How Victoria modernized Britain's monarchy

"She transformed the monarchy, and the monarchy that we know today is her creation," Foreman said. "It's much more open, there's a real relationship with the public, there's an expectation that the monarchy exists for public service to serve the country."

Queen Victoria ascended to the throne at the age of 18 on June 20, 1837. Just three weeks into her reign, she moved into Buckingham Palace, despite the building being incomplete and many of the rooms undecorated and unfurnished.

The Palace had been empty for seven years following the death of Victoria's uncle, George IV, who had commissioned at great expense the conversion of Buckingham House into a Palace to the designs of John Nash. The King never occupied the Palace, and his successor, William IV, preferred to live at Clarence House during his short reign.

The Queen's ministers advised her to stay at Kensington Palace, her childhood home, until Buckingham Palace could be brought up to a suitable standard, but Victoria wanted to move immediately and begin her new life.

Foreman explained the reason Victoria was so eager to move into the royal residence, because she'd been very unhappy as a child living in Kensington Palace which had bad memories for her.

"She needed to move into the residence of the Queen and this was going to be it, and being young she didn't want to wait, and it was all very exciting for her." Foreman added.