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Sunday, February 5, 2012

Monarch of the Week & Giveaway

This weeks Monarch is:

Queen Victoria

220px-Queen_Victoria_by_Bassano

Full name:
Alexandrina Victoria

Born:
May 24, 1819

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Kensington Palace, London

Died:
January 22, 1901 at the age of 81

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Osborne House, Isle of Wight

Burial: February 4, 1901

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Frogmore, Windsor

Father:
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn

Mother:
Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfield

Spouse and Consort:
Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

Issue:
Victoria, German Empress
Edward VII
Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Helena, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein
Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll
Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught
Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany
Beatrice, Princess Henry of Battenberg

House:
The House of Hanover

Titles:
Queen of the United Kingdom
Empress of India (May 1, 1876-January 22, 1901)

Reign:
June 1837- January 22, 1901

Coronation:
June 28 1838

Predecessor:
William IV

Successor:
Edward VII

Signature:

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Princess Victoria at the age of 4

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Self-portrait by Queen Victoria when she was still the Princess of Kent 1835

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Coronation portrait

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The Marriage of Queen Victoria, 10 February 1840

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Earliest known photograph of Queen Victoria with the Princess Royal Victoria circa 1844

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Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and their nine children May 26, 1857

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Queen Victoria on her horse ‘Fyvie’ with her Scottish servant John Brown at Balmoral 1863

Interesting & Random Facts:
-Victoria was christened privately by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Charles Manners-Sutton on June 24, 1819 in the Cupola Room at Kensington Palace.

-She was baptized Alexandrina, after one of her godparents, Emperor Alexander I of Russia and Victoria after her mother.

-At birth she was the fifth in line of succession after her father and his three older brothers.
-Victoria described her childhood as “rather melancholy”.  Her mother was extremely protective, and Victoria was raised isolated from other children under the “Kensington System”, an elaborate set of rules and protocol devised by the Duchesses and her comptroller, Sir John Conroy.

-In her diary she wrote, "I was awoke at 6 o'clock by Mamma, who told me the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Conyngham were here and wished to see me. I got out of bed and went into my sitting-room (only in my dressing gown) and alone, and saw them. Lord Conyngham then acquainted me that my poor Uncle, the King, was no more, and had expired at 12 minutes past 2 this morning, and consequently that I am Queen."

-She spent the evening after her wedding  lying down with a headache and wrote the following in her diary:


NEVER, NEVER spent such an evening!!! MY DEAREST DEAREST DEAR Albert ... his excessive love & affection gave me feelings of heavenly love & happiness I never could have hoped to have felt before! He clasped me in his arms, & we kissed each other again & again! His beauty, his sweetness & gentleness – really how can I ever be thankful enough to have such a Husband! ... to be called by names of tenderness, I have never yet heard used to me before – was bliss beyond belief! Oh! This was the happiest day of my life.

-She was the last British monarch from the House of Hanover.

-Queen Victoria is the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning Queen regnant in world history; she reigned for a total of 63 years, seven months and two days.

Here is another chance to win a Michaela MacColl two book set that includes the book Prisoners of the Palace (a book about young Victoria) and Promise the Night.
Winner will be selected on February 10.
Giveaway is open Worldwide.

24 comments:

penney said...

Wow what a great blog today I enjoyed reading this. Thank you!
I love to read these two books thanks
Penney

Wendy said...

What a wonderful giveaway! I would love to read these books!

Thank you for the entry,

Wendy
wendysfictionaddiction(at)gmail(dot)com

rhonda said...

Loved today's blot would love to read the books.Lomazowr@gmail.com

Phoebe's Sisters said...

So much great information! I'd love to have the chance to get my hands on these books :-)) Thank you for the giveaway!

faridamestek@yahoo,com

Linda said...

Great blog post. I esp. love the picture of Victoria at 4 years old.
Thanks for the giveaway.

Beth said...

Great post!

These looks fun! Please enter me!

bethsbookreviewblog2 AT gmail DOT com

The Lit BItch said...

I have been in love with Queen Victoria since I was a kid....she is AMAZING. She is my favorite monarch to say the least. What a great blog post, thanks for this. I really enjoyed it!! The books for the giveaway sound great also! I would love to read them count me in for the giveaway :)

thelitbitch@me.com

traveler said...

Many thanks for this wonderful post which was fascinating. Love learning more about Queen Victoria,which intrigues me. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

petite said...

This giveaway and informative post today was something special. Queen Victoria, the monarch is an extraordinary topic. thanks. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

miki said...

So interesting and the drawing is manificient. Very instructive

thanks you a lot for opening this giveaway to international

gfc follower: miki

isabelle(dot)frisch(at)gmail(dot)com

ily said...

wonderful giveaway
thank you
blogmicia(at)yahoo(dot)it

storyqueen said...

Such interesting facts. Victoria was a fascinating person!

Love to win the books!

Shelley

Mary Preston said...

History is alive & well. Queen Victoria was certainly an amazing woman. Beginning with her fight for her throne.

A wonderful giveaway thank you.

marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Charleydog said...

You must spend a lot of time researching the biographical material for the Monarch of the Week posting. Very good work.
I would love to win these books.

pboylecharley AT hotmail DOT com

Literary Chanteuse said...

Victoria was such a fascinating monarch. I'd love to read these. Thank you for the giveaway!

Margaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com

Colleen Turner said...

I just love the love story between Victoria and Albert! Thank you for the post, I don't know that much about Victoria's life so I found it fascinating.
Colleen Turner
candc320@gmail.com

Jennie said...

Great giveaway!

Gigi said...

I watch the movie The Young Victoria with Emiliy Blunt and I loveee it! I would like to read this books! Thank you so much for the chance!
GFC follower
ilepachequin(at)hotmail(dot)com

buddyt said...

Thank you for the great giveaway and for opening it to worldwide entries.

Much appreciated.

I would dearly to have both books.

Carol T

buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

Diane D - Florida said...

What a great post, with so many interesting facts about Queen Victoria.

I'm really proud of my Queen Elizabeth II and all that she has accomplished. I hope that she can reign as long, or longer, than Queen Victoria did. We do love our Queen.

Thank you for this chance.

dpd333 (at) aol dot com

Jess@The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow said...

I loved this post- it was so interesting. I can't believe how long her reign was and her diary excerpts were fascinating! I also think she did a great job on her self-portait. What an excellent giveaway! Thanks for the chance to win!

GFC: Jess/Fairday
haightjess at gmail dot

Carol L. said...

I loved this post. Amazing how long she reigned. But what I found absolutely beautiful was her diary entry the day after her wedding. I don't think I've ever heard of such deep and beautiful feelings from a Royal. :)
Thanks for the post.

Mystica said...

Thank you for such a lovely post. I'd love to be counted in for this giveaway.

mystica123athotmaildotcom

Michelle Stockard Miller said...

Please enter me. Thanks so much for the chance.

truebookaddictATgmailDOTcom