Born in 1808: Celebrating the anniversary of Queen Victoria's Birthday. Images of Englands virtuous Queen.

Friday, 24 May 2013

Celebrating the anniversary of Queen Victoria's Birthday. Images of Englands virtuous Queen.

Today (May 24th) marks the 194th anniversary of Queen Victoria's Birthday. It always saddens me how often I see Victoria portrayed as the stereotypical post Albert old lady in black, especially during events that are aiming at the era before Albert's death (pre 1861). So to celebrate her birthday here are my favourite images of Queen Victoria during her heyday, from the beginning of her reign at the age of 18 to the death of her beloved Albert in December 1861 when she was 42.

Queen Victoria c.1839

Queen Victoria by John Partridge 1840 the Royal Collection

Queen Victoria, Henry Pierce Bone, 1840. Photo: Royal Collection

Queen Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (1819-1901) by Charles Brocky in 1841.

Queen Victoria, William Essex, 1841. Photo: Royal Collection.

Queen Victoria

by Mrs Edwin Dalton (Magdalena Ross), after Sir William Charles Ross

lithograph, 1843

Queen Victoria (1819-1901) by Robert Thorburn in 1844

Queen Victoria (1819-1901) by Franz Xaver Winterhalter in 1845.

The Royal Collection

Queen Victoria by unknown artist. 1840s.

Queen Victoria 1845

Queen Victoria 1847 Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Queen Victoria with Prince Arthur 1850 Franz Xaver Winterhalter

Queen Victoria, 1850s.

The Cousins: Queen Victoria and Victoire, Duchesse de Nemours by Franz Xaver Winterhalter 1852

wikipaintings

5th July 1854 Photograph showing a three-quarters length right profile portrait of a seated Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace. She rests a photographic portrait of Prince Albert on her lap. In July 1854, Queen Victoria commissioned Duppa to take a photograph of her, as a surprise for her husband. The portrait shows the Queen holding a framed copy of a portrait of Prince Albert taken by the same photographer a few months earlier.

The Royal Collection