The family life was regular and simple. Lessons, a walk or drive,
very few and simple pleasures made up her day. Breakfast was at
half-past eight, luncheon at half-past one, and dinner at seven. Tea
was allowed only in later years as a great treat.

The Queen herself said: "I was brought up very simply--never had a
room to myself till I was nearly grown up--always slept in my mother's
room till I came to the throne."

Sir Walter Scott wrote of her at this period of her life: "This little
lady is educated with much care, and watched so closely that no busy
maid has a moment to whisper, 'You are heir of England.' I suspect
if we could dissect the little heart, we should find some pigeon or
other bird of the air had carried the matter."

In 1830 her uncle, George the Fourth, died, and his brother, William
the Fourth, came to the throne. The young Princess was now the next
in succession. Her governess thought that her pupil should be told
of this fact, and as the Duchess of Kent agreed, the table of
genealogy was placed inside Victoria's history book, where by and
by she found it.

The story goes that she then said, "I see, I am nearer the throne
than I thought," and giving her hand to her governess added: "I will
be good. I understand now, why you urged me so much to learn, even
Latin. My cousins Augusta and Mary never did, but you told me that
Latin was the foundation of English grammar, and of all the elegant
expressions, and I learned it as you wished. But I understand it all
better now." In later years the Queen recollected crying very much
when she heard of it, but could not recall exactly what had happened.