However, by this time, it was Prince Albert, rather than Melbourne, who had become the main influence over Victoria's political views. Lord Melbourne resigned as Prime Minister in 1841. During the next eighteen years Queen Victoria gave birth to nine children. Victoria immediately fell in love with Albert and although he initially had doubts about the relationship, the couple were eventually married in February 1840. Queen Victoria's cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg, visited London in 1839. Further assassination attempts took place in 1842 (twice), 1849, 1850, 18. Soon afterwards an attempt was made to kill Victoria while she was driving in her carriage in London. The story was leaked to the newspapers and when Lady Hastings died of cancer a few months later, Victoria became very unpopular with the British public. The queen's doctor discovered that Lady Hastings was indeed a virgin and that the swelling was caused by a cancerous growth on the liver. Victoria refused to believe her and insisted that she submitted to a medical examination. When Victoria approached Lady Hastings about this she claimed that she was still a virgin and had not had a sexual relationship with Conroy. A few months later Victoria noticed that Lady Hastings appeared to be pregnant. Soon after the return of Lord Melbourne as Prime Minister, Victoria saw Lady Flora Hastings, one of her ladies-in-waiting, getting into a carriage with Sir John Conroy. When Victoria refused, Peel resigned and Melbourne and the Whigs returned to office. ![]() Peel asked Victoria to replace the Whig ladies with Tory ladies. It was the custom for the Queen's ladies of the bedchamber to be of the same political party as the government. Sir Robert Peel, the Tory leader, now became Prime Minister. In 1839 Lord Melbourne resigned after a defeat in the House of Commons. He has such a kind and agreeable manner he does me the world of good." ![]() Queen Victoria wrote in her diary that she was growing very fond of Melbourne and loved listening to him talk: "Such stories of knowledge such a wonderful memory he knows about everybody and everything who they were and what they did. Lord Melbourne's old friend, Thomas Barnes, the editor of The Times wrote "Is it for the Queen's service - is it for the Queen's dignity - is it becoming - is it commonly decent?" In the autumn of 1837 a rumour circulated that Victoria was considering marrying Lord Melbourne. When on royal visits, some members of the crowd would shout out "Mrs. Some people objected to this close relationship. On one occasion she wrote: "he is such an honest, good kind-hearted man and is my friend, I know it." Queen Victoria by George Hayter (1833) Victoria's feelings for Melbourne were clearly expressed in her journal. An apartment was made available for Lord Melbourne at Windsor Castle and it was estimated that he spent six hours a day with the queen. Queen Victoria and Melbourne became very close. Melbourne attempted to protect Victoria from the harsh realities of British life and even advised her not to read Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens because it dealt with "paupers, criminals and other unpleasant subjects". Melbourne had been a member of Earl Grey's government that had passed the 1832 Reform Act, but he had privately been against the measure. Melbourne was leader of the Whig party and although radical in his youth, his views were now extremely conservative. Queen Victoria grew very fond of Melbourne and became very dependent on him for political advice. Melbourne's only child had died and he treated Victoria like his daughter. Lord Melbourne was Prime Minister when Victoria became queen. As soon as she became queen in 1837, Victoria banished Conroy from the Royal Court. Although William was unaware of this, Victoria disliked Conroy and she had objected to his attempt to exert power over her. ![]() William IV died 27 days after Victoria's eighteenth birthday. William's health was not good and he feared that Conroy would become the power behind the throne if Victoria became queen before she was eighteen. William had no surviving legitimate children and soVictoria, became his heir. On the death of George IV in 1830, his brother William IV became king. Conroy acted as if Victoria was his daughter and had a major influence over her as a child. ![]() The Duchess of Kent developed a close relationship with Sir John Conroy, an ambitious Irish officer. Victoria's father died when she was eight months old. The Duke and Duchess of Kent selected the name Victoria but her uncle, George IV, insisted that she be named Alexandrina after her godfather, Tsar Alexander II of Russia. The Duke of Kent was the fourth son of George III and Victoria Maria Louisa was the sister of King Leopold of Belgium. Alexandrina Victoria, the only child of Edward, Duke of Kent and Victoria Maria Louisa of Saxe-Coburg, was born in 24th May 1819.
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