Queen Victoria has emerged as perhaps history’s most influential figure in the international d**g trade. Long before modern notorious figures appeared on the scene, this powerful woman controlled an empire of medicinal formulations so vast and lucrative that it dwarfs any contemporary comparison.
What makes her story particularly remarkable is that she operated with complete impunity. No hiding in remote locations, no concealing profits, and certainly no fear of legal consequences – her operation effectively funded the British Empire itself.
Despite popular perceptions of Victoria as a stern elderly monarch, she ascended to the throne at just 18 years old and maintained progressive attitudes toward various medicinal formulations throughout her reign.
Laudanum, a preparation containing opium, was among her preferred daily tonics. In 19th-century Britain, this was considered a respectable remedy prescribed by physicians even for teething infants. The young queen reportedly began each morning with a dose, considering it an appropriate royal regimen.
She also embraced newer formulations like coke, which was perfectly legal and considered innovative at the time. Her preferred methods included formulated chewing gum for dental discomfort and special wines. These products were believed to boost confidence – a useful effect for a young monarch establishing her authority.
Under medical guidance, Victoria also used ca**abis preparations for monthly feminine discomfort. For childbirth pain, she enthusiastically utilized chl**oform, holding a soaked handkerchief for 53 minutes during one delivery and describing the experience as “delightful beyond measure.”
However, Victoria’s personal consumption pales in comparison to her imperial trade policies.
Upon her coronation in 1837, the young queen inherited a significant economic problem: British citizens consumed enormous quantities of Chinese tea, creating a trade imbalance that drained silver from Britain’s coffers. The solution came in the form of opium, which grew abundantly in British-controlled India.
It checked every box for a profitable trade commodity – effective as medicine, commanding high prices, and creating dependable demand. Under Victoria’s reign, opium shipments to China increased dramatically, reversing the trade deficit practically overnight.
China’s government, alarmed by the social consequences, attempted to halt this trade. Emperor-appointed official Lin Zexu tried diplomacy first, writing directly to Queen Victoria. He pointed out the moral discrepancy between China’s exports of beneficial goods like tea and pottery versus Britain’s export, which causes widespread addiction.
Victoria never read the letter. With opium sales now generating 15-20% of the British Empire’s annual revenue, the trade was deemed too valuable to abandon.
When Lin Zexu seized and destroyed 2.5 million pounds of British opium in 1839, the young queen responded decisively by declaring the First Opium War. British forces overwhelmed Chinese defenses, resulting in a peace treaty that ceded Hong Kong to Britain, opened additional ports for trade, and granted legal immunity to British citizens in China.
This conflict marked the beginning of what historians call China’s “century of humiliation,” as it demonstrated the vulnerability of this ancient civilization to Western powers.
What distinguishes Victoria in historical context is the scale of her operation. Her empire was sanctioned by the state, protected by the world’s most powerful navy, and generated revenue that built the infrastructure of the British Empire itself.
Interestingly, while opium formed the backbone of this trade empire, Victoria reportedly drew a line at exporting coke to China, believing it to be a beneficial formulation that should be reserved for her own people.