How Did Queen Victoria Limit The Power Of Government

Rulers not only have the pressure to gain the respect of their followers, but also the stress of trying to leave a significant impact on the lives of others. Queen Victoria grew up unaware of the fact that she would later become one of England’s longest to reign. At the time of Queen Victoria’s rule, the British Parliament established major restrictions on the power of the British monarchy. Slowly, the balance of political power tipped away from the monarch’s responsibilities. Unlike past rulers, Queen Victoria, known for her tenacity, did not allow others to restrict her from doing as she desired. Queen Victoria’s long reign demonstrated that although the British Parliament heavily restricted the British monarchy of power, a determined ruler

could influence vital transitions. Dominating in popularity, self-drive and the domestic and international relations of the nineteenth century, Queen Victoria set a template for future monarchs to follow.
Raised in an isolated environment, Queen Victoria grew up oblivious to the idea that one day she would not only become an efficacious rulers, but also one of England’s most looked up to. Only eight months after her birth, Queen Victoria’s father died leaving her to fall victim to her mother’s strict and cloistered ways (“Victoria”). With no father or siblings to show affection towards, Victoria led a despondent life as a child. Although her mother wished to raise her in the best manner, she failed to consider the long term effects she would have on Victoria. Excluded from receiving any form of delectation, Queen Victoria never enabled herself to pursue an earnest relationship with her mother, viewing her childhood as “a form of imprisonment” (Arnstein 21). By not establishing a connection with her mother, Victoria would ultimately develop no sentimental feelings towards her children in her adult years. Her mother continued to have a lasting impact on her throughout her reigning years. She enforced her rule to consist of a “rigid adherence to tradition,” which led her to stand apart from the predominant trends of the era (“Victoria”). By separating herself from prevailing trends, Queen Victoria displayed that rulers could diverge from set patterns and lead the country however they pleased. Although the British Parliament impeded Queen Victoria’s power, she overcame their dominance and implemented a traditional rule. Victoria’s mother’s strict upbringing evolved her to be a potent individual with a sense of determination that triumphed during her reign. Queen Victoria demonstrated to future monarchs that they could make major transitions in the institution of the British monarchy.
Queen Victoria’s first few years in rule consisted of her attempts to fully comprehend the British Monarchy as well as gain the trust of the British people. When Victoria came to throne at the age of eighteen in 1837, the British Parliament continued to install severe constraints on the British monarchy (“Victorian Age”). The British Parliament wanted to cut off the monarchy’s power completely, but Queen Victoria had both the image and willpower to push past their demands. She had factors that would put her in advantage of past rulers; “her youth, her sex, and her already clearly formed sense of duty” (Briggs et al. 32). Contrary to her uncle King William IV, Queen Victoria displayed charisma and youthfulness that appealed to both the public and her prime minister Lord Melbourne.) Although the British Parliament forced restraints on her power, Queen Victoria continued to play a utilitarian role, along with a symbolic role in the government, appearing on the kingdom’s coins and postage stamps unlike the prime minister (Briggs et al. 32). Victoria, through her innocent image, gained the trust of her people, who exhibited eagerness for a ruler they could finally confide in. During this period of time, the Whig ministry held power leading for Victoria’s reign to be “identified with the theme of political reform” (Arnstein 33). While many did not approve of the Whig ministry, political reforms would allow for Great Britain to grow, revamping older laws and legislations. Queen Victoria’s contemporary way of thinking and stimulating image allowed her to gain the trust of many, which enabled her to claim back her direct political power. A certain individual had a major impact on the way in which Queen Victoria chose to think and act. (change transition)
The marriage of Queen Victoria to her first cousin Prince Albert changed her completely by balancing her political power and bringing her a love that she had never experienced before. Together, Albert and Victoria formed a strong relationship, where Victoria always made sure to consult Albert, before making any decisions (Arnstein 68). Although Queen Victoria did not share a genuine attitude towards motherhood and family, she saw marriage as a necessity. Victoria, by marrying Albert, learned values from their relationship, such as how to be a public servant and how to treat everyone as equals (Arnstein 7). In order to gain the trust of her people, she had to understand the concept that everyone should be treated equally. Queen Victoria grasped this comprehension and it soon became a key to ruling that many monarchs succeeding her would come to accept. Albert strongly viewed himself as a servant, hoping to strengthen the British monarchy’s influence “as a symbol of morality and domesticity” while still remaining active in the government every day (Arnstein 67). Queen Victoria learned from Albert not only the meaning of true love, but the applicable way to rule and treat the British people. Albert demonstrated to future monarchs the importance of having a partner. Without one, a ruler would not have a source to confide in or trust. Queen Victoria experienced this loss when Prince Albert passed away from typhoid fever in 1861 completely altering the monarchy and sending Victoria into a state of depression for years to follow (“Victoria Majesty”). By losing the love of her life, Queen Victoria had also lost her ruling partner. His passing presented future monarchs with the importance of having a partner and learning to love as deeply as Queen Victoria once did. His influence enabled Queen Victoria to continue ruling England as it entered a period of transition and improvements.
The Victorian Period, associated with the growth of the British Empire and the Industrial Revolution, revolutionized into an age of transition inundated with advanced improvements.

When Victoria came to throne, the British empire along with the Industrial Revolution continued to rise, which allowed for the bankers and manufacturers rising to political power to repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts, the Municipal Reform Act, and the Reform Bill (Briggs et al. 46). Both wealth and outraged pride proved to be demanded through these acts. The Reform Bill had transformed England into a constitutional monarchy, allowing for the absolute powers to become more moral than legislative. The industrial development allowed new machines for manufacturing and communication to be invented, leading to an increased amount of developments such as canals, roads, and railways. While Queen Victoria “cared little for the company of scientists,” she showed an interest in “the bravery of British troops in the Crimea” (Briggs et al. 38). Unlike most of the people, she stuck to tradition and did not completely approve of the new innovations. Queen Victoria’s “dismissal of growing demands for social reform” coincided with the era’s spirit of change (“Victoria”). Her resistance to change provoked the people of Britain to lose trust for her. Her ambitions for imperialism, particularly in India, allowed for her to maintain her popularity after Prince Albert’s passing, along with her support in colonial wars such as the Crimean War and the Boer War (“Victoria”). Due to Prince Albert’s passing and her adherence to tradition, people lost trust in Victoria, but her interest in imperialism and wars allowed for her to keep it. Rulers in the years to follow would learn from Victoria to always try their best to gain the approval of their people, regardless of how they may feel about a

situation.
Although Queen Victoria lived during an age of international peace, she became known as a warrior queen, demonstrating support wherever needed. The queen’s reign coincided with something known as the Ninety-Nine Year Peace, an era between the French Revolution and World War One, continuing to take strong pride in national defense despite the stagnant war period (Arnstein 201). Queen Victoria took national defense to heart, always making it her dominant priority. She would go out of her way, always having “looked upon herself as a soldier’s daughter,” to make sure that the soldiers understood how much she appreciated their service (Arnstein 201). Even with no major wars being fought, the Queen made sure to show her support to the little wars, such as the Crimean War, being fought. She exhibited the importance of showing interest in meager occasions that actually mean a lot to others. Queen Victoria authorized the wartime nursing reforms instituted by Florence Nightingale, while also going to visit wounded soldiers in hospitals herself (“Victoria”). Her determination to remain active and disclose affection towards soldiers allowed for the British people to see her dedication to her country. Future rulers would learn to have the same dedication if they ever wanted to gain the respect of their people.
Queen Victoria’s long reign demonstrates that a diligent ruler can prevent the draining away of direct political power. With determination and a sense of youth, Queen Victoria captured the trust of the British people, which she needed in order to gain back her power. She not only influenced major transitions in the British monarchy, but she also became an individual that many idolized. Through her late husband, Prince Albert, and dedication to show her support to soldiers, Queen Victoria learned to treat everyone as equals. Her long years in reign not only demonstrated the possibilities to overcoming the British Parliament, but also set a template for future monarchs to follow.