A census or count of the population of Britain has taken place every ten years since 1801. Every person living in the country on census night has to give his or her details. This includes the royal family, whose census return for 30th March 1851 is shown here.
The return shows that Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their children were staying at Buckingham Palace that night. Under the heading 'Rank, Profession, or Occupation', Victoria is simply listed as 'The Queen'.
She was the most important person in the British Empire. Yet even Victoria followed the customs of her time. The census return lists her husband, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg Gotha, as 'Head' of the household.
