At Westminster Abbey - 181 years ago, today - Victoria was crowned Queen of England the age of 19.

Two years later, she married her first cousin - Albert - and, in twenty years of marriage, had 9 children.

Whilst repairing Buckingham Palace's sewage system, Albert (an engineer) contracted typhoid - and died.

Victoria became a recluse for many years, dying on the Isle of Wight in 1901 - in a magnificent house overlooking the Solent.

Osborne House (V&A's holiday home) had been built and designed by Albert - and still exits today in East Cowes.

Prince Albert was more adroit than all our current royal males, put together. Meeting and greeting seems to be their forte nowadays.

Many think that the close blood relationship, between Victoria and Albert, may have physically weakened (or impaired) the line.