Eleanor Finch
Queen Victoria is known for restoring the reputation of the British monarchy, which had been tarnished by the extravagance of her royal uncles. During her reign, the power of the monarchy declined, but its influence grew. Victoria, a constitutional monarch, privately attempted to influence government policy and ministerial appointments, while publicly, she became a national icon associated with strict standards of personal morality. She was the first constitutional monarch, and her reign set a precedent for the modern idea of a constitutional monarchy, where the monarch remains above political parties.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of monarchy | Constitutional monarchy |
| Monarch's authority | Bound by a constitution |
| Decision-making | Not alone |
| Role | Hereditary symbolic head of state |
| Powers | Limited |
| Role of the monarch | Ceremonial and civic |
| Monarchy's reputation | Tarnished by predecessors |
| Influence on government policy | Limited |
| Influence on ministerial appointments | Limited |
| Political influence | Private |
| Public image | National icon |
| Personal morality | Strict |
| Popularity | Fluctuating |
| Public duties | Limited |
| Isolation | Self-imposed |
| Monarchy's influence | Increased |
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What You'll Learn
- Queen Victoria was the first constitutional monarch
- The role of the monarch was to remain above political parties
- The monarchy's reputation was badly damaged before Victoria's reign
- Victoria's self-imposed isolation diminished the popularity of the monarchy
- Victoria's influence on foreign policy was generally used to support peace and reconciliation
Queen Victoria was the first constitutional monarch
Victoria's self-imposed isolation from the public diminished the popularity of the monarchy and encouraged the growth of the republican movement. She undertook her official government duties but chose to remain secluded in her royal residences. In the late 1860s, Victoria resumed her public duties. Her later reign was largely devoted to encouraging peace in Europe and expanding and consolidating her massive political empire. She became Empress of India in 1877 and influenced foreign relations through her children and grandchildren, many of whom married into European royalty.
Victoria attempted privately to influence government policy and ministerial appointments. Publicly, she became a national icon associated with strict standards of personal morality. She was the product of a succession crisis in England's royal family. She was raised at Kensington Palace, isolated from other children and controlled by her mother and Sir John Conroy, a member of the royal household who sought to gain power and influence through the future queen. Victoria's father died when she was a child, and her mother allied herself with Conroy, who created the "Kensington system," a set of rules that isolated the young princess.
Victoria's reign transformed the monarchy, though it was said to be against her wishes. She deprecated anything that appeared to cast doubt on revered religion and insisted she could never be Queen of a democratic monarchy. She wrote to a Liberal minister in 1880:
> I cannot, and will not, be the Queen of a democratic monarchy.
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The role of the monarch was to remain above political parties
Queen Victoria is known for restoring the reputation of the British monarchy, which had been damaged by her predecessors' extravagance. During her reign, the power of the monarchy declined, but its influence grew. Victoria is considered the first constitutional monarch, and the modern idea of the constitutional monarch—whose role was to remain above political parties—began to evolve during her reign.
The constitutional monarchy, also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy, is a form of monarchy in which the monarch's authority is exercised in accordance with a constitution and is not the sole decision-maker. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch is typically a symbolic head of state who performs representative and civic roles but does not hold executive or policy-making power.
While Queen Victoria is associated with this evolution, she did not always remain non-partisan. She would forcefully express her opinions in private, attempting to influence government policy and ministerial appointments. For example, after the Second Reform Act of 1867, which saw the growth of a two-party system, she tried to prevent William Gladstone from becoming Prime Minister in 1880, as she disliked him and distrusted his policies. However, her freedom to choose the premiership gradually decreased during her reign.
Despite her attempts to influence politics, Queen Victoria's reign transformed the monarchy, and she played a crucial role in reshaping it. She undertook her official government duties and worked to strengthen the monarchy's position in England and Europe, where there was a growing distaste for royals. She and her family became beloved celebrities, influencing popular culture and introducing new trends. Through her reign, the gradual establishment of a modern constitutional monarchy in Britain continued.
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The monarchy's reputation was badly damaged before Victoria's reign
The British monarchy's reputation was badly damaged before Queen Victoria's reign. Victoria ascended the throne in 1837, following the death of her uncle, King William IV. At the time, the monarchy was probably less popular than at any time since the 17th century. This was due to a succession crisis caused by the death of Princess Charlotte, the presumptive successor to King George, and her infant son during childbirth. Princess Charlotte's brothers, who were all single, gave the monarchy a bad name with their extravagant spending and messy personal lives. They raced to produce an heir, which led to the birth of Queen Victoria.
The monarchy's reputation was further damaged by the potato famine in Ireland between 1845 and 1852, which caused outright rebellion. There was also a growing distaste for royals across Europe, who were expected to have the public foot the bill for their lavish lifestyles. The British populace clamoured to replace the monarchy with a republic.
Queen Victoria, along with her husband, Prince Albert, worked to strengthen the position of the monarchy in England and throughout Europe. She expanded the monarch's public role, supporting charities, the arts, and civic reform to counter the view that British royalty was not worth the expense. Victoria's influence and popularity grew, and by the end of her reign, the monarchy had been raised to a level of prestige and affection it has never lost.
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Victoria's self-imposed isolation diminished the popularity of the monarchy
Queen Victoria is known for her role in the gradual establishment of a modern constitutional monarchy in Britain. However, her self-imposed isolation from the public diminished the popularity of the monarchy and encouraged the growth of the republican movement.
Victoria's reign marked a turning point in the destiny of the monarchy. The debauchery associated with her predecessors, such as George III's sons, was replaced by a new standard of purity. Victoria, along with her husband, Prince Albert, crafted a model of constitutional monarchy that has endured. As a constitutional monarch, Victoria attempted to privately influence government policy and ministerial appointments while maintaining a non-partisan public image.
However, after Albert's death in 1861, Victoria retreated from public life. She avoided public appearances and remained secluded in her royal residences, including Windsor Castle, Osborne House, and Balmoral Castle in Scotland. This self-imposed isolation led to speculation about her ability to perform her royal duties, and some even called for the abolition of the monarchy. Her seclusion caused British republicanism to temporarily gain strength, and there were protests against her absence, including a notice stuck on the railings of Buckingham Palace announcing the "occupant's declining business".
The Queen's isolation was partly due to the deep grief she experienced after Albert's death. Her doctors even feared she was seriously mentally ill, and her seclusion was described as "evidence of insanity". Additionally, Victoria's isolation may have been influenced by her childhood experiences. She was raised in isolation from other children under the \"Kensington System," an elaborate set of rules and protocols designed by her mother and Sir John Conroy to keep her dependent on them.
Despite Victoria's initial withdrawal, she gradually resumed her public duties with the support of her family and Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. By the 1880s and 1890s, she had regained popularity and was well-liked as a benevolent matriarchal figure, embodying the empire. Her Golden and Diamond Jubilees were celebrated with great fanfare, and she continued her duties until the end of her reign, including an official visit to Dublin in 1900.
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Victoria's influence on foreign policy was generally used to support peace and reconciliation
Queen Victoria was a constitutional monarch, a role that was to remain above political parties. However, she did attempt to influence government policy and ministerial appointments in private. In later life, she admitted that she had been mistaken in some of her earlier actions and that she had been influenced by Lord Melbourne, who was serving as both the Whig Leader, Prime Minister, and her Private Secretary.
Victoria's popularity grew with the increasing imperial sentiment from the 1870s onwards. After the Indian Mutiny of 1857, the government of India was transferred from the East India Company to the Crown, and in 1877, Victoria became Empress of India. She was the first reigning monarch to use trains, making her first train journey in 1842. Her travels, along with her family, were seen on an unprecedented scale, thanks to transport improvements and other technical changes such as the spread of newspapers and the invention of photography.
Despite her advanced age, Victoria continued her duties to the end, including an official visit to Dublin in 1900. The Boer War in South Africa overshadowed the end of her reign, but she remained undaunted by British reverses during the conflict. She reviewed her troops and visited hospitals, embodying the empire as a benevolent matriarchal figure.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Queen Victoria was a constitutional monarch. She was the first constitutional monarch and during her reign, the power of the monarchy declined but its influence grew.
A constitutional monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not the sole decision-maker. The monarch is bound to exercise powers and authorities within limits prescribed by an established legal framework.
Yes, Queen Victoria attempted to influence government policy and ministerial appointments in private. However, her role as a constitutional monarch was to remain above political parties.
