"Start a family your subjects can be proud of." "We have been replaced." "This, Drina," "THIS is your affair of state." "I have to admit, I am rather drawn to Peel." "My first loyalty is to the British throne." "I think of you in the palace." "And then I think," "'That should have been my life.'" "I wanted to tell you that I will be going back to Coburg shortly." "You will be back soon." "A christening, perhaps." "I grasp that the constitution demands an heir." "But to make me feel I own no other function." "Oh, I am so bored of this." "No riding, no dancing." "Nothing but Sir James and his camphor lozenges, and Mama telling me how, when she was pregnant, she had to cross Europe in a stagecoach, so that I could be born in England." "Albert?" "Albert, you're not listening." "I am, very attentively." "You do not like being with child because it means you cannot dance and your mother is always talking about her travels." "Oh, and you detest camphor lozenges." "You're not very sympathetic." "I am not reading this periodical for my own amusement, you know." ""What is the difference between a tube and a foolish Dutchman?" "One is a hollow cylinder and the other is a silly Hollander."" "Quite right." ""Who is the greatest chicken killer in Shakespeare's plays?" "Macbeth, because he did murder most foul."" "I..." "It's just..." "That's rather funny." "We are not amused." "Majesty, Your Royal Highness, forgive me." "I did not realise you were occupied." "No longer." "Where are you going?" "I thought I would go for a ride." "It's such a lovely day." "I am sure the Baroness can amuse you in my absence." "Sir." "I did not know you were a member, Leopold." "Are you in the country long?" "About the same time as you." "We are here for the same reason." "Although, I suspect, we hope for different results." "Duke of Cumberland's back, I see." "Isn't he the King of Hanover now?" "I'd rather be an English duke than king of a German postage stamp, begging your pardon, Herr Lohlein." "Perhaps I am in agreement, Mr Penge." "Well, I'd rather be a king than an attendant lord." "I'm reading Shakespeare, Mr Penge." "All the dukes want to become kings." "And that's why Cumberland's here." "What does the King or the Duke, whatever he is, have to do with it?" "If the Queen should not survive the travails of childbirth and if the infant should die, then the Duke of Cumberland will not just be King of Hanover, but of Great Britain and Ireland." "Prince Albert will be on the next packet back to Coburg, and we can start looking for new positions." "That's enough, Mr Penge!" "The Queen is a young, healthy woman!" "Princess Charlotte was a healthy young woman, and look what happened to her." "Nasty, dangerous business." "Come on." "Penge is right, you know." "We should all be thinking about our future, just in case." "Yes?" "Thank you." ""Do nothing until you receive instructions from Hanover."" "How is the Queen, sir?" "Restless." "I believe she will be happier when the child is born." "She does not like to wait." "The King of Hanover has returned." "Really?" "You know, I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting the King." "He did not attend the wedding." "Too busy overturning the constitution in Hanover." "He's set it up as his own fiefdom." "And now he comes here to await the Queen's confinement?" "Like a vulture circling its prey." "A word of warning, sir." "He is next in line to the throne." "The Queen should take care." "Really, I wish people would wait until afterwards." "I can't help feeling like all these presents are tempting providence." "I want this to be over." "I think about Charlotte." "I am scared." "Don't be scared, my Liebes, nothing will happen to you." "No queen regnant has ever given birth before." "But there has never been such a queen as you are." "A queen." "A wife." "And soon to be a mother." "You know, no-one, not even Albert, looks at me any more." "Just...this." "You still see me, don't you, Lehzen?" "I live to serve you, Majesty." "Dear Albert!" "Has my nephew arrived yet?" "Ernest." "You look so serious." "Good thing I'm here." "I missed you." "Well, then, why the long face?" "I hope that is the only reason you have come back, Ernest." "You mean my little flirtation?" "It was merely a distraction from the very serious job of cheering you up." "I'm expecting another load by the next post, Baroness." "Are you not going to open that one?" "No need." "I know who it is from." "Captain Childers." "He writes every week." "He professes his undying love and offers to rescue the Queen from her cruel imprisonment" ""at the hands of that German tyrant"." "German tyrant, eh?" "What a notion." "That will be all, Penge." "I believe this is yours, Duchess." "Indeed it is." "I must have dropped it somewhere." "I think I should attend to the Queen." "Albert and Victoria seem less comfortable with each other since I was last here." "Well, the first year is always hard." "Then you get used to one another and... things don't seem to matter so urgently." "Is that why people marry these days?" "For things not to matter any more?" "I don't know, sir." "I can only speak from my own experience." "If you had married a different kind of man, one who thought about you every moment you were apart, one who saw the way the curls fell on your neck in his dreams, then I think your experience would be different." "Perhaps you are right." "Did you miss me?" "I suppose there were moments when I pondered the whereabouts of my handkerchief." "I have decided to take a turn in the park." "Supposing one of the horses were to bolt," "Supposing think what might happen to the baby." "Or me, Mama." "Honestly!" "I'll be quite safe." "I have no intention of being imprisoned here as I was at Kensington." "You have no idea of the sacrifice involved in being a mother." "I was not one of those English ladies who send their children away to be nursed." "I fed you myself and watched over you every minute." "And I am grateful, Mama." "Now, if you will excuse me, I have things to attend to." "I want you to find me a wet nurse immediately." "So you will not be following your mother's example?" "She is not a queen and I am not a cow." "Albert prefers Windsor, but I like London." "Sutherland would not stir from the country if he didn't have to go to the House." "Maybe marriage makes men less sociable." "There she is." "God save the Queen!" "Halt." "Make way, make way." "Ma'am, I believe a cart has broken down ahead." "I'll see what I can do to hasten things." "Gentlemen, dismount!" "Make way." "Make way." "Your Majesty!" "Majesty, are you hurt?" "I don't think I am in any danger from a bunch of flowers." "Your Majesty, forgive me approaching you in such an uncouth manner, but..." "I must speak with you on a matter of great urgency." "I am Captain Childers and I have come to rescue you from your present situation." "Thank you, Captain Childers, but my equerry is dealing with the obstacle ahead." "Your Majesty, perhaps we should move on." "You misunderstand me, Your Majesty." "I have come to free you from your golden cage." "Indeed." "You, sir, pick up this detritus!" "I have a house of elegant proportions in Paternoster Row where you can be free from the German tyrant." "Arrest that man!" "Quickly, sir!" "Arrest that man!" "Thank you, Captain Childers, but that won't be necessary." "Your Majesty." "No!" "Everything I have is yours, Your Majesty!" "Everything!" "Are you all right, ma'am?" "I think perhaps it's..." "time to go home." "Thank God, it was only a man with flowers." "Sir Robert is concerned there might be trouble now that your Uncle Cumberland has returned." "He thinks it may be wise for you to stay at home for a while." "So do I." "What might the people say when they hear their Queen is so frightened of men throwing violets that she refuses to leave the palace?" "Victoria, please." "The most important thing right now is for you and I to have a healthy child." "That is what this country needs." "Do you ever imagine what I might need?" "Am I simply a vessel to be protected because I am carrying precious cargo?" "Is that what you think of me, Albert?" "You and your dear Sir Robert?" "His Royal Highness the King of Hanover." "Your Majesty, allow me to congratulate you in person on your marriage." "I trust you received our present?" "Indeed." "So thoughtful of you." "A palace this size can never have too many teaspoons." "It is so very nice to be back in England and know that one has not been forgotten." "You know, on the way here, I was actually cheered." "London mobs are so easily procured." "I understand that you have become acquainted with Sir Robert Peel." "He is a man of great ability." "How very wise of you to befriend the man who must be the next prime minister, and a necessary ally in the unfortunate event of you becoming regent." "The country will not take kindly to being ruled by a German." "Since you are tactless enough to allude to such an event in front of the Queen, perhaps I should mention that Parliament were unanimous in supporting Albert asregent." "They could have voted for you, of course, but - for some reason - they did not." "Goodbye, Uncle." "Goodbye, Victoria." "And I do hope you will take care." "What do you mean?" "These daily drives of yours." "London seems so volatile to me." "And it would be unfortunate if violets were to be replaced with something harder." "Do you know what I have here, Nancy?" "A letter from the secretary of White's club offering to set me up in my own establishment." "Are you going to accept?" "That depends." "On what?" "I don't want to do it alone." "I must go." "It's not just the size, Baroness." "Lift your arm." "You have to look at the shape also." "Filling the palace with this female rabble and their infants at a time like this!" "Have you lost your mind, Mrs Jenkins?" "Mrs Jenkins is acting under my instructions, Penge." "Then I must ask the Baroness the same question." "The Queen has asked me to find a wet nurse." "So you invited a selection of some of the most disreputable women in London into the palace?" "Have you got no regard for the Queen's safety?" "Who are you calling disreputable?" "I see wet nurses here, Penge, not would-be assassins!" "I have watched over the Queen every day for the last 15 years!" "Do you really imagine I would do anything that would put her in harm's way?" "By the way, Baroness, the Prince would like to speak with you." "Really?" "And he sent you to find me?" "I believe it is a matter of some urgency." "Captain Childers has been writing to the Queen for years." "You did not find it necessary to inform me of this correspondence?" "The Queen knew about it." "She considered him harmless enough." "His only weapon was a bunch of violets, sir." "In the future, Lehzen, I would like to receive all of the Queen's correspondence." "Is that the Queen's wish?" "It's quite cold today, ma'am." "Are you sure you will be warm enough without your pelisse?" "I am so hot all the time." "I had no idea I would be so uncomfortable." "I have a friend, ma'am, who felt the same as you at this stage, but when she held that baby in her arms, she said, all that unpleasantness, it was like it never happened." "She had no regrets, your friend?" "She worships that child, ma'am." "What are you doing?" "Well, it is three o'clock and I have my bonnet on." "I rather think I'm going for a drive." "It's my duty to show myself to my people." "But why?" "It's too dangerous." "I was in more danger when Uncle Cumberland was here." "Thank you, Baroness, but I have decided to be my wife's companion today." "I am so glad." "This does not mean I approve." "Did he make these?" "Mm." "Well, he knows what he's about." "He's been offered his own establishment." "He wants me to go with him, Eliza." "And you told him that a queen's dresser with her own money coming in doesn't give it up to follow a pastry cook." "Look at me." "Look at my situation." "This is where you end up, if you believe in a man's promise." "But he cares for me." "I know he does." "I'm sure he does now." "But why would you put your trust in him or any man?" "If I went with him... ..I would still care for you both." "You won't be able to care for anyone if he abandons you with a bun in the oven." "He would never do that." "You have your freedom, Nancy." "Don't give it up for a man." "Do you like it?" "It's rather sad." "I wrote it when I was back in Coburg." "I wrote it But I am much happier now." "I think...perhaps you should have stayed in Coburg." "But we have nothing to fear from what..." ""a harmless flirtation", is that not what you called it?" "Is that what you think?" "No, I don't think any more, I just feel." "I don't have that luxury." "Not even for a few hours?" "The Duchess and King Leopold are coming back from their walk." "You see, you needn't have worried." "Look how happy the people are to see us." "God save the Queen!" "Are you hurt?" "My love." "You're safe." "You're safe." "The pulse is a little weak." "You must rest, ma'am." "My poor child." "You are so brave always, but I think you should also be careful." "Now you understand why Sir John and I kept you safe at Kensington." "I always knew your wicked Uncle Cumberland would try to kill you one day." "He murdered his valet before you were born." "Nothing was proved, but I remember, no-one had trouble believing he was guilty." "Do you really think Uncle Cumberland would try and shoot me in broad daylight?" "Not him, but one of his creatures." "I am afraid, Victoria, that the world is more dangerous than you think." "His name is Edward Oxford, Your Royal Highness." "19 years of age, working until recently at the Hog in the Pound tavern near Oxford Street." "A search of his lodgings has revealed that he is a member of the Young England Society." "Young England?" "Are they Chartists?" "Our informant says not." "The Society appears to have connections to the continent." "We found a letter telling Oxford to await instructions from Hanover." "Hanover?" "You think that Oxford is my uncle's creature?" "I know he feels he must be king." "But to do such a thing?" "He may not have given the order himself, but..." "..I believe it is possible that this Young England Society has been... ..plotting to kill you." "Oxford will pay the penalty for treason." "Yes." "Yes." "He might have killed you." "And then my life would have been over." "Portland." "Sir Robert." "Your Majesty." "Did you see just now, the Duke of Portland gave me the cut direct?" "If I were a younger man, I would call him out." "I cannot say that I blame him, sir." "Surely you cannot believe that a senior member of the British royal family would contemplate regicide?" "And that I would choose as my instrument a half-witted pot boy from south of the river?" "It is an unfortunate coincidence, then, that you should be here at the time of the attack." "Of course I am here." "I am the heir presumptive and childbirth is a perilous business." "Her Majesty has the advantage of the best doctors in the country, sir." "Set your mind at rest." "This letter mentions instructions to come from Hanover." "Would those instructions be from a royal personage, Mr Oxford?" "Someone who would inherit the throne, if you succeeded in assassinating the Queen." "I am not at liberty to say." "You do realise, Mr Oxford, we can charge you with treason." "And if found guilty, you will be hung, drawn and quartered." "It doesn't matter what happens to me." "Young England will make sure that my name lives on." "I just want it to be over." "Anything?" "No, sir." "Nothing, sir." "I-I saw him fire at me." "It appears, Your Royal Highness, that Oxford's guns were not loaded." "Hmph." "Not much of an assassin." "There is another thing, sir." "The Young England Society." "Have you found the men?" "In a manner of speaking, sir." "A copy of Mr Midshipman Easy by Captain Marryat was found in Oxford's lodgings." "I made a list of the dramatis personae." "If you put them alongside the members of Young England..." "But...what about the instructions from Hanover?" "I believe Oxford was writing to himself, Sir Robert." "I see." "Even so... he's guilty." "No?" "So, have you done this before?" "Well, yes." "Oh, yes, of course." "Well, if Mrs Jenkins vouches for you." "She's from Newport, Baroness." "Do you know when I will be needed, Your Ladyship?" "I have to make arrangements... to look after him." "I understand that the Queen's confinement could be quite soon." "Any day now by my calculations." "Thank you." "If only I could take her place." "The Queen is so fragile, so delicate..." "If anything should happen." "I think the Queen is a lot stronger than you think, ma'am." "A note, Your Royal Highness." "Albert, what?" "What is it?" "What's happened?" "It's from Sir Robert." "He's at the Oxford trial." "He is concerned Oxford will be acquitted on the grounds of insanity." "12 good men and true, so gullible, so...inefficient." "I think that in Belgium we arrange these things better." "Do the British people have no concern for their Queen's safety?" "Drina!" "Victoria?" "If Oxford goes free, then I become a prisoner." "How can I continue if there is no punishment for a man who tries to kill me?" "And there will be no freedom for our child either." "Forced to grow up in the shadows, just as I was." "I will keep you safe." "I promise." "I know, Albert." "But I want to be free." "There you are." "Have you thought about my offer, Nancy?" "Have you thought about my offer, I have thought about it, yes." "But my answer is no." "I have everything I need here." "Money, position." "If I play my cards right, I might be Mrs Skerrett one day with an assistant of my own." "I would call you Mrs Francatelli tomorrow." "Look what you've made me do." "I suppose you think I should be grateful to you for making me an offer despite knowing where I come from." "I don't care about that." "I want you by my side because you... ..you are smart enough to make your way anywhere." "Smart enough to know that what I have here at the palace is better than anything you could offer me." "Then I am sorry to have bothered you," "Miss Skerrett." "I believe the would-be assassin to be completely insane." "That at least means the extraordinary rumours concerning my involvement have been laid to rest." ""Instructions from Hanover" indeed!" "Preposterous." "And yet everyone believed them." "I hope Oxford is not released for your sake, Victoria." "That is why I abolished the constitution in Hanover." "In my kingdom there is no bleating about liberty, whilst regicides go unpunished." "If Oxford had taken a shot at me, he would be strung up by now," "If Oxford had taken a shot at me, bullets or no bullets." "And you think that's what I should do?" "Well, you're hardly in a position to do so." "You know, Uncle... ..there have been times when I have doubted my own judgement." "But there is one thing of which I am quite certain." "That however many mistakes I have made, or perhaps I'm yet to make..." "..I know I am a better monarch than you could ever be." "I spoke with Lehzen earlier." "How is the Baroness?" "Distressed." "She's no longer handling my unofficial correspondence." "I don't remember giving that order." "She does not realise how vulnerable you are." "Surely that is for me to decide?" "I am not a little girl." "No." "You are going to be a mother." "Sir Robert Peel." "Oxford is to be detained at Bedlam at Your Majesty's pleasure." "The man tried to kill us." "There is no evidence that the guns were loaded." "And it is clear from the testimony of the doctors that Oxford is not of sound mind." "There is some suggestion that he carries an hereditary taint." "How can we feel safe if an English jury will not convict a man who fired at his Queen in plain sight?" "When I took the coronation oath," "I swore to uphold the laws of this nation under God." "If an English jury believes this man is not of sound mind, then we must accept that verdict, whatever our own feelings." "And furthermore, to show how much we believe in English justice, we will go for a drive this afternoon." "we will go for a drive This is madness." "And what do you think, Sir Robert?" "Am I of unsound mind?" "On the contrary, ma'am." "I think..." "I have never heard a monarch say a wiser thing." "A very nice job." "Tell me, Mr Brodie, are you to be trusted?" "The better part of valour is discretion, Your Serene Highness." "I have a letter that I would like you to deliver to the Duchess of Sutherland." "Did you hear those cheers?" "They were even louder than at my coronation." "I know this matters to you, Victoria, so I am glad." "Doesn't it matter to you, my love?" "Don't you care what people think?" "Of course." "But more than anything I care about you and the baby." "I have allowed that to cloud my judgement." "You know what it takes to be a monarch." "You are my Queen." "Thank you for letting me come." "It's madness, but I couldn't find the words to refuse." "Will you do what I ask?" "May I?" "I wish I could make you happy." "We have this moment." "We are together." "That is all that matters." "This moment, yes." "I never thought I could understand..." "Neither did I." "And I have been looking for it my whole life." "The favour I asked for in my note." "Will you give it to me?" "I am glad to see you have an appetite, Victoria." "You must be strong for what lies ahead." "Charlotte used to like sweets too, but her doctors would not let her eat them." "It made her so unhappy." "I wish so much now that I had given her all the marron glaces that she wanted." "You and Albert, you remind me so much of her." "Much..." "I have changed my religion, as you know, but for you I pray in every denomination." "Thank you." "How was our child?" "A little wriggle pants tonight." "I shan't be long." "Ernest..." "I must speak with you about something." "From the look on your face, I suspect you are about to reprimand me." "You were seen, Ernest, coming out of her room." "You promised me you would not continue with this." "That this...folly..." "Folly?" "Oh, yes, I suppose that is what it must look like to the Queen of England's husband." "You were in her room." "Do you remember, in our room in Rosenau, how you used to climb to the top of the cupboard and throw yourself off?" "You were so scared, and yet I was always there to catch you." "You trusted me." "Ernest, how can I?" "Yes, I went to Harriet's room last night." "And if I were the man that you think I am, I could have taken everything." "But I chose not to, out of a love for her, and I suppose a love for you too." "I want her so much... ..but all I took in her room was this." "A lock of her hair." "Nothing more." "Albert, Albert." "Albert!" "Yes." "It's starting." "I'm scared." "There is nothing to be scared of." "It's started." "It won't be long now." "Albert!" "What are all those men doing there?" "Apparently, it is the custom, in case there is a substitution." "Tell them all to go away!" "Everybody, please, out!" "Out." "Mama!" "Mama!" "Argh!" "Mama!" "Breathe." "Breathe." "Albert." "Albert." "You're strong." "Good morning." "Morning, gentlemen." "The Queen's correspondence, Baroness." "Thank you, Penge." "Oh." "I'm sorry." "I am so proud of you, my darling." "And I'm glad I still have you." "Did you really think I would let Cumberland be King?" "Do you mind that she's a girl?" "We'll have a boy next time." "I think she's perfection." "We should call her Victoria..." "..after a great queen."