The Events that Led to Queen Victoria's Birth and Reign

The events leading to the birth, and later the accession of Queen Victoria were quiet peculiar. In 1817, Princess Charlotte, only daughter and child of future King George IV, who was then the Prince Regent, died in childhood. Her death resulted to the extinction of the only legitimate offspring of the 13 sons and daughters of King George III.

The birth and reign of Queen Victoria (left). was made possible by the death of her cousin, Princess Charlotte (right).

To remedy this defect, three of the sons, the dukes of Clarence, Kent, and Cambridge decided to marry in 1818. The duke of Clarence married Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen; the duke of Kent to Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg, and the duke of Cambridge to Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel.

The duke and duchess of Clarence had two daughter who both died in infancy. The duke and duchess of Kent bore an only daughter, christened Alexandra Victoria, in 1819. The duke and duchess of Cambridge had a son, George, who later succeeded as duke of Cambridge, and two daughters, Augusta, later grand duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and Mary, later duchess of Teck.

The death of duke of Kent in 1820, only a few days before his father's, and his elder brother the duke of York in 1827 made Victoria the heiress presumptive to the British throne on her uncle, the duke of Clarence's accession as King WIlliam IV in 1830.

Victoria's father, the duke of Kent (right).

Learn more about the events that led to Queen Victoria's birth and reign from a detailed article in Suite101.