Accession to the Throne and Marriage
When Victoria was eleven years old, King George IV died childless and his brother the Duke of Clarence and St. Andrews was coronated as King William IV. He had ten children, but all of them were illegal by his mistress Dorothy Jordon. So Victoria was the next heiress to the throne. The British Parliament passed a Regency Act in 1830 which was to make Victoria's mother the Duchess of Kent and Stratearn "the Regent" in case Victoria had to assume the throne while she was still minor. Incidentally, King William IV died 27 days after Victoria's eighteenth birthday thus forcing her to become queen on 24th May, 1837 at a tender age of only eighteen years.
Victoria met her future husband Prince Albert in 1835. He was a minor German prince and her first cousin, son of her true maternal uncle. Though King William did not approve of the relationship, Victoria eventually proposed to the Prince, as he could not propose to her due to his lower social status. Eventually the married on 10th February, 1840 and had a very successful marriage till he died on 14th December 1861. During their nuptial life, of around 20 years, they lived in good harmony and had nine children. Prince Albert was a man of high moral and spiritual integrity and he became the most influential factor in Victoria's life, not only while he was alive but she followed his ideologies even after he died.
Original Authors: Bishal Chakma
Edit Update Authors: RPN
Updated On: 02/04/2007
