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Queen Victoria

  • House of Lords reform: a Victorian perspective

    House of Lords reform: a Victorian perspective

    Philip Salmon

    Unlike the House of Commons, which underwent major ‘democratic’ reform in the 19th century, the Lords remained virtually unchanged during the entire Victorian period. With a new hereditary peers bill now entering its final stages, Dr Philip Salmon explores how…

  • A ‘noble’ and ‘magnificent’ occasion: MPs and Queen Victoria’s coronation

    A ‘noble’ and ‘magnificent’ occasion: MPs and Queen Victoria’s coronation

    Kathryn Rix

    Recent reports indicate that the coronation of King Charles III will have a reduced audience; less than 100 MPs and peers have been formally invited. Dr Kathryn Rix, assistant editor of our Commons 1832-1868 project, reflects on the guestlist for Queen Victoria’s coronation…

  • Queen Victoria and parliamentary ceremony

    Queen Victoria and parliamentary ceremony

    Kathryn Rix

    During her record-breaking 70 years of service, Queen Elizabeth II has become no stranger to parliamentary traditions like the State Opening of Parliament, and next weekend her milestone as the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee will be…

  • “Hymen’s war terrific”: George III’s younger sons and the succession crisis of 1817-20

    Charles Littleton

    As we prepare to celebrate the birth of a new member of the royal family, Dr Charles Littleton, senior research fellow in the House of Lords 1660-1832 section, considers the circumstances surrounding the birth of Queen Victoria, whose 200th anniversary…

  • The State Opening of Parliament: When dissident acts become established acts

    History of Parliament

    Today, the new Parliament will be officially opened. In his guest blog Steven Franklin (Royal Holloway, University of London) discusses the origins and development of the pageantry involved… In 1863 Queen Victoria refused to open parliament, citing her ‘total inability…to…