When Victoria became Queen at just 18 years old, she was bold, determined, and unexpectedly thrust into power as the head of the monarchy ruling the British Empire. It was a position she'd hold for the next 63 year, much longer than any monarch before her.
Beginning in 1837, Victoria's reign was known as the Victorian Era. As a progressive leader, Victoria saw that it was a time of booming industry, cultural change, and worldwide expansion - an expansion that included Britain setting her sights on colonizing Vancouver Island, and then eventually joining it with the rest of Canada.
In 1840, Victoria married her cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg. For the wedding she wore a white dress made of lace, and unwittingly started a fashion statement that remains today... Who knew Victoria was going to be such a trend-setter? Certainly not her! Either way, ever since most first-time brides wear white for their wedding.
Victoria and Albert were deeply in love, famously close in both work and life, and had nine children together. However after Albert's death in 1861, the heartbroken Queen made the decision to only wear black out of respect; something she, and did until her death in 1901.
Even without her ever traveling to Vancouver Island, people here were always aware of Queen Victoria’s presence, beginning in 1843 when the Hudson’s Bay Company set up a fur trading post and naming it Fort Victoria in her honour. When the Colony of Vancouver Island was created six years later, the capital was named Victoria, and it remained the name even when British Columbia eventually joined Confederation. Today we can't imagine a Canada without Victoria B.C.!
Victoria's stern demeanour and dour appearance is the stuff of legend; it's famously said that when an off colour joke was told in her presence, Victoria quipped, “We are not amused”. True or not, this classic quote lives on today as a reminder of Queen Victoria’s style and approach; direct, stiff, and as British as a cup of Earl Grey tea.
Today Queen Victoria's name still evokes pride for many; but with closer examination, her era also reflects a difficult legacy. Her reign oversaw the colonization of indigenous lands, broken treaties, and the beginnings of the residential school system. Today, many Canadians acknowledge this painful past and are working to build a more inclusive and just future.
Despite this, Queen Victoria still remains a significant figure in Canadian culture. You can find statues of her across the country—including one on the lawn of our own Parliament, thoughtfully overlooking Victoria’s Inner Harbour. In addition, each May we celebrate Victoria Day in her honour.
Though she never made it to Canada herself, extended members of her family have, one even taking up residence for a while. In 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, her great-great-grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle sought refuge on Vancouver Island with their son Archie, before eventually moving to California.
Queen Victoria died in 1901 at age 81, closing the chapter on the Victorian Era before ushering in the Edwardian age. Yet her legacy remains—in architecture, traditions, and in the very name of our city.
If you’d like to learn more about Queen Victoria and her impact on our city, why not join one of our HIDDEN VICTORIA tours? They’re packed with fun facts, stories, quirky history, and even a few secrets tucked into corners, plus you'll come face to face with Queen Victoria (or at least her statue). For more information on how to book, click HERE.