Today marks the 117th anniversary of the death of Queen Victoria. By the time of her death, she had reigned for more than 6 decades. The 81-year-old Queen spent her last days at Osbourne House, her residence on the Isle of Wight with her family. On the morning of the 21st, she seemed slightly recovered and called for her Pomeranian dog, Turi to come and play on her bed. But this was short-lived and she soon drifted off again. She called for her son, Bertie (soon to be Edward VII) and asked him to kiss her. The Dean of Westminster then recited her favourite hymn and she slipped into unconsciousness. She died at 6.30pm on the 22nd surrounded by her family including her grandson, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany.
When the news broke, people ran through the streets shouting ‘Queen Dead!’ at the top of their voices which one observer described as ‘ a babel of voices’. I doubt that she would have been amused.
(taken from material in BBC History Magazine)
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