SPEAKER_03: Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Encyclopedia Wamanica.
SPEAKER_00: Grab yourself a cup of tea and prepare to be wowed. Today we're talking about a lady who ran an empire so massive, the sun famously never set. That's right, our pioneer of the day is the grandmother of Europe, Queen Victoria of Britain. Princess Alexandrina Victoria was born in 1819 and ascended to the crown when she was just 18 years old. Prior to that point, she lived a secluded life preparing for her role, largely controlled by her mother and powerful advisors like Sir John Conroy. Victoria was the niece and only living heir of King William IV. When she came to power, Victoria was quite popular. Little was known about her because of her extremely strict and regimented upbringing, and crowds of well-wishers attended her early public appearances. But her popularity quickly waned due to a series of political scandals and court intrigue. On the coattails of these missteps, Victoria decided to marry her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg in Gotha in 1840 at the age of 20. Though originally a marriage of political expediency, Albert and Victoria's love story has become legendary. She found the courage to follow her heart.
SPEAKER_02: Do you ever feel like a chess piece in a game being played against your will? Then you had better master the rules of the game until you play it better than they can.
SPEAKER_00: You don't recommend I find a husband to play it for me?
SPEAKER_02: Not for you. With you.
SPEAKER_00: After their wedding, Victoria was keen on asserting her authority over her husband. She was queen, after all. The unusual power dynamic between husband and wife, particularly at that point in time, was a point of contention, but shifted as their marriage aged. Albert gained increasing power and authority in the government as time went on, especially when Victoria was pregnant, which was often. The two had 12 children together. Though once enthusiastic about her role as ruler, Victoria later stated that, quote, we women are not made for governing. By 1845, Charles Greville, the observer of royal affairs, wrote, quote, it's obvious that while she has the title, he is really discharging the functions of sovereign. The balance of power changed again when Albert suddenly died in 1861 at the age of 42, leaving Victoria without a partner. She never remarried and famously wore black every day until her own death 40 years later. Queen Victoria, with Albert and then alone, ruled during a period of widespread upheaval and evolution now known as the Victorian era. The Industrial Revolution brought about intense and inevitable economic, political and societal change as people moved to cities to work in factories and other burgeoning industries. Technologies such as the steam engine and telegraph forever altered the way people lived. The Queen and Albert's impact on Europe and the world was long lasting. By the time Victoria had been monarch for 50 years, she was known as the grandmother of Europe. By 1914, her grandchildren were seated on eight thrones across the continent. Victoria dutifully, heartbreakingly and a bit oddly, mourned for Prince Albert for decades. She made sure that his clothes were laid out on the bed every night and that the water basin in his room was filled every morning. She slept with a photo over her head, taken of his head and shoulders as he lay dead. Victoria's public presence waxed and waned throughout her reign. She disappeared for quite some time from the public eye after Albert's death, only to reemerge after her son, Edward, survived a typhoid scare. Regardless of her public appearance schedule, Victoria remained a diligent and active participant in behind the scenes politics. She passed away after a short and painless illness in 1901. Queen Victoria led an empire into a new era. Her long reign and fertile marriage secured her legacy for many years to come. Tune in tomorrow for the last episode of this first month's theme, Pioneers. We're heading back to the U.S. to talk about a woman who can claim firsts on Wall Street and in politics, Victoria Woodhull. You're not gonna wanna miss it. Special thanks to the one and only Liz Kaplan, my sister and the brain behind this incredible collection of women. Talk to you tomorrow.
SPEAKER_04: We'll be right back.
SPEAKER_03: Big name interviews, hard hitting investigations and epic adventures. No place, no one, no story is off limits and you'll always learn something new. It's time for 60 Minutes. New episode airs Sunday, September 24th on CBS and streaming on Paramount Plus.
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