Introduction In 1887 Queen Victoria celebrated the golden jubilee of her reign. She was eighteen years old when she ascended to the throne in 1837 and had married her cousin of the same age, Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1840. Victoria was of German descent herself. Her mother had been a German princess and on her father’s side she was a member of the House of Hanover, which had been reigning in England since 1714. Until his early death in 1861, Albert and Victoria had a successful 21-year marriage. The British monarchy as it presents itself up to this day is a product of this extraordinary couple. Please click the images for an enlarged version