Queen Victoria survived at least 8 assassination attempts against her life.

Queen Victoria gave her name to entire era of British history and presided over a period in which Britain moved from a predominantly rural society to the world's leading industrial nations, from one of several European powers to the single predominant force on Planet Earth.

She was one of the longest reigning monarchs of all time, the second longest serving British royal. Her long life, however, was hard-fought: few figures in history – OK, Castro – can have endured as many assassination attempts as the "grandmother of Europe" suffered in her 81 years.

Certainly, if there was a golden age of assassination, the late nineteenth century was it. Some of the major royals of the period were killed as radical political movements such as socialism and anarchism, with their visceral hatred of monarchy and the established hierarchy.

Alexander II of Russia – a great friend and dancing partner of Victoria when they were young – was blown up by members of the People's Will revolutionary group (including Lenin's brother) while Empress Elisabeth of Austria, with whom she was also friendly, and Umberto I of Italy were both also killed by anarchists. Queen Victoria, however, survived at least 8 attempts against her life.