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I.tHePReGnAnCIes
AnDConFIneMents
1.1840-1844:tHeFIRstFoURCHILDRen
QueenVictoriaandhercousin,PrinceAlbert,weremarriedattheChapel
RoyalinStJames’sPalaceonMonday,10February1840.1Theywereboth
veryyoung,notyet21.Thegeneralopinionwasthatapartfromheryouth-
fulfreshness,theQueenwasratherplain.Indeed,oneofherphysicians,
DrRobertFerguson,wrotethatunoonewouldcallherbeautiful,few
pretty”2althoughhethoughttheQueenuoneofthemostextraordinary
youngwomen”hehadeverseen:
Sheissingularlygracefulforsoshortafgure,havingsuch
completecommandofallherlimbs,thateverymovement
andactionisnaturalandeffortless.Theeyeisprominentand
lightandfullofarangeofexpressionthatstrikestheobserver.
Theskinistoofne,sothatcomplexionlooks,attimes,slightly
purpleandwhenshelowersandisvexed,thecontrastofthe
darkeningcountenanceandthelightrapidmovementsofher
bluelargeeyessuggeststheaspectofastormyskyin[sic]
asummerdaylitupwithflashesoflightening[sic].There
isforce,character,talentinherface,butnohabitualrepose
orfemininegentleness,yetitcannotbesaidtobeill-tem-
pered,andisthereversecertainlyofthevirago,beingdeli-
cateinallitslines,savetoogreataroundnessofthecontour.
Itbelongstoaferycharacterandanervoustemperament.3
FergusonalsoaddedthatLeslie,theartistwhopaintedtheQueen,4told
himhecouldnotcatchherexpressionandthatno-onehadyetsucceededin
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