When Queen Victoria passed away on 22 January 1901, the outpouring of grief was tremendous. She had reigned for 63 years and at that time was the longest-ruling British monarch. The impact of the queen's death was felt not just in Britain but across the British Empire. In Imperial India, the thenviceroy, Lord George Nathaniel Curzon, declared that a vast monument to the late queen would be built, known as the Victoria Memorial Hall.
This structure was designed by the celebrated architect William Emerson, also known for
