Today is Queen Victoria's 201st birthday. She was born Alexandrina Victoria and at the time of her birth no one knew or could have imagined how her life would unfold and the profound impact it would have on world history.
For my morning tea photo today I chose to honor Queen Victoria's birthday choosing a photo of the Queen at the age I am now. Normally you see images of the Queen in her full mourning dress, and this photo is no different, at age 45 taken about two years after Albert's death. Somehow this photo speaks to me, and it is in her resolve and duties, through unimaginable strife and duty she carries on.
She reigned for 63 years and 7 months. She gave birth to nine children, and has now become known as the Grandmother of Europe, as her children went on to marry and give birth to the lines of families who we now consider Royal throughout modern day Europe.
Though you rarely see an image of Queen Victoria smiling I think this is perhaps one of my favorites. Towards the end of her reign, she was in her open carriage and her genuine smile was the result of seeing the young children who gathered to see her. I like the simple beauty in this photo of not just a Queen, or an older lady but of someone who still found joy in the simple pleasure of children, who's charmed, sometimes stressful, and complicated life, did the best she could, carried on, found new joys, and left a very long legacy, witty quotes and a lead a life that is still compared too, still talked about today.
I do realize that no one is perfect and that Queen Victoria was far from the Perfect Queen, but perhaps she was the Perfect Queen of witty quotes. My favorite one is shown above and I often think of this. Queen Victoria was assertive, she was progressive and she was an amazing woman. She left her mark on this world and on this writer and today I lift my teacup to her in thanks, for the quote above and her great great granddaughter Queen Elizabeth, another strong and stoic woman I so greatly admire.
Thank you for letting me share with you one of my favorite ladies of history and thank you for joining me for a cup of tea today. I think I shall go attempt to make a Victorian Sponge Cake in her honor, now that I finished my morning scones.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com
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