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 King George III died in 1820.

She inherited the British throne at the age of 18, after her father’s three elder brothers had all died, leaving no surviving legitimate children.

Victoria was raised under close supervision by her German-born mother, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Victoria married her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in 1840.