On May 24, 1819 the baby that would grow up to be Queen Victoria was born, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent. At the time of her birth, she was second in line for the English throne. An aging and insane King George III still held the throne, but his duties were attended by his eldest son, The Prince Regent. The Prince Regent had no living children, nor was he likely to have anymore, but several of his younger brothers, those older than the Duke of Kent could still possibly have legitimate offspring. Thus, when Victoria was born, it was not known whether she would ever be Queen or not. It is clear that the Prince Regent hoped she would not, and this is clearly demonstrated by his actions at Victoria’s Christening.
Soon after his daughter’s birth, The Duke of Kent wrote to his eldest brother, The Prince Regent, requesting the child be christened Victorie Georgina Alexandrina Charlotte Augusta. Each of the names held special, royal, significance. Victorie was the name of the child’s mother. Alexandrina was the female form of the name of the Emperor of Russia, just as Georgina was the female form of the name of the King and the Prince Regent. Charlotte and Augusta were the names of past female members of the English royal family.
The Prince Regent wrote back to his little brother to say he could not allow the name Georgina for he would not place the name before that of the Emperor of Russia, but nor could he allow it to follow. The other names, he said, he would discuss on the day.
The day of the christening was June 21, 1819. Normally the christening of a royal was a surrounded in pageantry, but The Prince Regent had forbidden any festivities and made sure the guest list included the minimum of dignitaries. In fact, of the child’s four godparents, only The Prince Regent himself was present, the others were represented by other brothers and sisters of the Duke.
When the time came for the child’s name to be announced, The Price Regent announced “Alexandrina”. The Duke of Kent urged that another name be added, suggesting Elizabeth. The Prince Regent refused, but said the child could also have her mother’s name if it did not proceed the name of the Emperor of Russia. Thus the child was officially named Alexandrina Victoria. It was a terrible embarrassment to the Duke of Kent.
In the early years of Queen Victoria’s life, she was sometimes called “Drina,” by her mother, but this would eventually fade away to be replaced by Victoria.
Primary information for this article was obtained from Queen Victoria: Volume One 1819-1861 by Cecil Woodham Smith, Book Club Associates, 1973
