This weekend is shaping up to be one that is full of princesses and queens. Apart from Rapunzel, I also managed to watch The Young Victoria. The movie is a retelling of the events leading up to Victoria’s coronation as queen in 1837 and the events that follow soon after. It follows the journey of a young woman eager to escape the grasp of an over protective mother who desires to become Regent and rule in her daughter’s stead while she can. Fortunately, that never happened because King William IV, whom announced that he would live until Victoria came of age, did just that and died only a month after Victoria turned 18. Thus began the destiny of one of Britain’s youngest monarch who went on to rule for 64 years. She became the longest-reigning monarch in English, Scottish and British history. All this makes for a remarkable story and the movie captures Victoria’s struggles in the early years of her reign. But in between the palace intrigues and politics, it is also a love story between Victoria and Prince Albert. The two met before she became queen and began exchanging letters since then. Prince Albert lived in Germany and would visit her as much as he was allowed. He was ever a source of strength for her and in the days before she became queen, he seemed to be the only person that understood her loneliness and frustration. It was during of of his visits in October 1839 that Victoria proposed to him. They married in February 1840 in the Chapel Royal of St. James’s palace. The last few lines of the movie sums up the strength of their love.
“Victoria and Albert reigned together for 20 years. Albert later died of typhoid at the age of 42.In memory of her husband, Victoria would have his clothes laid out everyday until the day she died.”
