Assassination Attempts on Queen Victoria: A Historical Overview

Queen Victoria, one of the most prominent figures in British history, ruled for over six decades during a period of significant change and expansion. Despite her popularity and the stability she symbolized for the nation, her life was marred by multiple attempts on her life. These assassination attempts provide a fascinating glimpse into the political and social unrest of the time.

The repeated targeting of Queen Victoria speaks volumes about the tumultuous nature of 19th-century Britain. It underscores the challenges faced by the monarchy and the lengths to which individuals would go to express their discontent or seek notoriety.

Edward Oxford’s Attempt

On a sunny afternoon in June 1840, Edward Oxford, a young bartender with a troubled past, made his infamous attempt on Queen Victoria’s life. As the Queen and her husband, Prince Albert, rode in an open carriage along Constitution Hill, Oxford emerged from the crowd and fired two pistols in their direction. The shots missed, but the incident sent shockwaves through the nation.

Oxford’s motivations were murky, and his background did little to clarify his intentions. Born into a family with a history of mental illness, Oxford had a checkered employment record and a penchant for grandiose fantasies. His trial revealed a man who oscillated between delusions of grandeur and moments of lucidity. The jury ultimately found him not guilty by reason of insanity, and he was committed to the State Criminal Lunatic Asylum at Bethlem.

The public reaction to the attempt was a mixture of outrage and relief. While the nation was horrified that someone had come so close to harming their beloved monarch, there was also a sense of gratitude that the Queen had emerged unscathed. The incident prompted a reevaluation of royal security measures, leading to increased protection for the Queen during public appearances.

John Francis’s Attempt

Just two years after Edward Oxford’s attempt, Queen Victoria faced another brush with danger. This time, the assailant was John Francis, a young man of 20, who was driven by a combination of personal grievances and a desire for infamy. Francis’s attempt unfolded over two days in May 1842, making it a more persistent threat than Oxford’s singular outburst.

On the first day, as the Queen and Prince Albert were once again in an open carriage, Francis aimed his pistol but hesitated, lowering it before he could fire. This act of indecision was noticed by several onlookers, including a plainclothes detective who had been shadowing the royal couple due to heightened security concerns following Oxford’s attack. Despite the detective’s observations, Francis managed to slip away into the crowd, leaving behind a palpable sense of unease.

Undeterred, Francis returned the following day, determined to complete his mission. This time, he was more resolute. As the royal carriage made its way along The Mall, Francis stepped forward and fired. Fortunately, the shot missed, but the sound of the gunfire sent ripples of alarm through the assembled crowd. Quick-thinking bystanders and police officers apprehended Francis almost immediately, preventing any further chaos. His arrest was met with a mixture of public outrage and curiosity, as people speculated about his motives and the potential implications of his actions.

The trial of John Francis was a spectacle in itself. Unlike Oxford, Francis did not plead insanity. Instead, his demeanor suggested a young man grappling with a sense of aimlessness and a desperate need to make his mark, no matter the cost. His lack of a coherent political or personal manifesto made it difficult for the public and authorities alike to fully understand his motivations. Ultimately, Francis was convicted of high treason and sentenced to death, though his sentence was later commuted to transportation for life to Van Diemen’s Land, now known as Tasmania.

Robert Pate’s Attempt

The serenity of a summer day in 1850 was shattered by an act of violence that would leave a lasting scar on Queen Victoria, both physically and emotionally. Robert Pate, a former British Army officer, launched his attack not with a firearm but with a cane, making this attempt uniquely unsettling. Pate had previously shown signs of erratic behavior, and his descent into madness culminated in this brazen assault on the Queen.

Pate’s attack occurred as Queen Victoria was leaving her carriage after visiting her uncle, the Duke of Cambridge, in Piccadilly. Unlike the previous attempts by Oxford and Francis, which were carried out in bustling public spaces, Pate’s assault happened in a more controlled environment, making the suddenness of his action even more jarring. The Queen had just alighted from her carriage when Pate lunged forward and struck her on the head with his cane. The blow, though not life-threatening, left the Queen with a bruised forehead and a deep sense of vulnerability.

The immediate aftermath saw Pate being subdued by bystanders and royal attendants. His motivations were as inscrutable as his actions were shocking. Unlike his predecessors, Pate did not seek to kill but to injure and humiliate. His military background and subsequent discharge due to mental health issues painted a portrait of a man whose personal demons had driven him to an act of public defiance. The trial that followed was swift, and Pate was sentenced to seven years of transportation, a sentence reflecting both the severity of his crime and a recognition of his mental instability.

The public’s reaction to Pate’s attack was markedly different from the responses to earlier attempts. There was a collective gasp at the audacity of striking the Queen, an act that seemed to violate not just the person of Victoria but the sanctity of the monarchy itself. The incident led to an outpouring of support and sympathy for the Queen, who bore her injury with characteristic stoicism. It also underscored the need for continuous reassessment of the security measures surrounding the royal family, although the nature of Pate’s attack suggested that not all threats could be anticipated or mitigated by conventional means.

Arthur O’Connor’s Attempt

In the winter of 1872, Queen Victoria faced yet another perilous moment, this time orchestrated by a young Irishman named Arthur O’Connor. O’Connor, a 17-year-old with fervent political convictions, sought to leverage his audacious act as a statement against British rule in Ireland. The backdrop of his attempt was a period of heightened tension and unrest, with the Irish question increasingly coming to the fore of political discourse.

O’Connor’s plot unfolded at Buckingham Palace, a location synonymous with royal security and grandeur. Armed with a pistol and a petition for the release of Irish political prisoners, O’Connor scaled the palace walls, a feat in itself that underscored both his determination and the vulnerabilities in royal security. As he approached the Queen’s private apartments, he was intercepted by John Brown, one of the Queen’s trusted servants. Brown’s quick reflexes and physical prowess prevented what could have been a catastrophic encounter, as he wrestled the young intruder to the ground.

The subsequent arrest and trial of Arthur O’Connor shone a light on his background and motivations. Unlike previous assailants, O’Connor’s actions were explicitly political, driven by a desire to draw attention to the plight of his compatriots. His youthful age and the clarity of his cause contrasted starkly with the more nebulous motives of earlier attackers, framing his attempt within the broader context of Irish nationalism. O’Connor was sentenced to a year’s imprisonment and a subsequent flogging, punishments that reflected both the severity of his actions and the political sensitivities of the time.

Roderick Maclean’s Attempt

The final known attempt on Queen Victoria’s life came in 1882, orchestrated by Roderick Maclean, a man with a history of mental instability. This incident occurred during a period of relative calm and stability in the Queen’s later years, making it all the more shocking.

Maclean’s attack took place at Windsor, where the Queen was a familiar and beloved figure among the local populace. As she traveled from the train station to Windsor Castle, Maclean emerged from the crowd and fired a pistol at her. The shot missed, thanks in part to the intervention of a group of Eton schoolboys who had been waiting to catch a glimpse of the monarch. Their quick actions in subduing Maclean prevented any further attempts that day.

Maclean’s trial was notable for its focus on his mental health. Unlike previous assailants, his motivations were less about political statements or personal grievances and more about his deteriorating psychological state. The court found him not guilty by reason of insanity, and he was committed to Broadmoor Asylum for the Criminally Insane. This incident, like the ones before it, underscored the ongoing challenges in safeguarding public figures and the unpredictable nature of threats they faced.