\paperw3360 \margr0\margl0\ATXph16380 \plain \fs20 \pard\tx3255\tx6525\tx9780\ATXts240\ATXbrdr0 \f1 \fs22 Victoria (1819-1901) was the grand-daughter of \b \cf4 \ATXht13201000 Ge
orge III\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 . She became Queen of the United Kingdom in 1837 at the age of 18, and three years later married her cousin \b \cf4 \ATXht10851000 Albert\b0 \b of Saxe-Coburg\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 whom she adored and by whom she had nine children.
Taught the art of statecraft by her first prime minister, Lord Lembourne, she had a clear grasp of constitutional principles and the scope of her own prerogative, demanding to be informed on all government matters, especially foreign affairs. She took a
close interest in the Crimean War (1854-56), but retired from public affairs almost entirely following the premature death of Albert in 1861. However, her popularity recovered thereafter as she appeared in public more frequently. She was proclaimed E
mpress of India in 1876. Her long reign was enthusiastically celebrated in the Golden Jubilee of 1887 and the Diamond Jubilee of 1897.\par
