This Day In History

February 10th 1840: Queen Victoria marries Prince Albert

On this day in 1840, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha; the two were first cousins. They were infatuated with each other, and on 15th October 1939 the young Queen proposed to Albert. The two married at the Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace. Victoria wore a white dress to her wedding, which prompted many brides to imitate her style and thus began the tradition of a ‘white wedding’. After Albert’s death in 1861, aged 42, the Queen was plunged into a deep mourning that lasted for the rest of her life. Her affection for her husband can be seen in her diary entry from the night of their wedding on 10th February:

“MY DEAREST DEAREST DEAR Albert … his excessive love & affection gave me feelings of heavenly love & happiness I never could have hoped to have felt before! He clasped me in his arms, & we kissed each other again & again!…Oh! This was the happiest day of my life!”