Profile of the Day: Queen Victoria

On this day in 1901, Queen Victoria died at the age of 81. At the time of her death, the Queen had reigned for 63 years, 7 months and 2 days, making her the longest reigning British monarch. It wasn’t until 2015 that her second great granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, surpassed her record as the longest reigning monarch in British history.

Image: Queen Victoria / Wikimedia Commons

At the time of her birth on May 24, 1819, Victoria was the fifth in the line of succession. She was the daughter of the fourth son of King George III. However, in 1820, both her grandfather and father died within a week of each other. Seven years later, her uncle, the Duke of York, passed away from dropsy. After the death of her uncle, King George IV in 1830, Victoria became the heir presumptive to her next surviving uncle, William IV. She succeeded to the throne at the age of 18.

The Victorian Era was known as a time of great cultural expansion and growth. Her strategic marriage of her nine children to royal and noble families throughout Europe earned her the nickname, “the Grandmother of Europe.”

What’s your connection to the British royal family? Explore Queen Victoria’s family tree on Geni and share how you’re related to the British monarch.

View Queen Victoria’s Geni Profile