The date is July 1900. Victoria's son Alfred has died and it has stirred up feelings of her husband's death, also called Alfred. Unsure how to deal with her, her children decide to get her grief counselling.

Queen Victoria was really called Alex, Victoria was her middle name and was asked to avoid it when she became Queen because it was too foreign. All the facts about her childhood are true: her Father died when she was young and she was very lonely. The number of dolls is not an exaggeration! She did have two step-siblings but they were much older hence being raised as if she was an only child. Her Mother was very controlling and really did insist that they slept in the same room until she became Queen. Her Mother and Conroy really did tell her that she was stupid, ugly and childish.

Lord Melbourne became a Father figure to her until his death. And he did warn her against marrying Albert. Victoria really did say that she was wary of marriage as an institution. It's far to say she was obsessed with Albert. He wanted a Mother and she wanted a Father. Albert didn't like her being in control and being just a consort. Their surname really was Guelph.

Albert didn't like Nanny Lehzen and really did try to sack her without telling Victoria. He used emotional blackmail to get what he wanted from her. Even though she had nine children, she had said that she hated childbirth and didn't want to have a large family. The stories of how she displayed her grief at Albert's death are all true. She really did sign her letters 'if I'm still alive when you come'. She did insist that people hide in bushes when she was out in her carriage.

It's true that when John Brown died, she lost the use of her legs and she did visit the Riviera nine times so that must have been fun for her staff to carry her about. She really did survive eight assassination attempts.

If you want to find out more about Victoria, check out the sources and places below:

Victoria: The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire - Julia Baird

Penguin Monarchs Series: Victoria - Jane Ridley

Queen Victoria: Daughter, Wife, Mother, Widow - Lucy Worsley

Dearest, Dearest Albert: Queen Victoria's Life Through Her Letters and Journals - Karen Dolby