Original subtitles

It's called the Victoria and Albert.

And, darling, we're going to see the world in it.

Perhaps we should start by visiting Uncle Leopold in Belgium.

It's about time we saw inside one of his palaces, don't you think?

Thank you.

Where else would you like to go?

Louis Philippe had a meeting promised yesterday.

It's his son Antoine, the Duke of Montpensier that worries me.

- Indeed, sir. - Good morning, Sir Robert.

Lord Alfred.

Our ambassador in Madrid writes that the French are, as he puts it,

"sniffing around the young Spanish Queen".

The Duke of Montpensier was there last week and presented her with a zebra.

What a curious present.

I'm not sure I would have married you, Albert,

if you'd given me such a thing - so inconvenient.

And the poor beast, coming from Africa, must find the climate most trying.

I believe the climate is very warm in Spain, ma'am.

Of course.

But surely Queen Isabel can find a husband for herself?

Queen Isabel is not yet of age, ma'am.

And her mother, who acts as regent, makes all the decisions.

Poor girl.

A French match would be against the British interest.

Louis Philippe wants to create a French Empire in Europe through marriage.

That would affect trade and our access to India.

We spent 20 years fighting Napoleon. We don't want another war.

No, indeed.

Perhaps I should write a letter to King Louis Philippe

to express our displeasure at the thought of a Spanish match.

What do you think, Albert?

Erm...

.. I'm not sure I am qualified to have an opinion.

Not qualified?

I'm sure Uncle Leopold would be horrified to hear such a thing.

I'm not sure writing would do any good, ma'am.

Louis Philippe is only on the throne because he's a very wily man.

- He will not easily be deflected. - I think a self-made king

like Louis Philippe should be flattered to get a letter from an anointed queen.

I shall see to it.

Sir, I worry that a letter from Her Majesty might be... misinterpreted.

You are aware, of course, that your Uncle Leopold

wants Prince Ferdinand to marry Queen Isabel?

That's not of my concern.

Indeed not, sir. But...

I suspect Louis Philippe will think there is a covert conspiracy.

I am not my uncle's keeper.

You have so many secrets from me, you have to hide your diary?

Secrets?

I don't have any secrets.

Not from you, anyway.

Sir Robert...

does not think that we should write to Louis Philippe.

Why not?

Well, he...

believes he will think that we are promoting a Coburg match.

Of course it would be better for England if Queen Isabella

married a Coburg, but we're hardly promoting the match.

The important thing is that she doesn't marry the French Prince.

Hm.

But perhaps Peel is right, a letter is pointless.

I think I need to look Louis Philippe in the eye

and settle the matter in person.

A visit to France?

I wonder, ma'am, is that wise?

Louis Philippe is a master of duplicity.

I have had experience of people who say one thing and mean another, Sir Robert.

Indeed, ma'am. But his father, the Duke of Orleans,

supported the Revolution, only to face the guillotine during the Terror,

so Louis Philippe has learned to trust no one.

I have always found him extremely difficult to deal with.

Which is exactly why I must go.

Between monarchs, there can be a real frankness.

I can say things to him that you cannot.

I shall have Albert by my side. I could not have a more able advisor.

- Indeed. - Erm... please, both of you, forgive me.

There is something I have to attend to.

Excuse me, ma'am, I wonder, is the Prince entirely himself?

He still seems most affected by his father's death.

I think perhaps a trip to France might revive his spirits.

Well, I only wish I could accompany you, ma'am, but I have pressing business here.

Might I suggest that you take Drummond to represent the government?

He could be useful.

I have no objection to Drummond, Sir Robert, but I do not need a nursemaid.

Which dress would you like to travel in, ma'am?

The purple silk or the white organza?

- Uh... the purple silk, I think. - Very good, ma'am.

Skerrett, have you seen my bag?

The one with Dash embroidered on it. I can't find it anywhere.

It's over here, ma'am.

Here it is.

Oh. See, I can't travel abroad without Dash.

So it's true, ma'am, we are to travel to France?

- Quite true. - And may I ask who is to accompany you?

Why, you and Miss Coke, and Lord Alfred, of course,

and Mr Drummond is coming from the Government.

Lehzen, I am so sorry.

Who else could I trust to look after my children?

With your permission, ma'am, I would like to be excused.

What nonsense!

I can't face the French court without my Mistress of the Robes.

But ma'am, France is a Godless country.

Then you must bring your Bible.

Do you know I'm the first British monarch to visit France since Henry VIII?

I hope this could be the start of a new relationship.

I'm sure that between us, we can make Louis Philippe see

it would be unwise to jeopardise such an alliance.

Don't you think?

- Albert? - Sorry, Victoria, I'm...

I'm not a good sailor.

- I can't get used to it. - Haven't you been on a boat before?

- I've never seen the sea before. - Oh.

You'll get your sea legs right enough.

I thought I would die from the sickness when I first got on the boat from Ireland

but you get used to it.

Gardez-vous!

- Poupée? - A doll.

Maybe we speak English, Victoria?

I'm the first French King to be able to speak your language,

and I would be delighted to practise.

Coburg.

I am very glad to meet you finally, monsieur.

Pleasure.

Iis sont charmants.

You are a very charming couple.

So... So young, so fresh.

Kissed on both cheeks, as if she were a washerwoman.

I believe it is the French way.

Isn't that right, Lord Alfred?

I've no idea.

To think I promised your mother I'd look after you,

and here we are in Sodom and Gomorrah.

The country has no shame.

Those court ladies were all painted.

And the King? He smelt more like...

Welcome to the Chateau d'Eu, my summer cottage.

Did you notice the way the court ladies were staring at me?

They were probably just admiring your jewels, ma'am.

I don't think it was admiration.

I think they thought there was something missing.

Skerrett...

.. could you find me something to enhance my complexion?

I want to look more... worldly.

Certainly, ma'am.

Lord Alfred, do you observe that all the ladies' faces, they are painted?

Yes, sir, I think you may be right.

- And paint is surprising, no? - The French take a different view on that.

Yes, I believe even the King might...

Son Altesse, le Prince Ernest, Duc de Saxe-Cobourg.

I'm so happy to see you, my dear Duke, as I'm sure are all my court.

The pleasure is all mine.

Albert.

I'm surprised that you could leave Coburg.

The only surprising thing is that I didn't leave sooner.

Oh, merci.

A charming touch, don't you think?

To send all the ladies flowers to match the colour of their dress.

I wonder, miss, erm...

as you speak French, if you could translate something for me?

It's for the Queen.

It's a lotion...

for the... the chest area.

- Bonsoir. - Guten Abend.

I must offer my condolences on the death of your father, mes chers cousins.

Merci, Louis.

My father met his end in the embrace of Madame la Guillotine.

He made the mistake of thinking that he could ally himself with the mob.

But in the end... they turned on him, too.

I loved my father. He took particular care of my education in every respect.

There are not many men who would share a woman like Madame Genlis with their son.

So you understand now, mon cher cousin,

why I am so determined to secure the future for my family.

Well, every man wants that.

I am the only king in Europe who has had to make his own living.

I don't want my son Antoine to face the same fate.

Sa Majesté, la Reine Victoria.

How beautiful you look, ma cousine.

- Ernest, what a lovely surprise. - Is it really you, Victoria?

For a moment there, I thought I was back in Paris.

The Queen looks so well with these flowers.

She could be French.

I was hoping, Louis Philippe, that we'd talk about

the future husband of the Queen of Spain.

I know it is a subject of which we both take an interest.

My dear Victoria, remember that you are in France,

and in my country, we never mix business with pleasure.

Mm!

Mm-hm. Fantastique.

Mm.

The ortolan is a great delicacy.

The birds are trapped and then drowned in Armagnac.

Drowned?

I've been close to death on several occasions.

I assure you I would not mind drowning in very old Armagnac.

- It does seem rather cruel, though. - Wait until you've tasted one.

Fortune favours the bold.

Taste it.

The napkin is to hide your face from God, ma chère cousine.

Look at that.

Such a shame the Duchess had to retire with a headache.

I think she might consider it to be the devil's work.

Well, I'm prepared to be led into temptation.

What about you, Drummond?

I think to refuse such a creation might cause a diplomatic incident.

Albert.

I'm beginning to think Louis Philippe has no intention of discussing the Spanish situation.

When I brought it up, he changed the subject entirely.

I can't complain about the hospitality, though.

Although, I don't want to eat those ortolans again. Do you?

I do not wish to do any of it again.

Ma'am.

Albert, what's the matter with you?

I'm just not comfortable here, Victoria.

It is a place of artifice and deceit.

Louis Philippe is a man of the most vulgar tastes.

The court ladies, they do not have any concept of purity.

And...

And tonight...

.. when you came in, I saw that...

.. you had painted your face.

Why would you feel the need to do that?

The French ladies looked so smart.

I wanted to look more like them and less like the Duchess of Buccleuch.

Please never do it again.

I do not know if I could bear it.

It was only a little rouge, Albert, but...

.. yes, of course.

If it means so much to you.

Have you managed to speak to Louis Philippe about the Spanish Queen?

Do you know what we talked about, the King and I?

About how his father passed down his mistress to him to complete his education.

The French do things differently.

And we're here to do business, not to judge them.

Your family is hardly blameless. Think of Uncle Leopold.

What do you mean?

- He, too, has a mistress. - Exactly!

It's why we have to be different.

We a re different.

Well, I wish that I could believe that.

Après vous.

Everything here is so charming.

I had no idea that kitchen gardens could be so delightful.

My pride and joy.

We French believe that there is beauty in a cabbage as well as a rose.

And when you've starved on the streets,

you realise how beautiful a cabbage can be.

You've lived an interesting life, cousin.

I've been lucky. When I was teaching in Switzerland

or in your country trying to make a living,

I never thought that one day I would be King of the French.

There are many people in my country who thought that I would not be Queen.

But I never doubted it.

Specialité du château.

Merci.

My years of real life taught me that you should never go anywhere without a knife.

- Well, you don't call this real life, do you? - Don't you?

I'm a patriot to my bones.

But still... I envy you your country.

Even with its rain and its roast beef.

But this... Oh, this is glorious.

You know how many times my people tried to kill me? Seven times.

We have that in common. I, too, was shot at.

Yeah, but in your case, I believe the gun was not loaded.

I don't mind so much for myself.

But for my children I want safety. The kind that you English enjoy.

Then you should reconsider the marriage between your son and the Spanish Queen.

Such an alliance, I...

.. I fear would upset the balance between our countries.

You are an iron fist in a velvet glove.

You look so delicate, so charming, so mignon.

But inside you are Boadicea.

If the Spanish Queen were to be married to Prince Ferdinand,

well, that, too, would have consequences.

These handsome Coburg princes cannot be allowed to build an empire

by snapping up all the queens of Europe.

I was not snapped up.

I chose to marry Albert because I love him.

Sans doute, if I was a young lady like you,

I, too, would lose my heart for such beautiful eyes.

But he's a Coburg nonetheless.

You must forgive me, but we French are cynique.

Cynical?

Cynical when it comes to the matter of the heart.

We try not to confuse love and marriage,

but I can see now that is not the English way.

No. No, it is not.

Ha.

There is a time to be serious, but it's never before lunch.

And in your honour, I arranged a petite fête champêtre. Come.

Lovely.

Isn't it charming, sir?

I know how much you like forests.

This is hardly a forest, Lord Alfred.

This is more akin to a boudoir.

Well, your French is improving, sir, I must say.

I just wanted to say how sorry I was to hear of the death of your father, sir.

Thank you, Miss Coke.

You must be feeling his loss very deeply.

Oh, I am finding ways to distract myself.

- But I thought... - What did you think, Miss Coke?

That I was a man of delicate sensibility?

I'm afraid I must disappoint you.

Ça va?

- Ernest. - Albert.

Are you all right?

Ja. The Marquise and I are talking about livestock.

She prefers goat's milk for bathing.

May I?

Ah. Excusez-moi.

Ernest, I'm...

.. concerned.

You're behaving like Papa.

I like to think that I'm honouring his memory.

No, no, no!

A dish of tea and some toast.

- Duchess. - Oh, Lord Alfred, thank goodness.

Will you tell the man all I require is a dish of tea and some toast?

None of this foreign food.

My dear Duchess, I can assure you that the bread is fresh.

But it's such a peculiar shape.

I wondered if you could explain to me how the coppicing is managed.

Perhaps if we go for a walk, you can meet the charbonnier.

He will tell you how often we cut the trees.

- Suivez-moi. - Après vous.

Where are we going?

You walk very quickly.

I enjoy the exercise.

- Do you not? - Not really.

Do you never tire of all of this...

tableau vivant?

I'm a prince. One day I ought to marry a queen.

Like you.

What are you doing?

I'm going to swim.

But it will be cold and wet. It's not civilised.

Precisely.

Shall we?

I don't see why not.

Whoa!

I like my bathing water warm like a woman's thigh.

Hm. Well, I think my brother has a point.

Whoo!

Oh!

How strange.

- That sounds like... - Oh, some peasants.

There is a place nearby where they like to bathe.

Oh!

Yes. Just some peasants.

They must have the simple pleasures.

- Ah. - Whoo!

- How was your afternoon? - Oh, wonderful, thank you, sir.

Did you enjoy your swim, Albert?

I saw you.

And so did la Duchesse de Berry.

What possessed you?

Is that conduct becoming for the husband of the Queen of England?

What sort of man are you?

Oh.

La Duchesse says that you, Albert, that you are a noble peasant.

Oh. What do you think?

Well, I wish you would stop looking so disapproving

and maybe smile a bit more.

- Mm-hm. - And I can't understand why

we can't stay in bed just a little bit longer in the mornings.

Ah. But nevertheless, I have to say...

.. you're the man that I love.

Till death do us part.

As long as we both shall live.

Shh!

I...

I need to tell you something, but I do not know where to begin.

When I was in Coburg...

.. Leopold...

.. Leopold told me that he believes that he is my father.

Your mother and Uncle Leopold?

He asked me not to tell...

.. anyone.

But I find I cannot bear this alone.

Albert, listen to me.

Yes, of course Leopold wants to believe he's your father.

Any man would.

But he can't know for certain.

But I'm an impostor.

Our children.

Our marriage.

All of it built on deceit.

I would be a bastard, Victoria.

I'm ashamed to stand by your side.

Then we have a problem.

Because I cannot face this world without you.

Albert, I don't care who your father is.

All that matters to me is you...

.. my husband...

standing by my side now and always.

But...

.. I'm not the man you married.

Albert, I know who you are...

.. even if you don't.

Now, you take my hand...

.. and we go downstairs and we'll do what we came here to do.

Together.

I would like to thank you, dear cousin, for your hospitality.

This has been my first visit to France.

- I do hope it won't be my last. - No, indeed.

Our two nations should be, as they say in America,

kissing cousins.

But we are at odds.

You want your son to marry the Spanish Queen

and yet my government... well...

.. they will say it is tantamount to a declaration of war.

But if the Spanish Queen marries your cousin,

Prince Ferdinand of Coburg,

who is so closely allied with your good self,

then my government will think it is an act of aggression.

That is what we call in France une impasse.

There is another solution...

.. should we wish to take it.

Imagine, if you will, that...

.. this bunch of grapes...

.. is the Queen of Spain.

Now, here they are on the vine.

They look delicious, don't you agree?

But they are guarded by a vicious dog.

So the first person that picks a grape...

.. is bitten by the dog...

.. mauled to death.

So the question that we have to ask ourselves is

are the grapes, delicious though they are, worth the consequence?

So, if I follow your metaphor...

.. you propose that we both do nothing?

It would be a shame to let our new friendship wither on the vine.

But my government will think that I am weak.

They don't trust British.

"Perfide Albion," Napoleon said. Excuse me, ma chérie.

Surely you do not care what your ministers think?

Surely you have the authority to present a... a fait accompli?

The understanding of one sovereign to another.

So let's drink champagne...

.. to celebrate the new understanding between our two great nations.

To the understanding between us, to the Entente Cordiale.

To the Entente Cordiale.

Champagne!

I miss France.

I don't.

Did you not enjoy it at all, Aunt?

You have to admit that the French court was extremely elegant.

Elegance is all very well, but...

.. my brother Mungo was killed at Trafalgar.

They may do things with style, Wilhelmina,

but I do not like the French.

At heart, they are not...

.. respectable.

What about you, Drummond? What do you think?

I agree with the Duchess.

The trip was stylish but... not altogether respectable.

Hello! Oh!

Hello, darling!

Mwah.

Have you missed me? Oh.

Vicky. Hello.

Oh, let's see you.

My goodness, Lehzen. Oh, you've grown.

It took a while, of course, for Louis Philippe to see things from our point of view,

but once he had heard the arguments for mutual neutrality,

he realised that was the only reasonable position.

Albert was so eloquent, really.

It was his words that convinced the King.

- To His Royal Highness. - His Royal Highness.

Well, we are grateful to you, sir.

The country cannot afford another war with France.

Do you really think it would come to that?

- I found Louis Philippe most congenial. - I'm sure he was, ma'am.

But his country is not.

They've had one revolution, they could easily have another.

When a king is under pressure, the easiest way to unite his people

is to find a common enemy.

Mm.

Do you wish to say something, Duchess?

I was merely thinking how pleasant it is to be eating English food again.

You are too old-fashioned. I thought the food was delicious.

It is not honest food.

Everything's covered in sauces. Who knows what's underneath?

Give me a wholesome plate of boiled mutton and turnips.

It's nothing to do with you or the Queen. You did your best. It's not naive, sir.

How are we going to explain this to the Queen?

I should've listened to my instincts.

Albert, what is it? Whatever's the matter?

We have been deceived.

Your Majesty, King Louis's son has become engaged to the Spanish Queen.

- Louis Philippe gave us his word. - He was using us, Victoria.

I really thought we had achieved something great there.

Albert, look at me.

As Wellington would say, we may have lost the battle...

When we went to France, we were... not ourselves, you and I.

But now, whatever happens... we're united.

There are no secrets between us.

No secrets.

Actually, that's not... quite true.