Queen Victoria's Birthday 24 May 1819, 201 Years ago

Today, 24 May, marks the 201st anniversary of Queen Victoria's birth in 1819 to Prince Edward, The Duke of Kent who was the 4th son of King George III and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg.

The above portrait is in The Royal Collection Trust, and depicts Alexandrina Victoria at age 2.

Victoria became queen in 1837 at the age of 18... 

The above portrait from a newspaper when she attended the theatre at Drury Lane

Victoria by American artist Thomas Sully shows Victoria in the year following her accession 

At her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840

Upon the death of her beloved Albert in 1861, the queen began mourning that rather than ending in one year which was the normal custom was continued for the rest of her life until her death in 1901.

Memorial pair of dishes from 1861...

Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee of 50 years in 1887...

And her Diamond Jubilee of 60 years reign in 1897... 

and gave her name to an entire era of history, style, innovation, literature and morality... both for good and bad...

a lasting legacy...