Victoria (Jenna Coleman) is told of the weavers at Spitafields from a visit from a Mr Bascombe (Jacob Krichefski) and how their silk is infinitely superior to that of the foreign variety and she plans to throw a ball in honour of their work and how it should be recognized throughout the country. Albert (Tom Hughes) and Peel (Nigel Lindsay) raise their objections to this as it will only cause anger to the people. Peel recalling the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette with her quote of "let them eat cake." Victoria however is adamant and goes along with the suggestion put forward by Drummond (Leo Suter) seconded by Lord Alfred (Jordan Waller) who once again just can't keep their eyes off each other.
Victoria is also troubled by Dash not being well, as she's told the Spaniel is old. The same being said of Lord Melbourne (Rufus Sewell) who is told by a his London doctor to put his affairs in order. This coming as a blow to him. Victoria also telling Albert he can have full reign over the affairs of the palace if he can make improvements and it will get him out of her hair and also he can show Vicky his talents. He sets about with the windows of the palace being filthy and how Penge (Adrian Schiller) is in charge but has done nothing. But Penge shows him the windows inside the palace which are his responsibility are clean and the outside windows are the responsibility of the forestry keeper. As well as Albert also being worried that a boy could get into the palace unnoticed and could have stabbed them in their sleep, or even Vicky.
Emma (Anna Wilson-Jones) visits Lord Melbourne and finds out his true condition but he will be coming to the ball as he replies with "why shouldn't I?" Why shouldn't he get his final pleasures at life. As well as the House raising questions about the ball and how it will only seek to anger the ordinary people who can't find enough food to eat. As Skerrett (Nell Hudson) is also told this by her sister, Eliza (Samantha Colley) as Skerrett tells her that the Queen is expecting again and she's fitting her gowns. Victoria plans a costume ball and for the occasion and she she has a crown made just for Albert, not a real one of course. Victoria thinks Albert would make a fitting Edward III, as they visit the church where he is buried and is told of his mercy towards the six elders who put themselves forward for execution but how Queen Phillipa begged him to spare their lives, as she was with child. Victoria thinks that a fitting story. Peel begs Albert to convince her not to throw the ball, but he can't get her it change her mind.
As Wilhelmina (Bebe Cave) still pines for Earnest (David Oakes) telling him of Robin Hood and he decides he will go as him to the ball. However at the ball, Earnest sees Harriet (Margaret Clunie) and is still in love with her. Noticed by Wilhelmina. He wants to write to her, but she says it will be a waste of time as they will go unread and she on her part cannot forget their tryst.
As per the French Revolution and the Court of Louis, there is food in abundance as the crowds gather outside the palace gates, demanding blood. Lord Melbourne thinks he should go as Dante, ascending to heaven "or to the other place" and as they share a dance, he is out of sorts, which Victoria notices. Emma saves him by telling Victoria that Albert wishes to see her. As Victoria sees the crowds outside from her window.
Emma also tells Victoria she must leave to be with her sister on the pretence of being there for Lord Melbourne. Albert tells Peel he should have listened to him but he can't resist Victoria. Though he had a crown, it is not one that is accepted by people. As Earnest also tells him that crown is heavy for his head. Peel shows him the new Parliament building and how work is stagnant since no one can agree on a plan, but he suggests Albert become Patron since he will be neutral. On a visit there he sees Melbourne and finds out his real condition. As Melbourne looks at the ceiling that he ordered to be saved from the fire. Albert tells Victoria of Melbourne's health and she pays him a visit. Taking along with her a wooden bird in a cage which whistles to Mozart. After seeing the canaries at Spitafields, where she finds that the ball did some good, as they have orders coming in.
Victoria is saddened at seeing Melbourne like this and she misses their talks. Saying they should go riding when he gets back to London. He also misses their talks where he learned a lot from her, which she finds surprising. As she leaves him, almost in tears. Yeah practically the entire nation was in tears at that point! Since she knows it will be the last time she sees him, but no hugs on their part, merely a handshake. As she returns home she finds Dash dead and as she cries for her beloved dog, you know she's also grieving for Melbourne, as he plays his final turn on the music box, slumped in his chair.
Albert finds discrepancies in the household accounts and agrees to raise the wages of the royal staff as long as the bill goes down, which Lehzen (Daniela Holtz) thinks is an interesting idea and Penge tells him he's hit "the nail on the head." Earnest leaves and gives Wilhelmina his Chopin music, telling her she shouldn't just limit herself to Chopin, also the Duchess of Buccleuch (Diana Rigg) won't like it if she did. Seems plenty of pining and leaving going on in this episode. As Victoria realizes her subjects are unhappy and more to he point do not have enough food. Even if their 'leftovers' were distributed to the poor, that wouldn't have helped much, as she saw this food on the ground. As the ball apparently descended into a farce between the 'haves and the have nots' but there would be no breaking down the palace gates, this was civillized England after all! Thus the title which was fitting showing the weaving of the people and royalty and how different those peoples' lives were in reality.
Many of course sad to see Melbourne go, as in real life he died from complications from a stroke. As Victoria spoke for Dash, she also spoke for Melbourne too with the juxtaposition of Dash's passing and that of Melbourne, both meeting their demise alone. The most saving grace of this episode of course was Melbourne's descent into his final days.
"Reader If you would be beloved and die regretted Profit by the example of Dash."
As for the Place of Westminister, a Royal Fine Arts Commission presided over by Prince Albert and a Select Committee headed by Peel, which looked towards the decoration internally. Many paintings were painted in oil canvas and with Albert's death in 1861, most of the scheme lost its appeal, however most of the paintings had been commissioned by then anyway and were already being created.
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