Queen Victoria: The Widowed Queen     The next transformation for Victoria is that of the somber, matronly widow we see in this portrait. The buffeting of political reform contributed to her anxiety and isolation as well.  LEFT: The monument is the Albert Memorial, ordered by the queen in 1863 following the prince consort's death but not completed until 1872. Standing 175 feet (53 meters) tall, the memorial is a grand but melancholy expression of the Victorian gothic style made popular by its architect, Sir George Gilbert Scott. 125 years of weather left the memorial in a sad state. After several years, and millions of pounds, restoration was completed and the shimmering memorial was finally unvieled in 1999.  RIGHT: The "Australian" or secret ballot was introduced into English parliamentary elections by the Ballot Act of 1872. Not Disraeli, but his arch rival William Gladstone was responsible for this achievement, which might be seen as the culmination of a number of reform bills put through parliament during Victoria's reign. CENTRE: It is not by chance that the vignette of novelist and radical conservative politician Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) replaces that of Prince Albert in the previous stamp. Twice Prime Minister, Disraeli was a staunch supporter of the monarchy while still appearing to be a champion of reform. It was at his instigation that the queen was proclaimed Empress of India in 1876. Victoria, in turn, named Disraeli the First Earl of Beaconsfield. Gossip mongers linked the queen and her minister romantically but there was never any proof of such a liaison. Next: The Dowager Empress A Queen in Her Prime ||| Dowager Empress

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