Queen Victoria (1819-1901)

[Hector Fenwick]

1. Conroy was married. The chances of him becoming her stepfather were nil.

2. She was actually frequently amused by quite a lot and it's on record.

1. Yeah, officially, he wasn't her stepfather, but, being her mother's lover, he was her stepfather in a sense.


2. The title was a reference to a famous quote of hers: 'We are not amused.'

 

[Denville]

1. Yeah, officially, he wasn't her stepfather, but, being her mother's lover, he was her stepfather in a sense.


2. The title was a reference to a famous quote of hers: 'We are not amused.'

NO he wasn't her stepfather and would never have become so.

 

[Curryong]

We don’t know that Conroy was the Duchess of Kent’s lover. It’s often been assumed so because Sir John was the Duchess’s adviser and had great influence over her, but that doesn’t constitute proof.

And Princess Victoria loathed him. She never thought of him as a stepfather in any sense of the word.

 

[An Ard Ri]

There were rumours they were lovers circulated by by the enemies he made.

 

[Blog Real]

1899:
Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII), the Duke of York (King George V) and Prince Edward of York (King Edward VIII).
https://c9.quickcachr.fotos.sapo.pt/i/Gaa18d02b/22079630_yw4R1.jpeg

 

[AC21091968]

The Royal Collection Trust has released nine pictures of sketches drawn by Queen Victoria when she kept a detailed diary/journal. There were two sketches of her children and one sketch of her husband, Prince Albert.

Queen Victoria's Journal
https://www.rct.uk/collection/theme...t=Col,WC&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

 

[Curryong]

A German play for the Twelfth Night celebrations. Wonder whether the characters spoke in German too? One thing I have noticed about Queen Victoria’s sketches of her children was how often she drew them from the rear.

 

[Denville]

A German play for the Twelfth Night celebrations. Wonder whether the characters spoke in German too? One thing I have noticed about Queen Victoria’s sketches of her children was how often she drew them from the rear.

I think she wasn't very good with faces....

 

[An Ard Ri]

And in remarkable condition thanks to her daughter Princess Beatrice.

 

[Curryong]

Yes, Beatrice was an excellent conservator. However, Victoria must have kept her sketches and paintings carefully too. She painted and sketched her children since they were toddlers.

It might have been a matter of confidence with full face on portraits. Sometimes, as with the little painting of Albert and of Bertie she captured things fine. Perhaps when the children were small they were romping about and playing and wouldn’t stay still for anything but a lightning sketch.

 

[An Ard Ri]

From Westminster Abbey to mark the birth of queen Victoria : 24th May 1819
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/royals/queen-victoria

 

[An Ard Ri]

A statue of Queen Victoria which stood outside Government buildings at Winnipeg, Manitoba since 1904 was toppled by protesters on Thursday .The protestors were demonstrating about the British Colonial treatment of indigenous children.

 

[Lori138]

A statue of Queen Victoria which stood outside Government buildings at Winnipeg, Manitoba since 1904 was toppled by protesters on Thursday .The protestors were demonstrating about the British Colonial treatment of indigenous children.

Yes and a statue of QE11 was also torn down. The protest started peacefully and turned into a vandalism spree, the head of Victoria was thrown in the river and found by a kayaker the next day. This certainly did not help the cause and most were empathetic to the atrocities of the residential school system, but I feel that most will no longer be so sympathetic.

Two wrongs do not make a right. Police officers were also being spat on during this episode and of course, no arrests were made.

 

[Mbruno]

A statue of Queen Victoria which stood outside Government buildings at Winnipeg, Manitoba since 1904 was toppled by protesters on Thursday .The protestors were demonstrating about the British Colonial treatment of indigenous children.

Interesting. I thought the self-governed , federal Dominion of Canada was mostly responsible for the mistreatment of indigenous children, rather than the Brits.

 

[Lori138]

Mbruno I agree with you, but the fanatics insist that QV herself built the residential schools! When it was pointed out that QV never stepped foot in Canada we were then told it was because white people had 'hidden' and 'erased' their history! Personally, I think the Catholic Church should be made to pay for the healing that needs to happen.

 

[Alison H]

A number of Catholic churches have been burnt down as well. I'm not sure how that's supposed to help anyone.


Are people really saying that Queen Victoria built the schools?! In person? That's very odd!

 

[Prinsara]

Interesting. I thought the self-governed , federal Dominion of Canada was mostly responsible for the mistreatment of indigenous children, rather than the Brits.

Unfortunately the residential schools predate the Statute of Westminster.

What does any of this have to do with Victoria's descendants?

 

[Mbruno]

A number of Catholic churches have been burnt down as well. I'm not sure how that's supposed to help anyone.

Not only does it not help anyone, but also burning churches down is a hate crime in my opinion. People who do that should face the appropriate penalty according to law.

Unfortunately the residential schools predate the Statute of Westminster.

But not, for the most part, the British North America Act, which placed Indian affairs under the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Canada. Policy towards indigenous people was largely set by Canadians, not by the imperial government in London.

 

[Prinsara]

But not, for the most part, the British North America Act, which placed Indian affairs under the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Canada. Policy towards indigenous people was largely set by Canadians, not by the imperial government in London.

And prior to Westminster the British government was still linked and ultimately and legally in charge. That's what happens when you want a loyal dominion. Imperial/colonial culture in Canada persisted right up to *19*67.

There's a reason those protestors see royal statues as the enemy.

But, again, this has absolutely nothing to do with Victoria's descendants and this discussion is fairly obviously in the wrong thread.

 

[An Ard Ri]

The restoration of Queen Victoria's Russian vase which was presented to Queen Victoria in May 1874 by Tsar Alexander II who was on a visit to London.

https://www.rct.uk/collection/31653

 

[duchessrachel]

I'm not sure if this is the appropriate thread to place this question, so administrators, please move it if it is not. From books I have read on Queen Victoria, I know she greatly disliked Prime Minister Gladstone. I have read about him in other books of that period, but I have never read a biography on him. I looked for one and found several, so could someone recommend to me what is in your opinion, the best biography on Prime Minister Gladstone? I would like a biography that addresses his personal life as well as his professional life. Thanks.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I'm not sure if this is the appropriate thread to place this question, so administrators, please move it if it is not. From books I have read on Queen Victoria, I know she greatly disliked Prime Minister Gladstone. I have read about him in other books of that period, but I have never read a biography on him. I looked for one and found several, so could someone recommend to me what is in your opinion, the best biography on Prime Minister Gladstone? I would like a biography that addresses his personal life as well as his professional life. Thanks.

Here's an article on the queen and her 4 times Prime Minister!

https://enoughofthistomfoolery.word...oyalty-question-and-a-clash-of-personalities/

 

[duchessrachel]

Here's an article on the queen and her 4 times Prime Minister!

https://enoughofthistomfoolery.word...oyalty-question-and-a-clash-of-personalities/

Thank you. That was very interesting.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Thank you. That was very interesting.

A clash of strong personalities it seems.

 

[Prinsara]

Both exceptionally unconstitutional... and pretty funny from the safe distance of history. With most biographies of Victoria I just start laughing when he comes back again.

I think it's less "strong personalities" (nobody could say Disraeli was retiring) and more "neither of them were very good at even pretending to accommodate" (as Disraeli quite famously was). The strange thing is Gladstone had quite a few of Albert's bad qualities (lecturing, being doctrinaire and humorless) and perhaps that accounts for her change in attitude after the Prince Consort's death. It's a mystery to think what his reputation might have been had he not antagonized the Sovereign so much!

It's very well-portrayed in "Edward the Seventh" on YouTube.

 

[Alison H]

I rather like Gladstone. But Disraeli, his great political rival, was a real charmer, who was always flattering Queen Victoria - so, next to him, Gladstone probably seemed pretty blunt and grumpy!

 

[Prinsara]

It's a bit like Melbourne and Peel, except Victoria was married to Albert, so she eventually got around to appreciating Peel, who was also very smart and earnest but no charmer; he didn't need to be.

(Although Victoria caused more trouble with Peel pre-Albert! By Gladstone she detested him and wasn't very gracious, but she knew enough not to cause a crisis.)

 

[Prinsara]

Not with Victoria in this scene, but here's Gladstone (Michael Hordern), the Princess of Wales, and Lillie Langtry. 20:11

"They are called prostitutes, Ma'am."
"Yes, I know."

 

[Roderick]

Alexandra, Princess of Wales and later Queen Alexandra was never as light-weight and naive as many believed her to be.

 

[Prinsara]

I think the impact of that line comes not just from Alix but for Victorian ladies in general. They all knew things, of course, even if they weren't meant to or it wasn't proper.

Or Gladstone was a "mansplainer" ahead of his time, perhaps, which might be partly why Victoria disliked him so. ?