Queen Victoria (May 24, 1819 – January 22, 1901) was the longest-reigning British monarch in history, ruling from 1837 to 1901—a period of 63 years. Born at Kensington Palace, she became queen at age 18. Her marriage to Prince Albert in 1840 produced nine children who married into European royal families, earning her the title "Grandmother of Europe." During her reign, the British Empire reached its zenith as the "empire on which the sun never sets." The Victorian Era marked the height of the Industrial Revolution, transforming Britain into the world's workshop. Victoria's death at Osborne House in 1901 marked the end of an era that profoundly shaped modern history.
