When Prince Albert died, Queen Victoria was devastated, and went into mourning for the rest of her life. She built this extraordinary monument to him. It stands at the edge of Hyde Park opposite the Royal Albert Hall, which was also constructed in his honour. A left wing politician, opposed to the monarchy, made a notorious suggestion in the 1970's that the Albert Memorial be pulled down and used as hard core in the construction of a motorway. Fortunately no-one listened to him.