Editing Queen Victoria (section)

== Golden and Diamond Jubilees ==
[[File:Queen Victoria and Abdul Karim.jpg|thumb|left|upright|alt=The Munshi stands over Victoria as she works at a desk.|With the Munshi Abdul Karim]]

In 1887, the [[British Empire]] celebrated [[Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria|Victoria's Golden Jubilee]]. She marked the fiftieth anniversary of her accession on 20 June with a banquet to which 50 kings and princes were invited. The following day, she participated in a procession and attended a thanksgiving service in [[Westminster Abbey]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Queen Victoria |url=http://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/TheQueenandspecialanniversaries/HistoryofJubilees/QueenVictoria.aspx |publisher=Royal Household |access-date=29 March 2013 |archive-date=13 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313022325/http://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/TheQueenandspecialanniversaries/HistoryofJubilees/QueenVictoria.aspx |url-status=live}}</ref> By this time, Victoria was once again extremely popular.<ref>Marshall, pp. 210–211; St Aubyn, pp. 491–493</ref> Two days later on 23 June,<ref>Longford, p. 502</ref> she engaged two Indian Muslims as waiters, one of whom was [[Abdul Karim (the Munshi)|Abdul Karim]]. He was soon promoted to "[[Munshi]]": teaching her [[Urdu]] and acting as a clerk.<ref>Hibbert, pp. 447–448; Longford, p. 508; St Aubyn, p. 502; Waller, p. 441</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Queen Victoria's Urdu workbook on show |date=15 September 2017 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-41285054 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=23 November 2017 |archive-date=1 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201043830/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-41285054 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Hunt |first=Kristin |title=Victoria and Abdul: The Friendship that Scandalized England |date=20 September 2017 |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/victoria-and-abdul-friendship-scandalized-england-180964959/ |work=Smithsonian |access-date=23 November 2017 |archive-date=1 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201032437/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/victoria-and-abdul-friendship-scandalized-england-180964959/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Her family and retainers were appalled, and accused Abdul Karim of spying for the Muslim Patriotic League, and biasing the Queen against the Hindus.<ref>Hibbert, pp. 448–449</ref> [[Equerry]] [[Frederick Ponsonby, 1st Baron Sysonby|Frederick Ponsonby]] (the son of Sir Henry) discovered that the Munshi had lied about his parentage, and reported to [[Victor Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin|Lord Elgin]], [[Viceroy of India]], "the Munshi occupies very much the same position as John Brown used to do."<ref>Hibbert, pp. 449–451</ref> Victoria dismissed their complaints as racial prejudice.<ref>Hibbert, p. 447; Longford, p. 539; St Aubyn, p. 503; Waller, p. 442</ref> Abdul Karim remained in her service until he returned to India with a pension, on her death.<ref>Hibbert, p. 454</ref>

Victoria's eldest daughter became [[German Empire|empress consort of Germany]] in 1888, but she was widowed a little over three months later, and Victoria's eldest grandchild became German Emperor as [[Wilhelm II|Wilhelm&nbsp;II]]. Victoria and Albert's hopes of a liberal Germany would go unfulfilled, as Wilhelm was a firm believer in [[autocracy]]. Victoria thought he had "little heart or ''Zartgefühl'' [tact] – and&nbsp;... his conscience & intelligence have been completely {{sic|wharped}}".<ref>Hibbert, p. 382</ref>

Gladstone returned to power after the [[1892 United Kingdom general election|1892 general election]]; he was 82 years old. Victoria objected when Gladstone proposed appointing the Radical MP [[Henry Labouchère]] to the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]], so Gladstone agreed not to appoint him.<ref>Hibbert, p. 375; Longford, p. 519</ref> In 1894, Gladstone retired and, without consulting the outgoing prime minister, Victoria appointed [[Lord Rosebery]] as prime minister.<ref>Hibbert, p. 376; Longford, p. 530; St Aubyn, p. 515</ref> His government was weak, and the following year Lord Salisbury replaced him. Salisbury remained prime minister for the remainder of Victoria's reign.<ref>Hibbert, p. 377</ref>[[File:Queen Victoria 60. crownjubilee.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Seated Victoria in embroidered and lace dress|Official Diamond Jubilee photograph by [[W. & D. Downey]]]]

On 23 September 1896, Victoria surpassed her grandfather George&nbsp;III as the [[List of monarchs in Britain by length of reign|longest-reigning monarch in British history]]. The Queen requested that any special celebrations be delayed until 1897, to coincide with [[Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria|her Diamond Jubilee]],<ref>Hibbert, p. 456</ref> which was made a festival of the British Empire at the suggestion of the [[Secretary of State for the Colonies|Colonial Secretary]], [[Joseph Chamberlain]].<ref>Longford, p. 546; St Aubyn, pp. 545–546</ref> The prime ministers of all the [[self-governing]] [[Dominion]]s were invited to London for the festivities.<ref>Marshall, pp. 206–207, 211; St Aubyn, pp. 546–548</ref> One reason for including the prime ministers of the Dominions and excluding foreign heads of state was to avoid having to invite Victoria's grandson Wilhelm&nbsp;II, who, it was feared, might cause trouble at the event.<ref>{{Citation |last=MacMillan |first=Margaret |title=The War That Ended Peace |date=2013 |page=29 |publisher=[[Random House]] |isbn=978-0-8129-9470-4}}</ref>

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee procession on 22 June 1897 followed a route six miles long through London and included troops from all over the empire. The procession paused for an open-air service of thanksgiving held outside St Paul's Cathedral, throughout which Victoria sat in her open carriage, to avoid her having to climb the steps to enter the building. The celebration was marked by vast crowds of spectators and great outpourings of affection for the 78-year-old Queen.<ref>Hibbert, pp. 457–458; Marshall, pp. 206–207, 211; St Aubyn, pp. 546–548</ref>