When Queen Victoria died in 1901, she had ruled for nearly 64 years. She was mother of 9 and grandmother of 42, and the matriarch of Royal Europe, through the inter-marriage of her children. Her destiny was thus interwoven with millions of peoples - in Europe, and the ever-expanding British Empire. A.N. Wilson's far reaching, exhaustively researched and definitive biography explores the curious set of circumstances that led to Victoria's coronation, her strange and isolated childhood, her passionate marriage, Prince Albert's pivotal influence, her widowhood and intimate friendship with John Brown. He sets this against the backdrop of this most momentous politcal and historical epoch in Britain - and Europe's - history.