We are incredibly fortunate and proud to have such an illustrious tour guide as Queen Victoria for our London Westminster and Buckingham Experience. We all know she was the Queen of England and is the grandmother of the current British monarch, but what else do you know about the woman who would be sovereign of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India for a great part of the 19th century?

We give you ten curious, little-known facts about Queen Victoria.

Vickelchen

She was given the names Alexandrina Victoria at birth, but she was known by Vickelchen by her German-born mother. Another of her nicknames was Drina. Upon her coronation, the first name (Alexandrina) was dropped and never used again.

2. German

Until she was three years old, Queen Victoria only spoke German. It was only after her third birthday that she picked up English, later learning French and even “Hindustani”. She was, after all, the Empress of India, even though she never set foot in the country.

3. Unorthodox Marriage Proposal

Unusually for a woman, Victoria proposed to Prince Albert in 1839, which wasn’t even a leap year (a year when women could traditionally propose to men). Albert couldn’t propose to her, as she was already Queen, so she did the honours by popping the question.

4. White Wedding Dress

She wore a white dress on her wedding day and the trend soon spread. In addition to wearing a white dress, Victoria requested that nobody else wear white to her wedding. Whatever a Queen does is usually imitated and adopted by her subjects and white dresses have never looked back. Her dress-code request was respected and is a tradition which continues right up to the present day.

5. Haemophilia

Victoria is sometimes described as the first known carrier of Haemophilia. Victoria had 9 children and 42 grandchildren, who all inter-married. This is why she is known as the “Grandmother of Europe” in royal circles. Her genes spread among the Royal Houses of Germany, Greece, Norway, Romania, Russia, Spain and Sweden, with a correspondingly high number of cases of Haemophilia among male aristocrats in these countries.

6. Six attempts were made on her life

At least. And most of these while travelling in her beloved carriage.

She survived them all.

7. She hated phones

Although she tried to avoid them, it seems she’s gotten over her aversion to telephones now that she’s a Navibration guide. When they were first invented she considered them “cold and impersonal”.

8. Big Appetite, Big Bloomers

Victoria was known to have a very healthy appetite and a correspondingly large waistline. In 2008 a pair of her 50-inch knickers or “bloomers” were put up for auction for the princely sum of £4,500.

9. Jekyll and Hyde

Victoria was known for her love of reading and one of her favourite books was Robert Louis Stevenson’s “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”, which is based on the real-life Deacon William Brodie, who happens to be our tour guide for the Edinburgh Experience! A neat coincidence!

10. The Penny Black

On May 1, 1840, the first adhesive postage stamp was introduced and it featured a portrait of Queen Victoria.

Why don’t you take a listen to what Queen Victoria has to say about her beloved London? We’re sure you’ll find it both stimulating and very regal.

https://www.navibration.com/guides/182/Londres:%20Westminster%20y%20Buckingham#