from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India
.
Victoria was the daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, the fourth son of King George III
. Both the Duke of Kent and the King died in 1820, and Victoria was raised under close supervision by her German-born mother Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
. She inherited the throne at the age of 18 after her father's three elder brothers died without surviving legitimate issue.
1837 Queen Victoria succeeds to the British throne.
1838 Coronation of Victoria of the United Kingdom.
1840 Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom marries Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
1851 Queen Victoria opens the Great Exhibition in London.
1856 Queen Victoria institutes the Victoria Cross.
1857 Queen Victoria chooses Ottawa, Ontario, as the capital of Canada.
1858 The ''Wedding March'' by Felix Mendelssohn becomes a popular wedding recessional after it is played on this day at the marriage of Queen Victoria's daughter, Victoria, and Friedrich of Prussia.
1858 U.S. President James Buchanan inaugurates the new transatlantic telegraph cable by exchanging greetings with Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. However, a weak signal forces a shutdown of the service in a few weeks.
1861 American Civil War: Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom issues a "proclamation of neutrality" which recognizes the breakaway states as having belligerent rights.
1867 Queen Victoria gives Royal Assent to the British North America Act which establishes the Dominion of Canada on July 1.
It seems to me a defect in our much famed constitution, to have to part with an admirable government like Lord Salisbury's for no question of any importance, or any particular reason, merely on account of the number of votes.
We are not interested in the possibilities of defeat; they do not exist.
I will be good.
Since it has pleased Providence to place me in this station, I shall do my utmost to fulfill my duty towards my country; I am very young, and perhaps in many, though not in all things, inexperienced, but I am sure, that very few have more real good will and more real desire to do what is fit and right than I have.