Assassination Attempts While Queen Victoria was not well-received during the entirety of her reign, she was generally loved. There were 7 assassination attempts on Queen Victoria s life none successful. Most of the men that tried to kill her were insane. Assassination attempt in 1882 During one assassination attempt, Prince Albert blocked the Queen with his own body. The first assassination attempt came several months after Victoria s marriage to Albert; the Queen was four months pregnant with their first daughter. The Queen stated that it was worth being shot at to see how much she was loved. Dash, the King Charles Spaniel Dash was given to the Duchess by John Conroy. Victoria quickly became attached. Dash was sometimes referred to as Queen Victoria s closest childhood companion. Upon Dash s death, Victoria buried him herself. A marble effigy is placed over his grave along with this engraving:
Here lies DASH The favourite spaniel of Her Majesty Queen Victoria In his 10th year His attachment was without selfishness His playfulness without malice His fidelity without deceit READER If you would be beloved and die regretted Profit by the example of DASH The Great Exhibition of 1851 & The Crystal Palace The Crystal Palace The Great Exhibition of 1851 showcased the technology of the day. It was the first in a series of World s Fairs. Prince Albert helped plan it, and Queen Victoria was instrumental in its execution. The Exhibition helped solidify Queen Victoria as a major proponent in industrializing England. Those who attended the Exhibition included Charles Darwin, Charlotte Brönte, Lewis Carroll, and George Eliot. The Exhibition ran from May 1 st to October 15 th. The ticket prices decreased in price as the days went on. The first day, one would pay $433 (as of 2011), while the last day charged a fare of $6.86 (as of 2011). The earlier one went to the Exhibition, the greater their social status.
The Crystal Palace was built to house the Great Exhibition. It was a marvel in its day. The Palace was 990,000 square feet and built of cast-iron and glass. Within the decades after the Exhibition, the Palace fell into disrepair. It was eventually destroyed by fire after a small explosion in the women s cloakroom. 89 fire engines and 400 firefighters couldn t extinguish the flames.
Prince Albert s Death Prince Albert died of typhoid fever December 14, 1861. It crushed Victoria and sent her into mourning for the remainder of her life. She became a recluse and was rarely seen in public afterwards. It was easily the biggest turning point of Victoria s life. Her reclusive behavior earned her the moniker Widow of Windsor.
The Prince s rooms in their residences were maintained exactly as he had them when he was alive. Her servants were instructed to bring hot water into his dressing room every day as they had formerly done for his morning shave. Given the Queen s disappearance from public, the people grew restless with her. It would take some time before their attitudes were again positive and trust in the crown was restored. Victoria never remarried. Empress of India In May 1876, Queen Victoria assumed the title of Empress of India. It drew some public criticism and was satirized in newspapers. She also had two Indian servants whom she highly adored. A cartoon satirizing Queen Victoria as the Empress of India. It depicts Prime Minister Disraeli offering her the crown of India for the Royal Crown.
Number of diamonds in miniature crown: 1200 Queen Victoria with one of her Indian servants, Abdul Karim Diamond Jubilee On June 20, 1897, Queen Victoria celebrated 60 years on the throne. She is the only British monarch to reach this milestone, although Queen Elizabeth II will reach her Diamond Jubilee in February 2012. The Jubilee was a cause for public celebration and spread gaiety throughout the country. In a rare fashion, Queen Victoria appeared in an open carriage and was seen smiling.
Death & Burial Queen Victoria passed away on January 22, 1901. Although she declined in health during the last years of her life, it was discovered after her death that she suffered from a brain hemorrhage. She requested that her funeral be white and not black. Even the horses were not to be black. She was buried in white, wearing her wedding veil. Among the things Victoria was buried with was a plaster cast of Albert s hand along with one of his dressing gowns. She was interred in Frogmore Mausoleum, next to Albert. As she was laid to rest, it began to snow rare for that part of England. Victoria reigned so long, her reign spanned the Presidencies of Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, James K. Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland (both times), Benjamin Harrison, and William McKinley. Effigies of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria
Frogmore Mausoleum that house Victoria and Albert