May 24 marks the 199th birth anniversary of Queen Victoria, who was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from June 20 1837 until death and adopted the additional title of the Empress of India. She ruled for a total of 63 years which was more than any of her predecessors.
Here are some facts about Queen Victoria:
1.) Queen Victoria was born on May 24, 1819 in Kensington Palace in London, England. Her full name was Alexandria Victoria. Victoria was the daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, the fourth son of King George III.
2.) Victoria assumed the throne of England in June 1837, when she was only 18 years old.
3.) Her coronation took place at Westminster Abbey a year later in June 1838. She was cheered with slogans of "Long live the Queen!"
4.) Queen Victoria was a linguist who was fond of learning languages. She learned a few languages including Hindustani
5.) Victoria was married to Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, who was also her first cousin.
6.) Victoria and Albert had nine children in all.
7.) Albert died in December 1861 and dressed in black as a sign of mourning for the rest of her life.
8.) Queen Victoria ruled for 63 years. This made her the longest ruling British monarch and queen of the biggest empire in history.
9.) A number of famous places in the world are named after Queen Victoria, some of which have also been changed.
10.) Queen Victoria died in January 1901. She was 81-years-old when she passed away. She was buried beside her husband Albert at Frogmore Mausoleum near Windsor.
The Victoria Cross was introduced in 1856 to reward acts of valour during the Crimean War, and it remains the highest British, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand award for bravery. Victoria Day is a Canadian statutory holiday and a local public holiday in parts of Scotland celebrated on the last Monday before or on 24 May (Queen Victoria's birthday).
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 24, 2018 12:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).