COVE

Alexandrina Victoria, bettwr known as Queen Victoria, was the queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and monarch of the British Empire, for most of the 19th century. Her reign constituted the Victorian Era, a period of industrial, cultural and political change, as well as a great time for scientific development, lierature and physlosophy, marked for the expansion of the Empire. However, the Victorian Era was also marked for a tremendous inequality among the british and between the british and the people of the colonies.

On that context and after a complicate and strange succesion process, Victoria became Queen and strarted to live in the Buckingham Palace. On 1840 she married Prince Albert of Saxe-Couburg and Gotha, who would be one of the greatest moral, emotional and actions supporters that the Queen would have. The couple wanted to be perceived as a standard and example of what a British couple should be. Victoria, depsite being a determined women, always tried to look calmed and acted with a lot of self-control in public, at the time she encouraged a high moral way of life. Yet, she also showed concern for its people and tried to get close to them and help those in need. She became patron of over 100 institutions, including dozens of charities, while Albert was known for supporting the development of education and museums. They made civic visits to industrial towns and attended military reviews to support the armed forces. Aditionally, during her reign many social reforms aiming to improve the ocnditions of people in need were approved (even if she wasn't necessary involved on the creation of those laws, she approved them).

Those actions shows that Queen Victoria tried to be a monarch close to the people and who was concerned about those in need. It is unclear how much did she actually care about her citizens or, unlikely, if everything was part of a political strategy, yet it is undeniable that Victoria presented herself as benevolent ruler who look for her citizens and that her actions had an actual impact on how the value of individuals was perceived by society and the british government.

Sources:

Bates, S. (2014). Queen Victoria also pleaded poverty. But these days [arliament bites back. The Guardian, website: Queen Victoria also pleaded poverty. But these days parliament bites back | Stephen Bates | The Guardian

BBC teach. Queen Victoria: The woman who redefined Britain's monarchy. BBC, website: Queen Victoria: The woman who redefined Britain’s monarchy - BBC Bitesize

Hibbert, C. (2000). Queen Victoria: A Personal History. London: Harper Collins.

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