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Just weeks into the dawning of the new century and Britain was a country in grief, her empire in mourning and the world in shock. The death of Queen Victoria, Empress of India, in 1901 after 63 years on the throne – a reign longer than any other previous monarch in history – cast the darkest of shadows.
In the years before the instant gratification of the internet and television, it was the newspapers that brought the sorrowful news to an unbelieving public. And one above all. The Daily Mail leading the way with the boldest and most unforgettable coverage.
All this week, to mark the 125th anniversary of our first edition – which falls today – we are reproducing the epic stories that we have brought so vividly to life over the intervening decades – and treating them as though they were happening today with the look of the modern Daily Mail. From the colouring of old black and white photographs to up-to-date headlines and eye-catching designs, it's the history of our times with a very contemporary makeover.