Paris 1848
The revolution is underway and royalty are losing heads fast, as King Louis Philip (Vincent Regan) shaves and departs from France. (A new actor plays him in this series.)
Also arriving in London is Victoria's half sister, Feodora (Kate Fleetwood) who had to dress in her maid's clothes and then take a carriage like a commoner. She is announced in her rags, hoping her sister takes pity on her and has left her family behind. As Albert (Tom Hughes) speaks of revolution in Austria and Berlin. Victoria (Jenna Coleman) now having her sixth child is in no mood to see her. Feodora meets Albert for the first time and her children. Bertie was a bit of a brat (no change there when he was older) and Vicky turned into a show off. Bertie refuses to wear the crown as it's only worn by women and Vicky is outspoken and wants to try it on. Their different temperaments also shown in the play they perform for Louis, a history of France. Would've thought it'd be a subject matter they'd steer clear of, but apparently not. Not very tactful for this to be allowed, would've thought she'd have opted for English history instead. Though most of that was very tumultuous too.
In England, the Chartists are gathering fuel as they want the vote, but only for men at this stage as Albert mentions Marx's Communist Manifesto and referring to the "ruling class" as not being very in touch with or sympathetic to the workers and their rights. Having little effect on Lord Palmerston (Laurence Fox) the womanizing Foreign Secretary and another thorn in Victoria's side. It's her PMs she doesn't get on with, not the Foreign Secretary's.
Victoria has another Mistress of the Robes in Sophie, Duchess of Monmouth (Lily Travers) whose husband, Duke of Monmouth (Nicholas Audsley) seems like a bore, okay he is a cruel, unfeeling wretch, cue beeline for Palmerston to intervene, when he's not betting on boxing matches in the park where Victoria drives by in her carriage. Particularly as she can't have an Ernest around as the Duchess of Sutherland did! AHH!! Palmerston's against any sorts of rights for anyone and Albert once again draws, or attempts to draw attention to the squalor in which her subjects live. Question being why she wasn't more vocal in this to her PM. She also reiterating how her "subjects would not harm her" and "do not wish to harm her." Then pondering why anyone would want her head to Skerrett (Nell Hudson) who has problems of her own with Francatelli (Ferdinand Kingsley) wanting her to marry him already, but she doesn't want to do anything resulting in her leaving the palace in disgrace.
Skerrett introduces Victoria to Abigail (Sabrina Bartlett) who embroiders Victoria's hankies and undies and she repeats how they want justice, not revolution, which not everyone agrees with. As they get signatures to petition Parliament, Cuffy (CJ Beckford) is more one of action and demands revolution and an Irish newcomer also enters in the form of Patrick Fitzgerald (Kerr Logan). Knew he was up to no good. As he unveils swords at the end. Obviously the Irish were no fans of Victoria and British rule.
Victoria invites Palmerston to dinner with her sister and Louis and Feodora flits about the palace as if she should have been queen instead and mentions George to Bertie, who doesn't want to be king as there are only queens. Then slips in for a game of chess with Albert, who apologizes for not meeting her earlier and Victoria not inviting her sooner, as if she would. She's tired of Feodora's presence and gives her old hand-me-downs which Skerritt can fix for her as they will be too high for her to wear. Feodora remarking on how Victoria used to wear her dresses when little. The insufferable Palmerston making a play for Sophie, who reminds everyone she's from a grocery family, much to Monmouth's distaste.
Then there's Joseph (David Burnett) the new footman fresh from Chatsworth who also has a good ogle at Sophie too, with Penge (Adrian Schiller) reminding him she's a Duchess and this isn't Chatsworth. Seems like there may be sparks in the air between him and Skerrett, as she mends his footman's wig. Especially as Francatelli takes her to look for a house and again she shows her reservations over marriage already.
The mobs reach the palace gates (again) and Victoria is so worried that she goes into labour, with Albert determined to take her to Osborne where she'll be safer...to be continued...
Seemed to get off on rather a slow start from the previous two series and the French Revolution as a backdrop to the woes of England at the time too, a time of great changes and how Victoria feels relieved to have the English Channel between them. However Albert warns her how "ideas can travel." Obviously Palmerston and Joseph are the new characters to look out for in this series, which we would've been over and done with last year!
Apparently Victoria's sister in real life was meant to have been beloved by her more so than shown here. She married a German Prince when Victoria was still young. John Russell is PM to Palmerston's Foreign Secretary and a Whig, as was Lord M and still his party is not firmly secure in Parliament.
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