Actions like these led to the poisoning of Queen Victoria's reputation.
It was expected of Queen Victoria to marry and produce an heir not too long after her coronation. She fell in love with and soon proposed to Albert of Saxe-Coburg–Gotha. Nonetheless, their marriage didn't start off well. Albert was disliked by the general public for being a foreigner and many sung the trendy song that mocked him and his marriage: "He comes to take, for better or for worse, England's fat Queen and England's fatter purse". Victoria herself seemed indifferent to her husband. She was very reluctant in sharing her power with her husband. In response to this, Albert saw the need to master the English language and increase his influence in state affairs, making Victoria dependent on his new skills.
Despite the Queen's strong aversion of pregnancy and child-birth, she was a fruitful mother, producing nine children. The eldest, Victoria, would later become the German Empress. A male heir to the throne, Albert Edward, who would become Prince of Wales, followed her. Victoria would become England's longest reigning monarch, being in power for sixty-four years. She reigned longer even than her grandfather, George III, during which Britain became the most powerful nation on Earth. Through the descendants of her 42 grandchildren, many of the people of the current thrones of Europe descend from Victoria and Albert. She became known as the Grandmother of Europe. Queen Victoria's reign had much influence over the changes that happened during the Victorian Era. Families were larger during the Victorian Era. More children survived infancy and Queen Victoria's multiple children inspired families to produce more, leading to a rapid population growth. Industrialism started to reach the United Kingdom at this time and changed the way many Europeans lived. There was a shift to more modern, urban economy, which meant less people owning land.
