The Private Life of Victoria. Queen, Empress, Mother of the Nation

When Victoria was born in 1819, no one expected her to become queen. But when William IV died in 1837 without a legitimate child of his own to succeed him, the role fell to her. Headstrong and eccentric, this 18-year-old girl was just 4ft 11in tall. On the face of it, she didn’t appear to be cut out for monarchy. But Victoria s devotion to duty and her long reign would come to be seen as an outstanding example of British success, heralding an age of industrial growth and the expansion of a worldwide empire. Based on her own words, this is the story of the life and loves of a remarkable woman whose reign left an enduring mark on Britain and the world.