although the common image of Queen Victoria is of a serious looking woman, she __________ (have) her fun side. She __________ (enjoy) a good joke, going to opera, dancing and playing piano.

Queen Victoria __________ (be) devastated when her husband __________ (die) in December, 1861. From that day on, she __________ (wear) only black and __________ (be) in permanent state of mourning.

During her reign, there __________ (be) at least 7 attempts to kill her. Several of the assassins __________ (be) sent to a mental asylum and __________ (be) declared insane.

Queen Victoria __________ (can) speak several languages, including Urdu and Hindustani. Although she never __________ (visit) Canada, she __________ (declare) Ottawa to be the capital of the province.

__________ (name) after the Queen, the Victoria Cross __________ (be) introduced in 1856 for acts of bravery during the Crimean War. Today, it is still the highest award for bravery, not only in Britain, but in Canada and Australia.

Although she __________ (treat) her stuff well, she __________ (not care) for Prime Minister Gladstone. Often, she __________ (will) remain standing so that he __________ (have) to stand too, despite the fact that he __________ (be) in his 80s.

The Penny Black, the first adhesive postage stamp, __________ (be) released in Britain on 1^st May 1840. It __________ (be) designed by William Mulready and __________ (show) Queen Victoria in profile.

In the UK, hundreds of streets and squares __________ (be) named after her, and there are many statues of her. London’s Victoria train station is named after her, as well as the Victoria and Albert Museum of Art and Design.

Victoria Falls in Africa are named after Queen Victoria.

Many other places around the world are also named after her, including Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa, the capital of Seychelles Islands, several Canadian cities and two states in Australia.

Queen Victoria’s reign is also known as The Victorian Era or the Victorian Period.

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