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In 1840, two 20-year-olds became
the most famous couple on Earth.

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Dearly beloved...

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The marriage of Queen Victoria
to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg

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was a pivotal moment
in British history.

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What began as an arranged marriage
<font color="

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of all time.

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Victoria sees this
vision of male beauty.

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It was pure, beautiful,
gobsmacking love.

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We're going to reconstruct the big
day, to tell the story of a queen

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<font color="
to win their people's hearts.

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It was romance and politics.

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This marriage had to stave
off revolution.

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The monarchy was very close
to extinction and people

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were throwing bricks and stones
<font color="

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It's only by recreating the wedding
that we'll see the meticulous stage

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management that went into every
moment and understand the genius

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behind this 19th-century
public relations coup.

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It's going to be a big challenge.

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<font color="
to recreate every aspect

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of the ceremony.

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They'll investigate the incredible
wedding food and uncover the details

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of Victoria's legendary
wedding dress.

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They'll open Albert's wardrobe,
<font color="

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elusive wedding music.

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Together, we'll step
back to February 1840,

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to see how this wedding
saved the crown.

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This event is the first example
of the royal wedding

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machine in action.

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<font color="
the myth, the powerful legend

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of Victoria and Albert.

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It was the wedding
of the century and,

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this time, we're all invited.

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The Britain Victoria was born
into was the richest nation

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in the Western world.

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<font color="
most of them living in poverty.

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The average citizen
was young and died that way.

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During Victoria's 63-year reign,
the population of Britain

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had doubled in size.

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Suburbs blossomed,
<font color="

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and a queen who was born
by candlelight lived

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to see electricity.

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Not very much of the Britain
Victoria grew up in survived.

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Our story is set in the remains
of the Regency world she was born

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<font color="
castles, in fragments.

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This pocket handkerchief
of a square is a jewel.

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It's clinging on just behind what's
now the modern Victoria Station.

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The square was built
the year she became Queen.

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<font color="
everything was smaller -

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the houses, the carriages,
even the people -

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but expectations were great.

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The pressure on this tiny
girl was gigantic.

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She'd only be 18 years old
when she became Queen.

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<font color="
made to sit on her little head

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at her coronation.

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But despite her youth, clearly,
she needed to get married

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and babied up.

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This is the story of
the royal wedding machine,

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first created to get
<font color="

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It was set running the very day
that she was born.

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Early in the morning of
24th May 1819, Victoria was born

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here at Kensington Palace,
in that first-floor drawing room.

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Her father was King George III's
<font color="

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and her mother was Princess Louise
Victory of Saxe-Coburg,

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now Duchess of Kent.

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We know a huge amount
about Queen Victoria

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because she left us her thoughts -
141 volumes of them.

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<font color="
childhood bedroom.

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From the age of 13, here
at Kensington Palace,

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she'd been keeping
a daily diary, a journal.

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The originals of these volumes
are at Windsor Castle today,

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<font color="
them because they've all

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been put online.

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She wrote about where she'd been,
who she'd met, her hopes

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and her dreams, the weather.

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As a child, she'd had
very little freedom.

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<font color="
driven by the need to make sure

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she survived to become Queen.

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Initially, she was very resistant
to the idea of immediately marrying.

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Victoria's priority was to spare
herself the inevitability

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of marriage and producing a line
<font color="

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and be in line to the throne.

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She felt that onerous
responsibility.

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Victoria always knew
that she was destined

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for an arranged marriage
to her cousin, Prince Albert

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of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha -
<font color="

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place in history.

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They were connected with all
the great royalty and all the huge

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dynasties of Europe,
and they'd been connected

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with the great historical
events of Europe.

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Victoria's mother
<font color="

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This union was designed
to strengthen the bloodline

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of the British monarchy
and introduce progressive

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continental ideas.

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The plan to marry the cousins
was hatched when they were babies.

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<font color="
at Victoria's 17th birthday party.

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The court held their breath.

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According to the plan,
romantic sparks would fly.

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Victoria wasn't terribly
impressed by Albert.

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She thought Albert
<font color="

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And he kept falling asleep.

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Ah, this is very nice in here.

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Andrew Wilson is one
of Victoria's biographers.

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Andrew, what do you think
happened the first time

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they were in the same room?

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He was very, very shy.

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<font color="

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He had hardly known any
female companionship.

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He had almost no females near him
throughout his upbringing.

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So he'd had 16 years of an all-male,
all-German atmosphere.

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The other thing is,
<font color="

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when he first met her.

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The entire German party came over,
had dreadful gastric attacks,

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so it wasn't a very
successful first encounter.

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I find it very striking
that in her journal entry

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<font color="
Albert, then there's a whole lot

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more about this parrot... Exactly!
..that she gets given as a present.

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If she falls in love
with anybody that day,

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it was with the parrot.

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<font color="

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Three years later,
the Princess had become

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Queen Victoria, and Albert returned
from Germany for a second visit.

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The love story began
for real at Windsor Castle.

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Victoria knew her duty,
<font color="

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unimpressive cousin.

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Albert was her intended,
but she wanted her freedom.

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She didn't like the idea.

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She didn't want
to have babies so soon.

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She just didn't want
to commit herself.

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<font color="

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He hardly knew this girl,
who'd already rejected him once.

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His brother Ernest was
with him for moral support.

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He makes up his mind that, you know,
what he's going to do

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is break it off.

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<font color="
about how things were going

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to turn out.

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And also feeling
humiliated because,

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really, you know, Victoria kept him
hanging around for the best part

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of three years.

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The master marriage plan
<font color="

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Suddenly, the frog of 1836
has turned into this gorgeous,

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gorgeous man.

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Victoria looks down and she sees
this vision of male beauty.

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From Victoria's point of view,
it was pure, beautiful,

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gobsmacking love.

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<font color="

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She loved romantic novels
when she was young.

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When she saw him,
she writes frankly.

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She's not somebody who makes
up these things in her journals.

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She adores him.

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She wrote, "It was with some emotion
<font color="

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"who is beautiful."

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Albert and Ernest stayed
for several days.

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And on 11th October,
he danced with her.

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For Victoria, it was love.

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Love at second sight.

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Four days later, the Queen
<font color="

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A monarch can't be proposed to,
so she had to ask the big question.

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She wrote, "I said to him
that I thought he must be aware why

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"I wished them to come here.
That it would make me too happy

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"if he would consent
<font color="

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Once again, Victoria's journal
reveals the depth of her feelings.

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"I feel the happiest
of human beings."

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The engagement of Victoria
and Albert was the first step

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towards the altar,
<font color="

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to make it the PR
coup of the century.

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The wedding was so ground-breaking,
we still feel the effects today.

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Every modern white wedding dress
is descended from the one worn

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by Queen Victoria.

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<font color="
white for brides.

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Like all these women,
we're starting our journey

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to Victoria's big
day with the dress.

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Victoria's own wedding gown is kept
in our Queen's private collection.

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<font color="
this iconic garment using

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pictures from 1840.

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The artist George Hayter
was actually at the wedding

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for this painting.

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I'm taking that challenge
to historical costumer

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Harriet Waterhouse,
<font color="

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more reference materials.

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Now, Harriet, does the thought
of making the wedding dress give

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you any particular problems?

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Erm...

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Challenges.

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Well, I'm going to be sewing
everything by hand.

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<font color="
to doing it by hand,

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you can be quite quick.
If you're an expert.

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The dress is quite simple.

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It's expensive and beautiful...
Mmm. ..and romantic, but it's not...

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It's not showy.

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<font color="
that Victoria's dress

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and all the bridesmaids
being in white set them apart

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from everyone around them
and made them really shine.

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It's also said that they looked
more simply dressed.

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<font color="
brides' dresses, traditionally are

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very encrusted and glittering.

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The lack of embellishment
of a metallic sort

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is really very striking.

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So, she really did break the mould.

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Like all royal women,
<font color="

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were closely observed.

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There are clues to her tastes
at her first home.

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These rooms at Kensington Palace,
where Victoria grew up,

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are stuffed full of vital research
materials for our project,

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<font color="

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This dress is from her early reign.

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People looking at it often
say, but it's tiny!

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And she does here
have a 24-inch waist.

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And you can really see
that she wasn't very tall -

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five foot one and a quarter inches.

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<font color="
often commented on her shapeliness.

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One American visitor
to the Palace said that,

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like all Englishwomen,
she had a very good bust.

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I've come here today
in search of one particular,

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very precious garment.

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<font color="

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Curator Claudia Acott Williams
has in her care a tiny petticoat

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that belonged to Queen Victoria.

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More than that, it's rumoured
to be the one she wore

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at the wedding.

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So, this is an unusual and quite
<font color="

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It's quite simple in its design,
but it's the quality of the textile

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and the kind of masterful
construction which show us

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that it was made for a queen.

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So, on her wedding day,
she would have had to have worn

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<font color="
well, it was possibly even

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this one, wasn't it?

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Possibly. I mean, we can't sort
of confirm that, but it would

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have been something very,
very similar to this.

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We're going to remake her wedding
<font color="

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..for this project and I know
that the dimensions

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of this petticoat match the ones
of the wedding dress itself.

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That's right. This would follow very
much the line of the dress,

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so we get a real sense of her shape
<font color="

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There's nothing like seeing
a person's underwear to give

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you a sense of who they really were.
Yes, exactly.

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At her home, costumier Harriet
prepares her workroom.

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Historical clothes are not
<font color="

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The stuff underneath
makes the shape.

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This petticoat would have been worn
over a chemise corset,

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a couple of petticoats
and a crinoline.

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The important thing
is that everything looks

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<font color="

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In the Hayter picture,
it's a gentle sort of bell shape.

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There's a sort of lace collar,
made of Honiton lace.

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I've got a variety
of different laces.

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00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:05,960
Queen Victoria wanted
<font color="

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00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:08,960
so all her lace was
manufactured in Devon.

248
00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:11,200
It's a thing that the royal family
still do today

249
00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,040
but up till that point,
people were wearing what they wanted

250
00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:16,000
and, often, it was foreign.

251
00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:18,880
<font color="
quite a collection of

252
00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:21,200
different antique laces.

253
00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:22,720
This is fragile.

254
00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:25,720
I'm going to have to do
a little bit of mending on it.

255
00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,400
But it's, er... It's a wedding veil.

256
00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,600
It's probably around the right date.

257
00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,560
<font color="
as Queen Victoria's,

258
00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:36,120
but it's a similar size.

259
00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:38,720
And she wore it just
on the back of her head.

260
00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:41,720
Sort of there-ish.

261
00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:43,320
And it just hung.

262
00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:44,480
So it's quite...

263
00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:48,560
..quite a minimal thing,
<font color="

264
00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:50,640
of her wedding veil.

265
00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:55,520
Authenticity demands Harriet works
in antique measurements.

266
00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:56,600
I really love this.

267
00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:58,480
This is a yardstick.

268
00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:00,040
The yard is divided.

269
00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:01,160
It's in quarters.

270
00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:03,160
You see there's a pin
<font color="

271
00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:05,760
This quarter at the end
is divided in half

272
00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:07,520
and that's a finger.

273
00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:09,360
The finger is divided in half

274
00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:12,120
and that measurement there is a
nail.

275
00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:15,920
This little remnant of a pin, there,
that was an inch.

276
00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:19,200
<font color="
as we understand it now.

277
00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:27,000
Harriet isn't just making
the wedding gown, she's also

278
00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:30,960
dressing our guests in authentic
clothing that will help them think

279
00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,160
and feel 1840.

280
00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:34,440
It's very exciting.

281
00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:37,320
<font color="
of really lovely frocks.

282
00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:40,520
Getting a load of dresses together
is like creating someone's life.

283
00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:47,040
Victoria was 20, a slip of a girl,
quite unlike the more matronly

284
00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:48,800
figure she'd become.

285
00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:51,040
That fits nicely. Yeah.
<font color="

286
00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:54,640
Albert was a strapping lad,
who enjoyed outdoor pursuits.

287
00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:58,120
But he was extremely bookish and,
even by Victorian standards,

288
00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:00,640
he was pretty straight-laced.

289
00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:04,200
Among the guests, the man closest
to the Queen before she fell

290
00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:08,920
<font color="
and Prime Minister Lord Melbourne.

291
00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:11,600
He would be wedding planner
in chief, but it was going

292
00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:13,960
to be painful for Melbourne.

293
00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:19,760
Lots of people suspected that he
himself was in love with Victoria.

294
00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:22,360
Also at the fitting,
<font color="

295
00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,600
in Victoria's life,
the Queen Mother.

296
00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:28,120
Victoria couldn't forgive
her for the strict upbringing

297
00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:30,680
she'd endured and they rarely spoke.

298
00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:33,480
The Queen Mother spent years
plotting the marriage

299
00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:35,600
of her daughter and Albert.

300
00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,680
<font color="
was about public relations

301
00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:42,320
and how essential that was
because she had given birth

302
00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,360
to Victoria to solve
a royal image crisis.

303
00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:48,920
For decades, the people
of Britain had been fed

304
00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:51,240
up with their Kings,
<font color="

305
00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:56,560
To survive, the monarchy must adapt,
work with Parliament and the people,

306
00:16:56,560 --> 00:17:00,240
but that called for
a new kind of ruler.

307
00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:03,880
Public fury was at its worst
when Victoria was a child.

308
00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:07,240
On the throne, her uncle
<font color="

309
00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:09,680
drug-addicted adulterer.

310
00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:12,920
The monarchy was very close
to extinction and there

311
00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:15,520
were revolutionary
rumblings in Britain.

312
00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:18,280
If you'd had another person
like George IV sitting

313
00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:21,160
on the throne, you could have seen
<font color="

314
00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:22,640
out of the window.

315
00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:25,280
King George had done
one thing right.

316
00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:28,520
With Caroline of Brunswick,
he'd produced a legitimate heir,

317
00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:29,840
Charlotte.

318
00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:32,320
She was the darling of the people -

319
00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:34,440
a fine, decent Queen-in-waiting.

320
00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:38,440
<font color="

321
00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:42,320
She was the only legitimate
grandchild of King George III.

322
00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,000
He had lots of grandchildren,
but most of them were illegitimate,

323
00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:46,360
except for Princess Charlotte.

324
00:17:46,360 --> 00:17:49,640
So she was the only possible heir
to the throne and her death

325
00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,280
<font color="

326
00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:55,880
You know, this was a possible sort
of turning point for the monarchy.

327
00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,280
I mean, it was so unpopular.

328
00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:01,440
George IV died without
a legitimate child,

329
00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:05,400
so his brother William became King,
but none of his surviving children

330
00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:07,400
<font color="

331
00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:09,920
The crown was in danger.

332
00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:14,080
Brother number four, Edward,
married German Princess Victoire

333
00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:18,160
specifically to produce
a legitimate heir to the throne.

334
00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:22,000
Like Charlotte, Victoria must win
the people's hearts,

335
00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:25,360
<font color="
a new kind of monarch.

336
00:18:25,360 --> 00:18:28,040
Her father died soon
after her birth, leaving

337
00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:30,880
her in the tender care
of her mother, whose task

338
00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:33,520
was to keep alive.

339
00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:36,960
Victoria grew up here
at Kensington Palace,

340
00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:40,520
<font color="
became known as the

341
00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:43,320
Kensington System.

342
00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:45,480
This was partly about her safety.

343
00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:48,480
She wasn't supposed to walk
up or down stairs without somebody

344
00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:50,440
holding her hand in case she fell.

345
00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:55,480
But it was also about mental
<font color="

346
00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:58,760
Her mother even read her diary.

347
00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:02,560
The rules and regulations made
Victoria hate her mother

348
00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:06,960
and her mother's right-hand
man, John Conroy.

349
00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:10,240
The Kensington System sounds
ridiculously rigid to us,

350
00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:11,960
<font color="

351
00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:16,720
Had little Princess Victoria fallen
down the stairs or fallen

352
00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:20,240
off her horse or died,
that really would have been curtains

353
00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:22,320
for the British monarchy.

354
00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:26,920
When Victoria became Queen,
the nation once again felt hope.

355
00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,560
<font color="
decent ruler they'd waited for.

356
00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:33,680
And then, a few months
before she met Prince Albert

357
00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:37,160
and fell in love, it all went wrong.

358
00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:41,440
In the summer of 1839,
the Palace is tense.

359
00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:45,560
The new Queen has been doing some
<font color="

360
00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:48,480
She's been testing
the limits of her power.

361
00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:52,720
Some of the things she's done
have made her advisers wince.

362
00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:55,520
KNOCKING

363
00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:55,520
Enter!

364
00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:59,320
Victoria's inexperience,
combined with her temper,

365
00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:02,320
<font color="
that rocked the Palace,

366
00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:06,720
outraged the press and endangered
the monarchy itself.

367
00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:11,520
Scandal number one was just
the latest battle in the ongoing war

368
00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:14,320
between Victoria and her mother.

369
00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:17,480
They used to spend every
<font color="

370
00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:22,240
but now her mother lived in a remote
part of the Palace and Victoria only

371
00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:25,200
communicated with her by letter.

372
00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:30,760
Victoria's frostiness also extended
to the Queen Mother's staff.

373
00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:35,320
Lady Flora Hastings
was a lady-in-waiting to Victoria's

374
00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:38,760
<font color="
to have ridden by herself

375
00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:41,760
in a carriage with John Conroy.

376
00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:45,240
Shortly after this,
Lady Flora's belly mysteriously

377
00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:47,120
started to swell.

378
00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:52,640
Victoria and her side of the court
assumed the very worst.

379
00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:57,560
Lady Flora Hastings
<font color="

380
00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:01,160
and possibly pregnant
by John Conroy.

381
00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:04,160
John Conroy was a bounder and a cad.

382
00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,520
All the gossips of London,
everybody at court,

383
00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:11,160
assumed that Conroy's hold
over the Duchess of Kent -

384
00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:15,960
and, hence, over Queen
<font color="

385
00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:21,840
Poor Lady Flora had to undergo
an intrusive, degrading,

386
00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:25,360
really horrible medical examination.

387
00:21:25,360 --> 00:21:29,000
Queen Victoria had made
this appalling blunder.

388
00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,440
There was no justification
for the way she behaved at all.

389
00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:33,920
<font color="

390
00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:36,360
She was, in fact,
suffering from cancer.

391
00:21:36,360 --> 00:21:38,840
The court was horrified.

392
00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:42,040
How could anyone have thought
ill of this innocent?

393
00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:45,280
Melbourne made Victoria
go to her bedside.

394
00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:49,920
She couldn't shake off this hatred
<font color="

395
00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:53,640
by proxy, she also
hated Flora Hastings.

396
00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:57,640
Her family releases letters
that get into the papers

397
00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:00,960
of how she was accused
and how she was humiliated,

398
00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:04,080
and the press really
turned against Victoria.

399
00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:08,960
<font color="
died of liver cancer.

400
00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:12,640
The Queen's carriage
was hissed at in the streets.

401
00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:15,520
She'd turned into an object
of vilification and people

402
00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,040
were throwing bricks and stones
through the Palace windows

403
00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,040
<font color="

404
00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:24,760
It was a public relations disaster,
but it was as nothing compared

405
00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:29,560
with the other scandal of that
summer, a constitutional crisis.

406
00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:32,880
Some people said it was caused
by Victoria's naivete.

407
00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:36,400
Others said, worse, her arrogance.

408
00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:40,200
<font color="
main political parties -

409
00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:44,120
the progressive Whigs
and the more conservative Tories.

410
00:22:44,120 --> 00:22:48,680
In May 1839, the Whig Party
almost lost a crucial vote

411
00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,080
and Prime Minister
Melbourne resigned.

412
00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,240
This triggered a change
<font color="

413
00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:56,440
The Queen was horrified when power
passed to the Tories,

414
00:22:56,440 --> 00:23:00,440
that she loathed, and their leader,
Sir Robert Peel, whom she disliked.

415
00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:02,320
She was furious.

416
00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:07,080
As a token of her confidence,
Robert Peel wants her to dismiss

417
00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:09,440
<font color="
of the Bedchamber,

418
00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:12,720
ladies-in-waiting,
who are married to Whig peers,

419
00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:15,880
because he thinks the Queen
is too close to the Whigs.

420
00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:19,120
And, er, Queen Victoria says,
no, I won't do that.

421
00:23:19,120 --> 00:23:20,440
She stamps her foot.

422
00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:22,280
<font color="
"Well, if that's your attitude,

423
00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:24,760
"then I'm not going to be
your Prime Minister."

424
00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:26,560
And she thought that
she'd won that round,

425
00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:30,040
not realising, of course,
it showed that the Government

426
00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:33,000
of the country couldn't go
<font color="

427
00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:35,600
not the monarch, had control.

428
00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:39,040
Melbourne's Whig Party
returned to government,

429
00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:41,240
but was seriously weakened.

430
00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:44,440
The Queen had disrespected
Parliamentary process,

431
00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:46,600
like a high-handed Hanoverian.

432
00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:52,160
The proper workings
<font color="

433
00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:56,120
were being messed with
by just a little girl.

434
00:23:56,120 --> 00:23:59,040
Melbourne was thought
to be egging her on,

435
00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:01,760
like a lovesick old fool.

436
00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:05,240
People, important people,
began to think that she really

437
00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:09,160
<font color="
this sort of thing.

438
00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:10,840
She needed a husband.

439
00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:16,760
Melbourne, in particular,
realised that they needed something,

440
00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:19,480
they needed to manage the news.

441
00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:24,280
They needed some propaganda moment
and a little bit of magic.

442
00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:26,920
<font color="
Albert came back.

443
00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:29,680
The hope that a romantic
story would provide

444
00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:32,000
the public relations solution.

445
00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:36,600
Love conquers all,
but could it prevent rebellion?

446
00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:39,960
As soon as the engagement
was announced, Melbourne began

447
00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,040
<font color="

448
00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:46,080
He deliberately chose a small,
rather plain venue for this

449
00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,880
people-friendly couple -
the Chapel Royal,

450
00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:51,440
inside St James's Palace.

451
00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:55,280
Our challenge, to find a venue
that feels like that chapel,

452
00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:59,080
<font color="
painting of the event.

453
00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:03,240
Could the city of Winchester
hold the answer?

454
00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:06,640
Jasdeep Singh is a military
historian, with a special interest

455
00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:08,160
in Prince Albert.

456
00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:12,200
He's trawled dozens of churches
<font color="

457
00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:14,240
for our reconstruction.

458
00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:16,280
We've seen this one online.
It looks great.

459
00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:17,840
I've got a good feeling.

460
00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:24,120
Go on, go on.

461
00:25:24,120 --> 00:25:26,120
Ah-ha!

462
00:25:26,120 --> 00:25:30,240
Now, this looks pretty
good, I would say.

463
00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:33,360
<font color="
search could be over?

464
00:25:33,360 --> 00:25:35,280
It's got the feeling, hasn't it?

465
00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:36,720
Just imagine.

466
00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:42,400
Richard II was on the throne
when Winchester College,

467
00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:45,360
a boys' boarding school,
was established.

468
00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:48,200
<font color="

469
00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,680
This'll be a very grand
royal stand-in.

470
00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:58,360
Winchester College Chapel dates
from 1395, so it's older

471
00:25:58,360 --> 00:26:01,520
than Saint James's,
but the proportions of it

472
00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:03,680
seem exactly right.

473
00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:06,560
It's long and narrow,
<font color="

474
00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:13,840
Every wedding needs music,
so we've called in composer

475
00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:16,120
Nick Ryan to investigate ours.

476
00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:19,760
But he's come up against a hurdle.

477
00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:22,920
Victoria and Albert
famously loved music,

478
00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:26,000
but what was chosen
or composed for their ceremony

479
00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:27,440
<font color="

480
00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:35,360
The music is such an important
creator of atmosphere and emotion

481
00:26:35,360 --> 00:26:36,960
at a wedding.

482
00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,360
I want to find out
what music was played,

483
00:26:39,360 --> 00:26:42,240
who selected it and why?

484
00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:46,200
To Oxford, and the Christ Church
College music library.

485
00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:49,080
<font color="

486
00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:53,760
Dr Matthias Range is an expert
in royal ceremonial music.

487
00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:57,480
We're trying to reconstruct
this wedding and there's

488
00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:00,640
very little information
about the wedding music.

489
00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:03,920
Well, the royal household just
<font color="

490
00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:06,200
But then we do know
what other reports tell us,

491
00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:09,480
that when Prince Albert
approached the chapel,

492
00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:11,960
there is some idea that the music
could have been

493
00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:13,520
See, the Conqu'ring Hero Comes!

494
00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:15,360
<font color="

495
00:27:15,360 --> 00:27:18,160
It was so well known at the time,
so just hearing the tune,

496
00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:20,240
people would have associated
it with those words,

497
00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:21,840
see, the conqu'ring hero comes.

498
00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:25,440
It seems a bit odd, the idea of him
being a conquering hero.

499
00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:28,000
<font color="
didn't he? Yes!

500
00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:30,880
But we do have one report
of when the Queen entered.

501
00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:34,720
And that tells us that the organists
of the Chapel Royal included

502
00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:38,920
Handel's chorus, "A virtuous wife
shall soften Fortune's frown".

503
00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:43,040
<font color="
in music for the bride.

504
00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:45,120
She's declared to be
a virtuous wife.

505
00:27:45,120 --> 00:27:47,760
A melodic line... On the organ.
..just on the organ.

506
00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:50,920
Albert was a great musician,
he was a composer.

507
00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:53,960
<font color="
he have in the wedding?

508
00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:56,200
He was the bridegroom.

509
00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:58,120
Obviously!

510
00:27:58,120 --> 00:28:01,000
We don't know anything
of his involvement in the wedding.

511
00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:02,560
Do you find it a bit strange?

512
00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:06,080
He must have been absolutely
desperate to be involved.

513
00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:08,520
<font color="
the Head of State,

514
00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:11,080
marrying some foreign prince.

515
00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:14,040
They wouldn't have thought
of asking him anything.

516
00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:16,920
We do know for certain of two
pieces, which we see on the table

517
00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:18,440
here, two choral pieces.

518
00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:22,080
<font color="
and the Anthem.

519
00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:24,000
Nothing specially
composed for the wedding,

520
00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:25,840
but plain repertoire music.

521
00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:27,800
So this was actually in popular use?

522
00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:29,000
Yes. Yeah.

523
00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:31,360
Up and down the country,
<font color="

524
00:28:31,360 --> 00:28:32,760
churches, where they had a choir.

525
00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:34,160
What about the second piece?

526
00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:39,160
There's one verse for four voices
and then there's one for two voices.

527
00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:40,520
Fantastic.

528
00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:44,680
"Both riches and honour come
of thee, come of thee."

529
00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:46,520
<font color="

530
00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:49,200
Even the music was propaganda.

531
00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:52,160
Bride and groom enter
to music with a message.

532
00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:55,520
His heroism, her virtue.

533
00:28:55,520 --> 00:29:00,640
And two choral pieces means Nick
must now find us a choir.

534
00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:06,560
The royal couple celebrated with
<font color="

535
00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:09,320
More than 100 dishes,
dreamt up by the best

536
00:29:09,320 --> 00:29:10,640
chefs in Britain.

537
00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:14,120
Food historian Annie Gray
is taking up the challenge

538
00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:16,360
of recreating the feast.

539
00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:20,480
She's found the original menu,
<font color="

540
00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:24,440
but seemingly created
with this one's appetites in mind.

541
00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:26,800
What was Queen Victoria's
favourite food?

542
00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:29,000
Food in general was something
that she would embrace.

543
00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,120
One of her ladies-in-waiting
<font color="

544
00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:34,120
down to an afternoon tea at one
point and putting away several

545
00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:37,400
slices of toast and cake and scones,
and getting to the end,

546
00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:41,240
looking with regret and going,
"I suppose I should stop now."

547
00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:44,040
And what was food
<font color="

548
00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:47,320
A lot of butter, a lot
of cream, a lot of brandy.

549
00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:50,520
The meat is often larded,
so that's sewing strips of fat

550
00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:52,240
through the flesh of animals.

551
00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:55,480
This is a recipe book written
by Charles Elme Francatelli,

552
00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:58,080
<font color="
after William Ball,

553
00:29:58,080 --> 00:29:59,960
who was the mastermind
behind the wedding.

554
00:29:59,960 --> 00:30:03,320
So we are fairly certain his recipes
must have reflected the kind

555
00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:04,960
of thing he was serving
for the Queen.

556
00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:06,840
The menu for that day,
<font color="

557
00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:08,920
There are, I think, about 100 or
so dishes.

558
00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:12,480
You've got lamb cutlets, which have
been fried. Fried bird, chicken.

559
00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:14,080
Fried bird?

560
00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:16,640
Fried bird. That's what they serve
at Nando's, isn't it?

561
00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:18,720
<font color="

562
00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:22,200
On the opposite page,
an outlandish dish which looks

563
00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,920
like a pile of eyeballs.

564
00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:29,800
And this is timbales of macaroni,
which is tremendously complicated.

565
00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:31,840
That involves little
tubes of macaroni,

566
00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:33,640
<font color="

567
00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:36,520
Then there's a mousse in the middle
and then there's chopped up chicken

568
00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:38,280
breasts and that's been steamed.

569
00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:40,400
And then turned out of
the mould perfectly.

570
00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:42,640
I'd look at that and think,
I'm not sure how it will come

571
00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:45,400
<font color="
you would go about building it.

572
00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:48,120
The most challenging thing is
this fruit cakes.

573
00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:51,320
It is ten or 11 pieces of puff
pastry that need to be piled

574
00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:52,760
up on top of each other.

575
00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:55,600
With the outside then masked
<font color="

576
00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:58,600
meringue steeple on top, the risk is
you end up with this sort of

577
00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:01,440
leaning tower of Pisa effect as it
slowly slides to one side.

578
00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:04,040
I'm glad to hear there are a few
surprises and challenges thrown

579
00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:06,360
<font color="

580
00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:10,800
Annie isn't going to cook
all the dishes -

581
00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:12,720
only the most difficult ones.

582
00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:15,480
Mr Ball, head chef
at Buckingham Palace,

583
00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:17,520
sourced locally, where possible.

584
00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:20,840
Annie's based close to the Norfolk
<font color="

585
00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:23,800
much to the surprise
of her regular suppliers.

586
00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:28,800
So, I'm recreating Victoria
and Albert's wedding feast.

587
00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:31,640
Well, I can't say I'm not
apprehensive,

588
00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:33,320
it's quite a long menu.

589
00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:35,600
You've got mutton fillets,
<font color="

590
00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:37,600
Sweetbreads, which we're going
to lard,

591
00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:39,680
so we need some lardons
as well, actually.

592
00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:41,040
The thing with the roasts,

593
00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:43,480
they're all served with their heads
and legs on.

594
00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:45,960
Can I get a hare and I need it whole

595
00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:49,160
<font color="
the ears on?

596
00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:53,080
There was a lot of meat,
a lot of alcohol.

597
00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:56,520
So I need probably
about a gallon of brandy.

598
00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:59,000
Well, there would have been
a whole dessert course.

599
00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:01,400
Cakes, bread pudding, jellies.

600
00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:04,440
<font color="

601
00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:08,880
I do fear that this may have been
the meal that broke Mr Ball,

602
00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:12,360
the chief cook, because
he retired a month later.

603
00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:13,960
Oh, it's quite heavy.

604
00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:18,120
But, it could also have been,
perhaps, his swansong.

605
00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:20,400
<font color="

606
00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:22,400
So perhaps if I hold on
to that thought,

607
00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:24,920
it'll be a little bit less daunting?

608
00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:30,240
For our experiment,
the sumptuous interiors

609
00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:33,720
of Holkham Hall in Norfolk
are doubling for Buckingham Palace.

610
00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:36,760
<font color="
a little bit younger

611
00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:39,000
and suitably grand.

612
00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:43,120
To recreate the wedding breakfast,
Annie and her team must resurrect

613
00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:48,440
dishes from the distant past,
at speed, in the Georgian kitchens.

614
00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:52,840
I'm going to see how
<font color="

615
00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:56,440
Rehearsals are vital,
every recipe must be tested.

616
00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:00,280
This is experimental.
I'm not quite sure of the amounts

617
00:33:00,280 --> 00:33:02,880
for this mould or whether the whole
thing will split apart.

618
00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:06,480
So what I want to do is,
<font color="

619
00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:08,200
nasty surprises on the day.

620
00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:11,640
I'd hate to serve Queen Victoria
and Prince Albert a kind

621
00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:13,440
of split pudding.

622
00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:16,040
Oh, it's looking good.

623
00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:18,760
Annie's next big challenge,
the wedding cake.

624
00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:23,160
Nine feet in circumference,
<font color="

625
00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:25,680
There were smaller cakes
sent out to friends,

626
00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:29,000
relatives and embassies,
but the main cake was such

627
00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:32,880
a monster, it had to be
baked in sections.

628
00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:37,120
The first problem is the lack
of original giant baking tins.

629
00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:38,400
<font color="

630
00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:41,720
Victorian metalwork specialist,
David le Versha.

631
00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:45,960
Copper has always been the best
material to use for cookware

632
00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:48,640
because of the way it transmits
heat.

633
00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:53,360
I try to see how people
in those times worked with copper.

634
00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:56,200
<font color="
everything machine perfect.

635
00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:59,480
The tin was quite large,
so we're assuming it was made

636
00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:02,520
in two sections, two D shapes.

637
00:34:02,520 --> 00:34:05,960
170 years ago they would
have been doing what I'm doing here,

638
00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:09,760
they'd mark it out,
<font color="

639
00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:13,200
Cut it by hand, it's quite soft.

640
00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:15,400
All hammered together tightly.

641
00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:18,080
When the dish is finished,
it has to be coated with tin

642
00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:21,280
to prevent the copper from oxidising
when it's in the oven.

643
00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:24,800
Copper will oxidise and it will
<font color="

644
00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:27,120
the cake...

645
00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:29,480
..eventually.

646
00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:33,320
The half moon tin will have to be
filled eight times to build

647
00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:37,000
the towering edifice -
once we've found our baker.

648
00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:46,360
In the winter of 1839,
Melbourne plotted the make or break

649
00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:50,880
<font color="
a new kind of royal family.

650
00:34:53,680 --> 00:34:56,440
The day had to go without a hitch.

651
00:34:56,440 --> 00:34:59,600
18 months earlier,
lack of stage management had made

652
00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:03,320
Victoria's Coronation
a bit of a farce.

653
00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:07,320
Victoria's Coronation was a sort
<font color="

654
00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:10,240
It's an exhausting,
long ceremony of five

655
00:35:10,240 --> 00:35:11,760
and a half hours.

656
00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:14,200
Queen Victoria was constantly
wandering around, nobody

657
00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:17,680
had told her during the ceremony
where to go to the lavatory.

658
00:35:17,680 --> 00:35:20,760
The Archbishop of Canterbury
<font color="

659
00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:22,600
with the ring of state.

660
00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:26,000
The Archbishop put the ring
on the wrong finger and jammed

661
00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:28,520
it on so she had an agonising time.

662
00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:32,840
Another bishop accidentally turned
over two pages of the order

663
00:35:32,840 --> 00:35:36,760
of service, leaving the Queen
<font color="

664
00:35:36,760 --> 00:35:38,480
And then poor Lord Rolle...

665
00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:42,720
An ancient, 82-year-old peer
who came up to pay homage

666
00:35:42,720 --> 00:35:43,920
to the Queen...

667
00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:46,480
Of course, Lord Rolle fell backwards
down the steps and people

668
00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:47,640
thought he'd died.

669
00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:52,440
Victoria breaks with protocol,
<font color="

670
00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:55,200
And this is actually
the big story of the day.

671
00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:59,080
Headlines told how the young Queen
had leapt from her throne

672
00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:00,400
to save a pensioner

673
00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:04,640
and the Coronation disaster
became a PR hit.

674
00:36:04,640 --> 00:36:08,120
Melbourne knew that good press
<font color="

675
00:36:08,120 --> 00:36:10,680
to his stage management.

676
00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:14,320
What he planned was
stupendously audacious.

677
00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:18,280
He had the idea of
inventing a new tradition,

678
00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:22,280
to use the wedding to distract
the British people from any thoughts

679
00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:26,080
of rebellion or revolution,
<font color="

680
00:36:26,080 --> 00:36:28,280
for the future of the monarchy.

681
00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:31,080
And given Melbourne's
personal feelings,

682
00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:33,520
it was a sacrifice for him.

683
00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:36,880
He was making a gift
of love to Victoria.

684
00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:46,480
Melbourne's wedding plan involved
three separate carriage journeys.

685
00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:49,800
<font color="
the popularity of the monarchy

686
00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:51,960
was at a new low.

687
00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:56,800
The people had to see their Queen
to fall back in love with her.

688
00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:00,920
It wasn't just the Queen who needed
better public relations -

689
00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:03,680
Albert was in trouble as well.

690
00:37:03,680 --> 00:37:07,160
<font color="
with the British and there's a lot

691
00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:12,080
of talk about, you know,
German beggars and princelings

692
00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:14,720
coming to help themselves
to English queens.

693
00:37:14,720 --> 00:37:19,560
In the press, you will see cartoons
of him as a German sausage shop

694
00:37:19,560 --> 00:37:22,840
<font color="
shop in order to come

695
00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:25,680
over to Britain to take
advantage, really,

696
00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:28,640
of this wealthy, young woman.

697
00:37:28,640 --> 00:37:32,640
One result of this is that Albert
is voted a rather insultingly

698
00:37:32,640 --> 00:37:35,280
low allowance by Parliament,

699
00:37:35,280 --> 00:37:38,400
<font color="

700
00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:42,120
She wrote, "Stephenson came
from Denison to Lord M,

701
00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:44,600
"wishing it to be reduced to 30,000.

702
00:37:44,600 --> 00:37:45,960
"I was frantic.

703
00:37:45,960 --> 00:37:49,600
"Lord M feels like me
about the meanness of all this."

704
00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:51,520
The Queen believed
that Field Marshal,

705
00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:54,800
<font color="
a leading Tory politician,

706
00:37:54,800 --> 00:37:58,640
was the person behind
the salary injustice.

707
00:37:58,640 --> 00:38:01,800
Her request to have Albert made
an honorary Field Marshal,

708
00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:03,880
the highest rank
in the British Army,

709
00:38:03,880 --> 00:38:07,000
might soothe the Prince's
<font color="

710
00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:10,120
But young Albert had no
military experience.

711
00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:11,920
How must he have felt?

712
00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:15,520
Historian Jasdeep is a curator
at the National Army Museum.

713
00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:20,320
The museum holds over 80,000 pieces
of uniform and equipment.

714
00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:23,400
It's one of the best
<font color="

715
00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:30,160
I'm really interested
in the psyche behind Albert,

716
00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:33,480
the thought process
Albert was going through,

717
00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:37,000
but to explore that through uniform,
explore that through clothing.

718
00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:41,120
A British officer's
Redcoat is iconic.

719
00:38:41,120 --> 00:38:44,120
<font color="
any uniform or clothing on,

720
00:38:44,120 --> 00:38:46,320
it transforms a person.

721
00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:48,800
But if you're wearing
the Field Marshal's coat,

722
00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:52,880
you're wearing something right at
the top of the army rank structure.

723
00:38:52,880 --> 00:38:55,440
What might that have done
to a man of 20,

724
00:38:55,440 --> 00:38:58,720
<font color="
keen on making an impact

725
00:38:58,720 --> 00:39:00,120
and a statement?

726
00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:01,520
This is our sword store.

727
00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:04,640
In any age, there are
very few field marshals,

728
00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:06,600
so surviving uniforms are rare.

729
00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:11,440
But Jasdeep has access to
180-year-old elements of the kind

730
00:39:11,440 --> 00:39:13,520
<font color="

731
00:39:14,760 --> 00:39:16,040
Look at that.

732
00:39:16,040 --> 00:39:18,880
Albert went to his wedding,
knowing he'd be surrounded

733
00:39:18,880 --> 00:39:20,680
by senior soldiers.

734
00:39:20,680 --> 00:39:24,800
Among them, the most famous
Field Marshal alive.

735
00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:28,160
These actual epaulettes belonged
to the Duke of Wellington,

736
00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:30,560
<font color="

737
00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:32,600
Albert knows he's unpopular
with the press.

738
00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:34,520
He's unpopular
with the British public.

739
00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:37,920
He's German, he is stepping
into the highest position

740
00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:40,640
in the Army with no experience.

741
00:39:40,640 --> 00:39:44,560
He's got grand, old dukes,
<font color="

742
00:39:44,560 --> 00:39:47,160
standing over him and judging him.

743
00:39:47,160 --> 00:39:50,880
And when he wears this uniform,
there's a sense of Albert having,

744
00:39:50,880 --> 00:39:56,000
to not just don the role
of Field Marshal, but also to fit

745
00:39:56,000 --> 00:40:00,560
that expectation
and that's a tall order.

746
00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:04,200
<font color="
it just looks tiny to me,

747
00:40:04,200 --> 00:40:06,080
it just looks so small.

748
00:40:08,040 --> 00:40:11,800
All the living field marshals
were little, old men,

749
00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:15,720
so strapping Albert couldn't
have borrowed the uniform.

750
00:40:15,720 --> 00:40:17,560
Where did he get it from?

751
00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:20,440
<font color="
were Albert's tailors.

752
00:40:20,440 --> 00:40:26,360
But a bespoke suit takes weeks
to make and Albert was 48 hours

753
00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:28,120
from the altar.

754
00:40:28,120 --> 00:40:32,320
Albert only had the best,
but could he have had a complex

755
00:40:32,320 --> 00:40:35,400
military uniform made
<font color="

756
00:40:36,880 --> 00:40:40,280
It's possible that this
tailoring house stepped in.

757
00:40:40,280 --> 00:40:43,160
Curator James Sherwood
has the proof that Albert

758
00:40:43,160 --> 00:40:46,000
was at least in the order books
straight after the wedding,

759
00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:48,640
suggesting a relationship.

760
00:40:48,640 --> 00:40:52,160
<font color="
that we have touting for business

761
00:40:52,160 --> 00:40:54,600
to Prince Albert for April 1840.

762
00:40:54,600 --> 00:40:56,280
So just after the wedding?

763
00:40:56,280 --> 00:40:59,240
Yes, they acknowledge
that he's been made the Colonel

764
00:40:59,240 --> 00:41:01,640
in Chief of the 11th Hussars.

765
00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:04,440
So he's only been made
<font color="

766
00:41:04,440 --> 00:41:06,280
before the wedding?

767
00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:10,440
What could the turnaround
for a Field Marshal's uniform be?

768
00:41:10,440 --> 00:41:13,720
Because Hawkes and Co were such
great military tailors,

769
00:41:13,720 --> 00:41:15,480
they know exactly
what they're doing.

770
00:41:15,480 --> 00:41:19,640
<font color="
legion of outworkers, so a tunic

771
00:41:19,640 --> 00:41:22,280
could be made within 24 hours,
there wouldn't be any

772
00:41:22,280 --> 00:41:23,440
problem with that.

773
00:41:23,440 --> 00:41:26,720
So, yes, it's entirely possible
that that could be done.

774
00:41:26,720 --> 00:41:28,640
All resources being
<font color="

775
00:41:28,640 --> 00:41:31,800
It would be all hands to the deck
for Prince Albert, absolutely.

776
00:41:33,720 --> 00:41:37,600
The final preparations for our royal
wedding in Winchester College

777
00:41:37,600 --> 00:41:39,080
are under way.

778
00:41:41,080 --> 00:41:44,280
Having discovered that there
were two sung pieces of music

779
00:41:44,280 --> 00:41:47,600
<font color="
Nick Ryan has enlisted a choir.

780
00:41:47,600 --> 00:41:50,480
CHORAL SINGING

781
00:41:56,720 --> 00:42:01,200
Can I just say thank you,
thank you so much.

782
00:42:01,200 --> 00:42:03,920
These choristers
aren't from Winchester.

783
00:42:03,920 --> 00:42:06,560
They're in the nearby town
of Romsey and they're

784
00:42:06,560 --> 00:42:09,000
<font color="
of many a wedding.

785
00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:11,520
Here at Romsey, we have around
40 weddings a year.

786
00:42:11,520 --> 00:42:15,360
We've not had these two
pieces as requests before.

787
00:42:15,360 --> 00:42:17,960
The interesting thing, I suppose,
is the amount of Handel,

788
00:42:17,960 --> 00:42:19,680
which was in this ceremony.

789
00:42:19,680 --> 00:42:23,560
<font color="
on music in England.

790
00:42:24,600 --> 00:42:26,640
He really was the top of the charts.

791
00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:29,040
Handel was so good,
so popular, that no-one else

792
00:42:29,040 --> 00:42:30,200
really wrote much.

793
00:42:30,200 --> 00:42:33,760
Isn't that why England was known
to Germany as the land

794
00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:36,000
<font color="

795
00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:39,760
It's almost like English
music froze from Handel,

796
00:42:39,760 --> 00:42:43,560
all the way up to the late
1800s and Elgar.

797
00:42:43,560 --> 00:42:46,600
So your choir must sing
all different kinds of music.

798
00:42:46,600 --> 00:42:50,480
How has it been for them
<font color="

799
00:42:50,480 --> 00:42:53,280
I think it's a bit of a miracle
that you can get today's kids,

800
00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:56,320
21st-century kids,
singing music from the 18th,

801
00:42:56,320 --> 00:42:59,160
19th century. 17th, 16th century.

802
00:42:59,160 --> 00:43:02,160
But actually, they don't care
if something's 500 years old.

803
00:43:02,160 --> 00:43:03,760
<font color="

804
00:43:03,760 --> 00:43:06,600
So we're days away
from the performance,

805
00:43:06,600 --> 00:43:08,440
the reconstruction of this wedding.

806
00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:09,960
Are we getting there?

807
00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:11,440
I think so, yes.

808
00:43:13,800 --> 00:43:16,840
CHORAL SINGING

809
00:43:25,560 --> 00:43:27,880
It's so exciting!

810
00:43:27,880 --> 00:43:31,280
It's the first wedding dress
<font color="

811
00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:34,000
It's the mother of all
wedding dresses, this one.

812
00:43:34,000 --> 00:43:35,960
In every way.

813
00:43:35,960 --> 00:43:41,000
Harriet Waterhouse still has several
miles of satin to sew.

814
00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:45,680
This is a fantastic dress to make
because this is duchess satin.

815
00:43:45,680 --> 00:43:48,280
It has a lovely sheen
<font color="

816
00:43:48,280 --> 00:43:50,000
It's particularly lovely.

817
00:43:50,000 --> 00:43:53,000
You do find when you're sewing
that you have a feeling

818
00:43:53,000 --> 00:43:55,080
about the people who worked on it.

819
00:43:55,080 --> 00:43:57,840
I shall be sewing and thinking
about the seamstresses.

820
00:43:57,840 --> 00:44:00,480
CHORAL SINGING

821
00:44:03,440 --> 00:44:07,440
<font color="
of our royal wedding,

822
00:44:07,440 --> 00:44:10,560
the huge tin has been delivered
to Smith's the Bakers

823
00:44:10,560 --> 00:44:12,240
in King's Lynn.

824
00:44:12,240 --> 00:44:15,080
They will be taking on the big
bake, but then they do

825
00:44:15,080 --> 00:44:17,840
have the royal warrant
to purvey cakes to the Queen

826
00:44:17,840 --> 00:44:19,520
<font color="

827
00:44:19,520 --> 00:44:23,400
Now they're working for her great,
great grandmother.

828
00:44:25,520 --> 00:44:28,920
There's over 200 eggs
going in the completed cake.

829
00:44:28,920 --> 00:44:32,240
64 pounds of butter,
which is 128 packs.

830
00:44:32,240 --> 00:44:35,360
Cherries, currants
and plenty of brandy.

831
00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:38,560
<font color="
I'd be surprised.

832
00:44:39,680 --> 00:44:43,120
What's worrying me is the size
and the weight of it

833
00:44:43,120 --> 00:44:46,880
because it's going to take eight
of these tins to make

834
00:44:46,880 --> 00:44:48,640
the full-sized cake.

835
00:44:48,640 --> 00:44:51,200
If it weighs anything
like the original one,

836
00:44:51,200 --> 00:44:55,240
<font color="
that is not easily moved about.

837
00:44:56,880 --> 00:44:58,840
We've got to get it right.

838
00:45:00,480 --> 00:45:04,120
The tin will be filled seven
more times before Paul can begin

839
00:45:04,120 --> 00:45:05,760
building the cake.

840
00:45:05,760 --> 00:45:08,840
The challenge then will be getting
it into our Buckingham Palace,

841
00:45:08,840 --> 00:45:10,680
<font color="

842
00:45:10,680 --> 00:45:12,880
CHORAL SINGING

843
00:45:16,880 --> 00:45:21,120
The mechanism Melbourne
had constructed for just this moment

844
00:45:21,120 --> 00:45:23,280
was now running at full speed.

845
00:45:25,000 --> 00:45:27,360
Today, we're all used
to the concept of

846
00:45:27,360 --> 00:45:29,640
royal wedding fever.

847
00:45:29,640 --> 00:45:34,520
But then, Britain was in the grip
<font color="

848
00:45:34,520 --> 00:45:38,440
There was the press speculation,
there was the gossip.

849
00:45:38,440 --> 00:45:42,520
Charles Dickens wrote a satirical
piece but then in private

850
00:45:42,520 --> 00:45:47,280
he admitted that he, too, really was
in love with the Queen.

851
00:45:50,040 --> 00:45:54,240
We all know how to participate
<font color="

852
00:45:54,240 --> 00:45:58,120
the ceremonial processes
as well as those celebratory

853
00:45:58,120 --> 00:46:00,680
traditions have been laid
down for centuries.

854
00:46:00,680 --> 00:46:04,840
Well, they're really only
as old as 1840 and they were

855
00:46:04,840 --> 00:46:09,520
constructed by Melbourne
<font color="

856
00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:11,360
around them.

857
00:46:11,360 --> 00:46:14,440
And, really, what you get
is the creation of this machine

858
00:46:14,440 --> 00:46:17,600
and it's a machine for
producing spectacle.

859
00:46:17,600 --> 00:46:21,960
It's a machine for, in a way,
encouraging a national

860
00:46:21,960 --> 00:46:23,880
participation in this event.

861
00:46:23,880 --> 00:46:26,680
<font color="

862
00:46:26,680 --> 00:46:29,160
Melbourne worked with the press.

863
00:46:29,160 --> 00:46:31,920
He kept the public informed
of the wedding schedule.

864
00:46:31,920 --> 00:46:36,080
The haughty Hanoverians
never dreamt of such openness.

865
00:46:36,080 --> 00:46:39,080
Melbourne insisted that the wedding
should take place in daylight.

866
00:46:39,080 --> 00:46:42,320
<font color="
Royal weddings in the past

867
00:46:42,320 --> 00:46:46,720
had been in palaces,
usually late at night.

868
00:46:46,720 --> 00:46:48,600
They'd been very, very private.

869
00:46:48,600 --> 00:46:51,480
This was a royal wedding
for the people.

870
00:46:54,560 --> 00:46:57,000
As the big day loomed,
the Buckingham Palace

871
00:46:57,000 --> 00:46:59,160
<font color="

872
00:46:59,160 --> 00:47:03,080
In our Holkham Hall kitchen,
Annie Gray's team is hard at work

873
00:47:03,080 --> 00:47:06,440
on the first course
of the wedding breakfast.

874
00:47:06,440 --> 00:47:09,680
Dishes not seen in any
kitchen for centuries,

875
00:47:09,680 --> 00:47:11,680
now come to life.

876
00:47:11,680 --> 00:47:16,960
<font color="
Annie is coming together at speed.

877
00:47:16,960 --> 00:47:20,760
The garden soup - peas, cabbage
and turnips - was the opening

878
00:47:20,760 --> 00:47:23,920
gambit chosen by the
royal chef, Mr Ball.

879
00:47:23,920 --> 00:47:26,680
It'll go at one end of the table,
mirrored at the other end

880
00:47:26,680 --> 00:47:28,240
<font color="

881
00:47:28,240 --> 00:47:30,040
And what a fish it is!

882
00:47:30,040 --> 00:47:33,360
The mighty turbot was a rare treat.

883
00:47:33,360 --> 00:47:36,200
This one weighs in at eight kilos.

884
00:47:36,200 --> 00:47:39,160
This particular turbot's
going to be served very simply,

885
00:47:39,160 --> 00:47:42,240
English-style turbot. English turbot.

886
00:47:42,240 --> 00:47:45,040
So it's just going to be boiled,
<font color="

887
00:47:45,040 --> 00:47:48,400
and lemon juice and served
with a very simple lobster sauce.

888
00:47:48,400 --> 00:47:50,200
It's really deceptive, isn't it?

889
00:47:50,200 --> 00:47:53,120
You just think anyone can cook that,
lemon and salt, whatever.

890
00:47:53,120 --> 00:47:54,840
But ruining something like this...

891
00:47:54,840 --> 00:47:57,600
Your life wouldn't be worth living,
<font color="

892
00:47:57,600 --> 00:48:01,080
And, of course, it has to be done
exactly at the point of serving.

893
00:48:01,080 --> 00:48:04,520
Victoria and Albert
were usually late for dinner.

894
00:48:04,520 --> 00:48:08,400
One of the most time-consuming
processes is larding,

895
00:48:08,400 --> 00:48:11,800
<font color="
in this case through sweetbreads,

896
00:48:11,800 --> 00:48:14,200
the neck glands of a sheep.

897
00:48:14,200 --> 00:48:18,480
In 1840, Buckingham Palace was no
place to be a vegetarian.

898
00:48:18,480 --> 00:48:21,680
Amongst the first wave of dishes,
there was a lot of mutton,

899
00:48:21,680 --> 00:48:23,760
a favourite of Her Majesty's.

900
00:48:23,760 --> 00:48:28,320
<font color="
saddles of mutton with fat,

901
00:48:28,320 --> 00:48:31,640
then braised them and glazed them
and served them with mash.

902
00:48:31,640 --> 00:48:34,640
Good to have a bit of
carbohydrate for balance.

903
00:48:34,640 --> 00:48:39,280
No Victorian party would be complete
without that classic 19th-century

904
00:48:39,280 --> 00:48:41,680
<font color="

905
00:48:41,680 --> 00:48:45,280
Mr Ball's pigeon pies were made
in the traditional manner,

906
00:48:45,280 --> 00:48:49,440
stuffed full of pigeon breast,
forcemeat stuffing and then,

907
00:48:49,440 --> 00:48:52,960
in this case, a few little feet
poking out of the top,

908
00:48:52,960 --> 00:48:56,440
just so the diners
<font color="

909
00:48:56,440 --> 00:49:01,360
In case they were still in doubt,
the other pie will have a full

910
00:49:01,360 --> 00:49:04,360
pigeon in-flight
sticking out of the top.

911
00:49:04,360 --> 00:49:06,040
Taxidermy heaven.

912
00:49:09,680 --> 00:49:15,040
On the cold, wet night of
Sunday, February 9th 1840,

913
00:49:15,040 --> 00:49:18,480
the palace kitchens
<font color="

914
00:49:18,480 --> 00:49:21,280
Upstairs, there was also work
going on.

915
00:49:22,240 --> 00:49:26,200
In her room, the Queen shared
her thoughts with her journal.

916
00:49:26,200 --> 00:49:31,960
She wrote, "It was my last unmarried
evening, which made me feel so odd."

917
00:49:31,960 --> 00:49:34,320
Then she recalled seeing
<font color="

918
00:49:34,320 --> 00:49:37,360
who'd been as emotional as ever.

919
00:49:37,360 --> 00:49:41,640
Again she wrote, "I took his hand
and pressed it and thanked him

920
00:49:41,640 --> 00:49:46,200
"for all his kindness,
which I hoped he would continue."

921
00:49:46,200 --> 00:49:50,040
Melbourne knew his work was done.

922
00:49:50,040 --> 00:49:51,960
He had to let her go.

923
00:49:53,640 --> 00:49:56,360
<font color="

924
00:49:56,360 --> 00:49:59,120
As the Queen retired,
the palace clock winders

925
00:49:59,120 --> 00:50:00,440
began their work.

926
00:50:00,440 --> 00:50:03,520
Citizens all over
the country did the same.

927
00:50:04,960 --> 00:50:07,360
When the nation's clocks
were next wound,

928
00:50:07,360 --> 00:50:09,440
Britain would be a different place.

929
00:50:10,400 --> 00:50:13,600
<font color="
of two young people,

930
00:50:13,600 --> 00:50:16,760
who, together, would put
her on a new course.

931
00:50:21,600 --> 00:50:26,160
The Queen wakes up at 8:45
and at 11:00, she begins to dress.

932
00:50:27,480 --> 00:50:31,160
Preparations that will affect
the way so many brides in the future

933
00:50:31,160 --> 00:50:33,120
<font color="

934
00:50:35,960 --> 00:50:40,160
Just hours before the wedding,
Albert writes to the woman

935
00:50:40,160 --> 00:50:43,720
he knows best,
Coburg Duchess Karoline Amalie.

936
00:50:43,720 --> 00:50:46,800
She's actually his grandfather's
second wife, but the person he

937
00:50:46,800 --> 00:50:50,240
loves, trusts and calls Grandmama.

938
00:50:52,280 --> 00:50:55,920
<font color="
for his grandmother and clearly

939
00:50:55,920 --> 00:50:59,520
was very upset at having
to leave her behind.

940
00:50:59,520 --> 00:51:01,360
He wept when he left Coburg,

941
00:51:01,360 --> 00:51:04,040
when he had to say farewell
to everyone.

942
00:51:04,040 --> 00:51:06,560
It was all uncharted waters for him.

943
00:51:10,080 --> 00:51:12,840
<font color="
is here at last.

944
00:51:12,840 --> 00:51:16,080
It's the wedding day
and we're all invited.

945
00:51:16,080 --> 00:51:19,480
Here at Winchester College,
when we step into the chapel

946
00:51:19,480 --> 00:51:22,160
it will be the 10th
of February 1840.

947
00:51:23,800 --> 00:51:27,680
And the weather couldn't be more
<font color="

948
00:51:27,680 --> 00:51:29,560
it's really cold and wet.

949
00:51:36,440 --> 00:51:39,360
For our ceremony, the chapel
at Winchester College

950
00:51:39,360 --> 00:51:40,520
is almost ready.

951
00:51:43,400 --> 00:51:46,920
The wedding cake begins its journey
to the dining room at Holkham Hall,

952
00:51:46,920 --> 00:51:48,520
our Buckingham Palace.

953
00:51:49,760 --> 00:51:53,040
<font color="
fruit cakes for royal

954
00:51:53,040 --> 00:51:54,400
weddings to come,

955
00:51:54,400 --> 00:51:58,200
a tradition only recently broken
by Meghan and Harry with their lemon

956
00:51:58,200 --> 00:51:59,960
and elderflower cake.

957
00:52:03,560 --> 00:52:06,920
Our guests are also preparing.

958
00:52:06,920 --> 00:52:10,360
I'm very pleased with the fake
<font color="

959
00:52:10,360 --> 00:52:13,520
I couldn't miss the chance to dress
up for a royal wedding.

960
00:52:14,480 --> 00:52:18,000
Silk stockings...
Lovely. ..for madam. What's this?

961
00:52:18,000 --> 00:52:20,520
Oh! I quite like the look of this.

962
00:52:20,520 --> 00:52:22,000
Yes, I thought you might.

963
00:52:22,000 --> 00:52:25,640
<font color="
the chance to experience,

964
00:52:25,640 --> 00:52:28,600
as near as first hand as is
possible, that wedding ceremony.

965
00:52:28,600 --> 00:52:30,720
How exciting!
It's brilliant, isn't it?

966
00:52:30,720 --> 00:52:32,520
It is! I'm so jealous.

967
00:52:32,520 --> 00:52:35,920
Are you jealous that you're not
<font color="

968
00:52:41,160 --> 00:52:45,400
At the palace, Albert is bathed
and is helped into his bespoke

969
00:52:45,400 --> 00:52:48,280
uniform, fresh from
his Mayfair tailors.

970
00:52:49,920 --> 00:52:51,960
Victoria is in her dress.

971
00:52:51,960 --> 00:52:56,120
She's assisted by the very stylish
Duchess of Sutherland.

972
00:52:57,320 --> 00:53:00,880
<font color="
as the clothes were concerned.

973
00:53:00,880 --> 00:53:04,240
She was a kind of progressive.
She was in favour of reform

974
00:53:04,240 --> 00:53:07,560
and she certainly would have filled
Queen Victoria's head

975
00:53:07,560 --> 00:53:09,760
with the idea of progress.

976
00:53:09,760 --> 00:53:13,080
This morning, the Duchess is no
<font color="

977
00:53:13,080 --> 00:53:16,720
has a political message.
It's put bread on the tables

978
00:53:16,720 --> 00:53:18,960
of British artisans.

979
00:53:18,960 --> 00:53:21,920
Victoria wanted to help
British crafts

980
00:53:21,920 --> 00:53:24,800
and impoverished British tradesmen,

981
00:53:24,800 --> 00:53:28,320
who had they not had
that fantastic commission

982
00:53:28,320 --> 00:53:31,120
<font color="
before the wedding,

983
00:53:31,120 --> 00:53:33,920
would all have been literally
starving.

984
00:53:33,920 --> 00:53:36,720
CLOCK CHIMES

985
00:53:36,720 --> 00:53:40,640
12 o'clock - Prince Albert,
his father, Ernest I,

986
00:53:40,640 --> 00:53:43,800
and his brother, Ernest II, are in
the first carriage

987
00:53:43,800 --> 00:53:46,320
<font color="

988
00:53:46,320 --> 00:53:49,160
They're bound for the
private chapel inside.

989
00:53:49,160 --> 00:53:51,760
FANFARE

990
00:53:55,440 --> 00:53:59,520
Our performers represent wedding
guests who have been travelling,

991
00:53:59,520 --> 00:54:02,240
some of them for days, to get here.

992
00:54:02,240 --> 00:54:06,720
Most of these guests have money
<font color="

993
00:54:06,720 --> 00:54:08,720
to impress the Queen.

994
00:54:08,720 --> 00:54:13,640
They're sporting wool, linen,
perhaps silk woven by Huguenots

995
00:54:13,640 --> 00:54:15,200
in east London.

996
00:54:15,200 --> 00:54:20,480
And some may be wearing more exotic
fabrics imported from India

997
00:54:20,480 --> 00:54:23,560
and China by the East India Company.

998
00:54:29,680 --> 00:54:34,120
<font color="
hero of Waterloo, is one of the few

999
00:54:34,120 --> 00:54:37,320
Tories the Queen's invited -
and then only because

1000
00:54:37,320 --> 00:54:38,920
Melbourne insisted.

1001
00:54:38,920 --> 00:54:42,120
Victoria dislikes
these Conservatives.

1002
00:54:42,120 --> 00:54:44,840
All of her friends, and of
course Melbourne himself,

1003
00:54:44,840 --> 00:54:48,240
<font color="
progressive Whig Party.

1004
00:54:48,240 --> 00:54:51,760
Nick Ryan and Jasdeep Singh
have joined me to observe

1005
00:54:51,760 --> 00:54:53,920
from the 21st century.

1006
00:54:55,520 --> 00:54:58,720
The guests await the arrival
of the Queen and her prince,

1007
00:54:58,720 --> 00:55:02,080
just as they did on that
cold February morning.

1008
00:55:03,520 --> 00:55:07,080
<font color="
including one couple whose presence

1009
00:55:07,080 --> 00:55:11,840
demonstrates the international
significance of this wedding.

1010
00:55:11,840 --> 00:55:15,600
The American ambassador and his wife
is amongst the audience.

1011
00:55:15,600 --> 00:55:19,600
You know, in spite of the fact
that America had become independent

1012
00:55:19,600 --> 00:55:22,640
<font color="
that in the war of 1812,

1013
00:55:22,640 --> 00:55:25,680
the British had invaded
the United States.

1014
00:55:31,360 --> 00:55:34,720
Now Victoria begins her carriage
journey to St James's,

1015
00:55:34,720 --> 00:55:37,760
less than a quarter of a mile
from Buckingham Palace.

1016
00:55:37,760 --> 00:55:40,440
At the centre of the district
<font color="

1017
00:55:40,440 --> 00:55:42,600
now full of loyal citizens.

1018
00:55:45,840 --> 00:55:49,200
In the park itself,
even the trees were full of people

1019
00:55:49,200 --> 00:55:51,720
and occasionally a branch
would break and they'd tumble

1020
00:55:51,720 --> 00:55:54,400
into the mud, causing great
hilarity.

1021
00:55:54,400 --> 00:55:57,320
But it wasn't just here
<font color="

1022
00:55:57,320 --> 00:56:01,160
population of Britain was in a state
of romantic delirium.

1023
00:56:01,160 --> 00:56:04,840
Prince Albert has arrived
before Victoria and awaits his

1024
00:56:04,840 --> 00:56:07,000
moment to enter the chapel.

1025
00:56:11,200 --> 00:56:15,960
The Queen, meanwhile, is in a side
room with her bridesmaids.

1026
00:56:15,960 --> 00:56:20,240
<font color="
bearers were dressed all in white

1027
00:56:20,240 --> 00:56:24,480
"with white roses,
which had a beautiful effect".

1028
00:56:24,480 --> 00:56:28,840
This is the mother of all
white wedding dresses.

1029
00:56:28,840 --> 00:56:33,440
It's quite shockingly,
radically simple.

1030
00:56:33,440 --> 00:56:37,960
<font color="
was a shouty, golden dress.

1031
00:56:39,000 --> 00:56:42,560
This is a perfect example
of Melbourne's stage management.

1032
00:56:42,560 --> 00:56:46,240
The satin has to be seen
in the half light to appreciate

1033
00:56:46,240 --> 00:56:48,440
its explosive effect.

1034
00:56:48,440 --> 00:56:51,360
You can see that it really
<font color="

1035
00:56:51,360 --> 00:56:53,720
that's what the white does.

1036
00:56:53,720 --> 00:56:57,320
And Victoria is a visionary
when it comes to her wedding dress.

1037
00:56:57,320 --> 00:57:00,400
Millions of people
will follow in her wake.

1038
00:57:03,040 --> 00:57:06,200
Some people are less impressed
with the bridesmaids than Victoria

1039
00:57:06,200 --> 00:57:08,920
<font color="
danger of them outshining

1040
00:57:08,920 --> 00:57:12,000
her because they look
like a bunch of village girls.

1041
00:57:12,000 --> 00:57:15,400
The ladies are in fact
all aristocratic, but the list

1042
00:57:15,400 --> 00:57:19,680
has been the subject of a heated
debate between Victoria and Albert.

1043
00:57:22,880 --> 00:57:26,360
<font color="
the virginal daughters

1044
00:57:26,360 --> 00:57:29,320
of aristocratic mothers
with impeccable morals

1045
00:57:29,320 --> 00:57:31,160
could be train bearers.

1046
00:57:31,160 --> 00:57:32,800
This causes a problem.

1047
00:57:32,800 --> 00:57:37,440
Lord Melbourne will not put
up with this at all and he says

1048
00:57:37,440 --> 00:57:43,000
<font color="
of the English aristocracy whose

1049
00:57:43,000 --> 00:57:46,320
parents do not have lives
that are tarnished in some ways

1050
00:57:46,320 --> 00:57:48,440
by scandal or illegitimacy.

1051
00:57:48,440 --> 00:57:50,840
And Victoria is a realist.

1052
00:57:50,840 --> 00:57:55,480
The list of tainted bridesmaids
is allowed to stand,

1053
00:57:55,480 --> 00:57:58,680
<font color="
of the late King's mistress,

1054
00:57:58,680 --> 00:58:00,400
Lady Jersey.

1055
00:58:00,400 --> 00:58:03,000
And right there, with her
let it happen and

1056
00:58:03,000 --> 00:58:05,160
Albert's uptight morality,

1057
00:58:05,160 --> 00:58:09,640
we've got a glimpse of differences
to come between our lovers.

1058
00:58:12,160 --> 00:58:15,920
And now the music that signals
<font color="

1059
00:58:15,920 --> 00:58:18,600
He's been back in Britain
for just a few days,

1060
00:58:18,600 --> 00:58:21,600
he will now live here for the
rest of his life.

1061
00:58:21,600 --> 00:58:24,960
MUSIC: Hail, The Conqu'ring Hero
Comes by Handel

1062
00:58:28,600 --> 00:58:31,280
Albert comes into this piece
by Handel,

1063
00:58:31,280 --> 00:58:34,080
<font color="

1064
00:58:42,280 --> 00:58:45,960
He is a conqueror.
He's stamping down on prejudices

1065
00:58:45,960 --> 00:58:47,480
about his background.

1066
00:58:48,640 --> 00:58:50,840
And conquering his queen's heart.

1067
00:58:56,320 --> 00:58:59,040
It's amazing to see him in context.

1068
00:58:59,040 --> 00:59:02,600
Looking into the history, feeling
the sort of intake of breath

1069
00:59:02,600 --> 00:59:04,600
<font color="

1070
00:59:04,600 --> 00:59:07,800
Albert goes up to his
future mother-in-law,

1071
00:59:07,800 --> 00:59:11,760
the Duchess of Kent,
and kisses her very fondly.

1072
00:59:11,760 --> 00:59:15,480
People have already noticed
that Albert is building bridges

1073
00:59:15,480 --> 00:59:18,160
between Victoria and her mother.

1074
00:59:18,160 --> 00:59:21,080
Victoria's really good
<font color="

1075
00:59:21,080 --> 00:59:24,640
she still loathes her mother,
but Albert can see this is

1076
00:59:24,640 --> 00:59:28,040
problematic, if not dangerous.

1077
00:59:28,040 --> 00:59:31,280
Albert is determined
to heal that feud.

1078
00:59:31,280 --> 00:59:35,520
This is the Saxe-Coburg family,
we must be united.

1079
00:59:35,520 --> 00:59:39,640
Also, Albert is dubious
<font color="

1080
00:59:39,640 --> 00:59:42,680
mother, her governess, Lehzen.

1081
00:59:43,800 --> 00:59:46,840
Albert might be jealous
of the love Victoria feels

1082
00:59:46,840 --> 00:59:50,640
for her old governess.
They even had adjoining bedrooms.

1083
00:59:50,640 --> 00:59:55,720
It might also be snobbishness
because Lehzen was born a commoner.

1084
00:59:55,720 --> 00:59:59,640
<font color="
the things that Albert wants

1085
00:59:59,640 --> 01:00:03,400
to control, particularly
the finances of the court.

1086
01:00:03,400 --> 01:00:08,440
He might even already be thinking
about plans to ease Lehzen out.

1087
01:00:16,160 --> 01:00:20,960
The ceremony is about to begin.
Albert waits for his bride.

1088
01:00:24,480 --> 01:00:28,960
<font color="
in his Field Marshal's uniform.

1089
01:00:31,160 --> 01:00:34,400
Albert is just feet away
from the Duke of Wellington.

1090
01:00:34,400 --> 01:00:38,080
He probably chooses not
to catch his eye because he knows

1091
01:00:38,080 --> 01:00:42,240
this national hero almost didn't get
invited after he'd upset Victoria

1092
01:00:42,240 --> 01:00:43,760
<font color="

1093
01:00:46,920 --> 01:00:50,160
So you have this German boy
dressed up for the first time

1094
01:00:50,160 --> 01:00:53,280
in his life as an
English Field Marshal,

1095
01:00:53,280 --> 01:00:55,760
which must, in itself,
been a pretty scary experience.

1096
01:00:55,760 --> 01:00:58,440
The Duke of Wellington
was a very scary person,

1097
01:00:58,440 --> 01:01:01,320
<font color="

1098
01:01:01,320 --> 01:01:04,040
who are veterans
of the Napoleonic Wars.

1099
01:01:04,040 --> 01:01:07,560
He must have been
extremely frightened.

1100
01:01:08,800 --> 01:01:11,360
The Duke has also been quite ill,

1101
01:01:11,360 --> 01:01:13,800
and while the whole court
went to visit his bedside,

1102
01:01:13,800 --> 01:01:16,040
Victoria refused to go.

1103
01:01:21,200 --> 01:01:23,800
<font color="

1104
01:01:23,800 --> 01:01:28,320
And now you can really feel
the effect of these youthful voices

1105
01:01:28,320 --> 01:01:30,640
in such an ancient setting.

1106
01:01:49,240 --> 01:01:54,400
Everybody here has become
a cog in this new machine,

1107
01:01:54,400 --> 01:01:58,400
the royal wedding machine
that will steam roller its way

1108
01:01:58,400 --> 01:02:01,120
<font color="
couple of centuries.

1109
01:02:01,120 --> 01:02:04,720
What's happening here will change
the way that life is lived

1110
01:02:04,720 --> 01:02:07,240
in this world, the world of 1840,

1111
01:02:07,240 --> 01:02:10,200
but it will also affect the future,

1112
01:02:10,200 --> 01:02:13,280
with millions of
white weddings to come.

1113
01:02:14,760 --> 01:02:18,680
<font color="
this, because Victoria is clad

1114
01:02:18,680 --> 01:02:21,040
in pristine, virginal white.

1115
01:02:21,040 --> 01:02:24,960
You know, there's nothing clean
and white in London in 1840.

1116
01:02:24,960 --> 01:02:29,120
That dress must really have
burned itself onto the retina.

1117
01:02:33,840 --> 01:02:37,400
It's much more than just
<font color="

1118
01:02:37,400 --> 01:02:42,840
it is scene one of a great drama
which is going to be the unfolding

1119
01:02:42,840 --> 01:02:45,280
of modern constitutional monarchy.

1120
01:02:49,200 --> 01:02:52,320
ORGAN PLAYS

1121
01:02:56,880 --> 01:03:00,520
Victoria enters to music
chosen for its message -

1122
01:03:00,520 --> 01:03:05,880
Handel's A Virtuous Wife
<font color="

1123
01:03:05,880 --> 01:03:08,840
The moment everyone has waited for -

1124
01:03:08,840 --> 01:03:11,160
the Queen makes her entrance.

1125
01:03:20,120 --> 01:03:22,800
This is what the experiment
is all about.

1126
01:03:22,800 --> 01:03:27,040
Sitting here in the middle of it,
I can't help but be swept up

1127
01:03:27,040 --> 01:03:31,360
in enthusiasm for the
<font color="

1128
01:03:31,360 --> 01:03:33,560
for the monarchy itself.

1129
01:03:36,040 --> 01:03:38,840
This is perhaps the only flaw
in the brilliant plan -

1130
01:03:38,840 --> 01:03:42,320
the Queen's train is a bit too short
for so many bridesmaids

1131
01:03:42,320 --> 01:03:45,400
and they're treading
on each other's heels.

1132
01:03:46,360 --> 01:03:49,480
<font color="
everyone is near enough to hear

1133
01:03:49,480 --> 01:03:52,200
the rustle of all that satin.

1134
01:04:04,200 --> 01:04:07,600
Dearly beloved,
we are gathered here...

1135
01:04:09,480 --> 01:04:13,120
Even though we're recreating
all of this, I'm getting an insight

1136
01:04:13,120 --> 01:04:16,800
into how the royal magic works.

1137
01:04:17,840 --> 01:04:19,800
<font color="

1138
01:04:19,800 --> 01:04:23,160
Something else made obvious
by reconstructing the wedding -

1139
01:04:23,160 --> 01:04:27,200
the Queen has placed her mother
just out of her eyeline,

1140
01:04:27,200 --> 01:04:31,240
but can easily catch the
adoring glances of her dear friend,

1141
01:04:31,240 --> 01:04:32,600
Baroness Lehzen.

1142
01:04:36,200 --> 01:04:39,560
<font color="
painter is making sketches

1143
01:04:39,560 --> 01:04:42,960
for the wedding picture
that will take two years to finish.

1144
01:04:46,040 --> 01:04:49,200
George Hayter produces
the first great portrait

1145
01:04:49,200 --> 01:04:51,160
of her while she's on the throne,

1146
01:04:51,160 --> 01:04:53,240
and Victoria and Albert
<font color="

1147
01:04:53,240 --> 01:04:56,480
to produce the official
wedding portrait,

1148
01:04:56,480 --> 01:04:58,640
which is something
from a perfect world,

1149
01:04:58,640 --> 01:05:01,520
it's burnished and soft focus.

1150
01:05:01,520 --> 01:05:05,040
Secondly, it was ordained
Christ's holy body...

1151
01:05:05,040 --> 01:05:08,360
While the Archbishop deals
<font color="

1152
01:05:08,360 --> 01:05:12,560
many in the congregation
are looking at Albert's family.

1153
01:05:12,560 --> 01:05:15,880
Albert's father and
his brother were philanderers,

1154
01:05:15,880 --> 01:05:19,160
and it was a horror that he
really never came to terms with.

1155
01:05:19,160 --> 01:05:23,560
Albert was very frightened
<font color="

1156
01:05:23,560 --> 01:05:27,080
of sexual licence, of profligacy.

1157
01:05:27,080 --> 01:05:31,160
He was very proper, very moral
right from the beginning.

1158
01:05:31,160 --> 01:05:35,720
And keep themselves undefiled
members of Christ's holy body.

1159
01:05:35,720 --> 01:05:40,120
This union would bring Germany
and Britain closer together

1160
01:05:40,120 --> 01:05:41,840
<font color="

1161
01:05:41,840 --> 01:05:45,440
It was supposed to ensure
international security,

1162
01:05:45,440 --> 01:05:47,880
keep Europe safe.

1163
01:05:47,880 --> 01:05:51,640
And this would work -
at least for a while.

1164
01:05:51,640 --> 01:05:54,880
Be thou wedded wife,
to live together...

1165
01:05:54,880 --> 01:05:58,560
As the ceremony progressed,
<font color="

1166
01:05:58,560 --> 01:06:02,240
how Victoria had locked her eyes
on Albert throughout the ceremony,

1167
01:06:02,240 --> 01:06:05,040
how she looked pale
and slightly drawn.

1168
01:06:05,040 --> 01:06:08,760
The press cast it as charming,
innocent and girlish.

1169
01:06:08,760 --> 01:06:12,680
Perhaps she's waiting
<font color="

1170
01:06:12,680 --> 01:06:15,200
in the entire service.

1171
01:06:15,200 --> 01:06:17,000
Victoria...

1172
01:06:17,000 --> 01:06:20,240
Now, this is the big-breath moment.

1173
01:06:20,240 --> 01:06:23,920
There's been so much speculation
about the exact form of words

1174
01:06:23,920 --> 01:06:25,920
they're going to use.

1175
01:06:25,920 --> 01:06:30,480
What everybody wants to know is,
<font color="

1176
01:06:30,480 --> 01:06:31,880
Will thou obey him?

1177
01:06:33,240 --> 01:06:34,640
I will.

1178
01:06:36,320 --> 01:06:40,240
She insisted, when it came
to the vows that, no,

1179
01:06:40,240 --> 01:06:44,680
she was going to vow to
obey Albert because she said,

1180
01:06:44,680 --> 01:06:49,800
"I want to be married as any
other woman and not as a queen."

1181
01:06:51,480 --> 01:06:53,440
<font color="

1182
01:06:53,440 --> 01:06:56,960
Victoria's father isn't
here to give her away.

1183
01:06:56,960 --> 01:07:00,600
Her favourite uncle,
the Duke of Sussex stands in.

1184
01:07:00,600 --> 01:07:03,600
Just at any other wedding,
there was a certain amount

1185
01:07:03,600 --> 01:07:07,760
of gossiping and sniping
from the congregation.

1186
01:07:07,760 --> 01:07:13,600
<font color="
and some people were saying

1187
01:07:13,600 --> 01:07:17,480
that he was only too pleased
to give away what wasn't his.

1188
01:07:17,480 --> 01:07:19,440
For as long as you
both shall live...

1189
01:07:19,440 --> 01:07:23,440
This duke will die with
no legitimate children,

1190
01:07:23,440 --> 01:07:27,320
<font color="
will die with him.

1191
01:07:27,320 --> 01:07:29,320
The Sussex title lapsed.

1192
01:07:29,320 --> 01:07:32,920
Meghan and Harry, of course,
now have assumed that title

1193
01:07:32,920 --> 01:07:34,600
and it's been revived.

1194
01:07:36,760 --> 01:07:38,480
With this ring, I thee wed.

1195
01:07:38,480 --> 01:07:40,760
With my body, I thee worship.

1196
01:07:40,760 --> 01:07:42,800
<font color="

1197
01:07:42,800 --> 01:07:44,680
In the name of the father...

1198
01:07:44,680 --> 01:07:45,960
In the name of the father...

1199
01:07:45,960 --> 01:07:47,600
..and the son... ..and the son...

1200
01:07:47,600 --> 01:07:49,600
..and the Holy Ghost...
..and the Holy Ghost...

1201
01:07:49,600 --> 01:07:51,000
Amen. Amen.

1202
01:07:54,320 --> 01:07:56,680
This is the climax.

1203
01:07:56,680 --> 01:08:01,920
<font color="
was the best moment of all.

1204
01:08:01,920 --> 01:08:06,040
She and Albert have actually
practised putting the rings on.

1205
01:08:06,040 --> 01:08:10,840
She remembered the mess up
with the ring at her coronation.

1206
01:08:14,160 --> 01:08:17,320
And with all my worldly goods,
I thee endow...

1207
01:08:17,320 --> 01:08:19,960
<font color="
I thee endow...

1208
01:08:19,960 --> 01:08:21,280
..in the name of the father...

1209
01:08:21,280 --> 01:08:24,600
Everybody in the audience has sort
of tried to stop themselves bursting

1210
01:08:24,600 --> 01:08:27,040
out laughing when they know
Albert hasn't got any money.

1211
01:08:27,040 --> 01:08:31,120
And Victoria is the richest woman in
<font color="

1212
01:08:34,880 --> 01:08:38,000
CHOIR SING

1213
01:08:40,360 --> 01:08:44,200
Albert is so near
to the finish line.

1214
01:08:44,200 --> 01:08:46,600
The British people here
are probably thinking

1215
01:08:46,600 --> 01:08:50,640
that he's the country bumpkin
about to make good.

1216
01:08:50,640 --> 01:08:54,080
But I'm pretty sure
<font color="

1217
01:08:54,080 --> 01:08:55,680
I think he's thinking,

1218
01:08:55,680 --> 01:08:58,920
"I'm about to become
the boss of this lot."

1219
01:09:02,440 --> 01:09:07,520
The Archbishop marries the couple
using the same Book of Common Prayer

1220
01:09:07,520 --> 01:09:09,880
found in every parish church.

1221
01:09:09,880 --> 01:09:15,000
The Queen might be head of state,
<font color="

1222
01:09:15,000 --> 01:09:17,480
person who's found their soulmate.

1223
01:09:17,480 --> 01:09:19,640
I now pronounce you man and wife.

1224
01:09:19,640 --> 01:09:22,720
APPLAUSE

1225
01:09:35,800 --> 01:09:38,800
This moment caused quite a stir.

1226
01:09:38,800 --> 01:09:41,160
Lots of guests noticed
that while the Queen

1227
01:09:41,160 --> 01:09:45,600
had been smiling and winking
<font color="

1228
01:09:45,600 --> 01:09:49,160
and now made a special point
of kissing Queen Adelaide.

1229
01:09:49,160 --> 01:09:52,080
And as for her mother,
well, she merely shook her hand.

1230
01:09:57,200 --> 01:10:00,920
In the throne room,
the newlyweds sign the register.

1231
01:10:00,920 --> 01:10:02,480
The Archbishop signs first.

1232
01:10:09,000 --> 01:10:12,800
<font color="
just their first names,

1233
01:10:12,800 --> 01:10:14,760
like kings and queens do.

1234
01:10:14,760 --> 01:10:16,240
No need for any surnames -

1235
01:10:16,240 --> 01:10:19,720
of course everybody
knows who they are.

1236
01:10:19,720 --> 01:10:23,840
As the ceremony finishes,
the Queen assembles her pretty maids

1237
01:10:23,840 --> 01:10:26,520
<font color="

1238
01:10:26,520 --> 01:10:30,880
a jewelled eagle brooch,
designed by Prince Albert.

1239
01:10:30,880 --> 01:10:35,720
In this example, at Woburn Abbey,
we see the turquoise that stands

1240
01:10:35,720 --> 01:10:39,160
for true love, the ruby eye
for passion,

1241
01:10:39,160 --> 01:10:41,800
the diamond beak for eternity

1242
01:10:41,800 --> 01:10:44,440
<font color="

1243
01:11:10,000 --> 01:11:12,640
The guests invited to the palace
for the wedding breakfast

1244
01:11:12,640 --> 01:11:14,800
now wait in a withdrawing room.

1245
01:11:14,800 --> 01:11:17,280
The first dishes are
already next door,

1246
01:11:17,280 --> 01:11:20,720
but they can't start until
Victoria and Albert arrive.

1247
01:11:25,280 --> 01:11:27,800
But rather than
<font color="

1248
01:11:27,800 --> 01:11:30,120
they retire to her quarters.

1249
01:11:30,120 --> 01:11:33,360
Until now, protocol
has prevented them spending

1250
01:11:33,360 --> 01:11:35,080
a moment together alone.

1251
01:11:37,440 --> 01:11:41,360
Suddenly, now they're married
and, at last,

1252
01:11:41,360 --> 01:11:43,600
they can shut the door on everybody.

1253
01:11:43,600 --> 01:11:46,040
And maybe it was quite
<font color="

1254
01:11:46,040 --> 01:11:49,320
because there they are
confronted with reality

1255
01:11:49,320 --> 01:11:53,800
and they have a whole lot
of discovering to do.

1256
01:11:53,800 --> 01:11:56,720
In her journal, Victoria
says that at this moment,

1257
01:11:56,720 --> 01:11:59,720
they made vows every bit
as important as the ones

1258
01:11:59,720 --> 01:12:01,360
<font color="

1259
01:12:01,360 --> 01:12:04,920
Albert said they must never
have secrets from each other.

1260
01:12:07,360 --> 01:12:09,760
Years later, after he was dead,

1261
01:12:09,760 --> 01:12:13,440
she made a very poignant annotation
to this page.

1262
01:12:13,440 --> 01:12:16,960
"No secrets," he said,
and she added,

1263
01:12:16,960 --> 01:12:18,680
"And so it was".

1264
01:12:25,720 --> 01:12:28,880
<font color="
served French style.

1265
01:12:28,880 --> 01:12:31,320
It was a beautiful,
intricate style of service,

1266
01:12:31,320 --> 01:12:34,080
in which all of the dishes for
each course were placed on the table

1267
01:12:34,080 --> 01:12:37,320
simultaneously,
laid out symmetrically.

1268
01:12:37,320 --> 01:12:40,520
<font color="
this meant that there was a whole

1269
01:12:40,520 --> 01:12:43,120
division of people
called the table deckers.

1270
01:12:43,120 --> 01:12:47,320
It was their job to measure out
with set squares and tape measures,

1271
01:12:47,320 --> 01:12:50,920
making sure that the gaps
between each plate were perfect,

1272
01:12:50,920 --> 01:12:53,840
<font color="
completely symmetrical -

1273
01:12:53,840 --> 01:12:55,880
fit, of course, for royalty.

1274
01:13:02,920 --> 01:13:06,440
In the 20th century,
these Georgian kitchens became

1275
01:13:06,440 --> 01:13:08,720
a tourist attraction, but today

1276
01:13:08,720 --> 01:13:13,000
they're going to once again
see some culinary gymnastics.

1277
01:13:15,360 --> 01:13:18,720
<font color="
undergo all kinds of process -

1278
01:13:18,720 --> 01:13:21,400
glazing, basting,
boiling and frying.

1279
01:13:22,360 --> 01:13:26,360
The royal recipe book calls for some
terrifyingly old-school practices.

1280
01:13:27,680 --> 01:13:31,200
Annie, what is
this distressing object?

1281
01:13:31,200 --> 01:13:33,480
Er, this is a hare.

1282
01:13:33,480 --> 01:13:35,080
<font color="

1283
01:13:35,080 --> 01:13:37,320
Well, I've Victorianised it.

1284
01:13:37,320 --> 01:13:40,720
Today, we would always take
the heads and legs off roast birds

1285
01:13:40,720 --> 01:13:43,960
and roast meat, and the idea
of presenting it like this

1286
01:13:43,960 --> 01:13:45,560
is really alien.

1287
01:13:45,560 --> 01:13:48,360
We don't want our food
<font color="

1288
01:13:48,360 --> 01:13:51,600
No, we like to have nothing
that reminds us that anything

1289
01:13:51,600 --> 01:13:52,800
was once alive on the table,

1290
01:13:52,800 --> 01:13:55,280
whereas the Victorians
were completely the opposite.

1291
01:13:55,280 --> 01:13:58,200
I think the thing about Victorian
food, especially at the high-end

1292
01:13:58,200 --> 01:14:01,960
<font color="
to be a feast for all the senses.

1293
01:14:01,960 --> 01:14:04,480
When you're working with dishes
which, in some cases,

1294
01:14:04,480 --> 01:14:08,120
really haven't been cooked
for 100 years, if not 150,

1295
01:14:08,120 --> 01:14:09,960
you do find surprises.

1296
01:14:09,960 --> 01:14:12,000
And actually, for me,
the biggest surprise

1297
01:14:12,000 --> 01:14:15,680
<font color="
when they start to come together.

1298
01:14:15,680 --> 01:14:18,480
I kind of have a vision in my head
of how I think it will look,

1299
01:14:18,480 --> 01:14:20,560
and then it looks even better.

1300
01:14:24,960 --> 01:14:29,160
Their tryst over, the Queen
and Field Marshal Prince Albert

1301
01:14:29,160 --> 01:14:31,000
descend to the withdrawing room,

1302
01:14:31,000 --> 01:14:34,080
<font color="
of their famished guests.

1303
01:14:35,080 --> 01:14:38,160
After the ceremony,
everybody noticed how radiant

1304
01:14:38,160 --> 01:14:42,840
she looked, the colour had come
back into her pale cheeks.

1305
01:14:42,840 --> 01:14:46,120
And can you see another part of
the magic of the white dress?

1306
01:14:46,120 --> 01:14:49,480
<font color="
in the colourful crowd.

1307
01:14:49,480 --> 01:14:51,840
Reading between the lines
of her journal,

1308
01:14:51,840 --> 01:14:55,040
it seems the Queen and her
new husband invited very few,

1309
01:14:55,040 --> 01:14:59,320
perhaps 50 of their 300 guests,
to eat at the palace.

1310
01:15:00,680 --> 01:15:05,600
An even more select group sit
<font color="

1311
01:15:05,600 --> 01:15:10,120
The seating plan doesn't survive,
but we've worked it out from clues

1312
01:15:10,120 --> 01:15:12,240
in Victoria's journals.

1313
01:15:12,240 --> 01:15:15,720
She's between Albert and her uncle,
the Duke of Sussex.

1314
01:15:15,720 --> 01:15:20,120
And you can see the declining
of Melbourne's influence by the fact

1315
01:15:20,120 --> 01:15:22,440
<font color="

1316
01:15:22,440 --> 01:15:24,680
They've put him in the corner.

1317
01:15:24,680 --> 01:15:27,440
Where's Victoria's mother,
the Duchess of Kent?

1318
01:15:27,440 --> 01:15:30,680
Well, she had to be here
at the family top table,

1319
01:15:30,680 --> 01:15:32,840
but she's right down the other end.

1320
01:15:32,840 --> 01:15:36,840
She's out of Victoria's
<font color="

1321
01:15:36,840 --> 01:15:38,320
Where's the Duke of Wellington?

1322
01:15:38,320 --> 01:15:41,440
Well, she was forced
to have the nation's hero

1323
01:15:41,440 --> 01:15:46,120
at the ceremony, but he hasn't made
the guest list for the breakfast.

1324
01:15:46,120 --> 01:15:50,040
This meal is as political
as the wedding ceremony had been,

1325
01:15:50,040 --> 01:15:53,520
<font color="
and enemies alike their place

1326
01:15:53,520 --> 01:15:55,600
in the new pecking order.

1327
01:15:55,600 --> 01:15:59,680
Who sits where, how easily
can they catch the Queen's eye

1328
01:15:59,680 --> 01:16:01,720
or eavesdrop on the conversation?

1329
01:16:01,720 --> 01:16:04,880
The food must be
a mouth-watering relief.

1330
01:16:04,880 --> 01:16:08,600
<font color="
characteristically lavish and huge.

1331
01:16:08,600 --> 01:16:13,440
Prince Albert was extraordinarily
fastidious and squeamish

1332
01:16:13,440 --> 01:16:18,320
about what he ate, and was very
easily upset by what he ate.

1333
01:16:18,320 --> 01:16:23,880
She, on the other hand, always loved
guzzle, guzzle, guzzle.

1334
01:16:23,880 --> 01:16:26,280
<font color="
course after course.

1335
01:16:26,280 --> 01:16:30,000
And, also, she had a very strong
head, she drank like a fish.

1336
01:16:30,000 --> 01:16:33,440
She wasn't alcoholic, but she loved
knocking back the booze.

1337
01:16:33,440 --> 01:16:37,440
Whereas Albert, one glass would have
finished him off, probably!

1338
01:16:38,440 --> 01:16:41,200
<font color="
for the second course.

1339
01:16:41,200 --> 01:16:45,040
Now, Mr Ball's capons
would have been castrated cockerels,

1340
01:16:45,040 --> 01:16:46,800
but that's illegal
in modern Britain.

1341
01:16:46,800 --> 01:16:48,360
You can only buy French ones.

1342
01:16:48,360 --> 01:16:50,440
This, therefore, is just a chicken.

1343
01:16:50,440 --> 01:16:53,320
<font color="
was that the birds became

1344
01:16:53,320 --> 01:16:56,240
extraordinarily plump and luscious.

1345
01:16:56,240 --> 01:16:58,720
Quite superior to a normal bird.

1346
01:17:00,120 --> 01:17:03,280
Here's the country life
brought to the city table.

1347
01:17:03,280 --> 01:17:06,480
Asparagus standing
to attention on a bread base,

1348
01:17:06,480 --> 01:17:09,080
<font color="
drenched in butter.

1349
01:17:10,600 --> 01:17:14,120
Another capon dish,
a key part of the second course.

1350
01:17:14,120 --> 01:17:17,320
These have been galantined,
so boned out.

1351
01:17:17,320 --> 01:17:20,920
They've then been stuffed and then
glazed with this chaudfroid sauce,

1352
01:17:20,920 --> 01:17:24,840
<font color="
set with the inevitable gelatine.

1353
01:17:24,840 --> 01:17:26,800
Everything is all about aspic.

1354
01:17:26,800 --> 01:17:29,360
They are then being
beautifully decorated up.

1355
01:17:29,360 --> 01:17:32,400
These really are like
little jewellery boxes

1356
01:17:32,400 --> 01:17:33,960
sitting on the table.

1357
01:17:33,960 --> 01:17:38,000
<font color="
combs from the heads of cockerels,

1358
01:17:38,000 --> 01:17:42,320
on skewers, interspersed
with crayfish and mushrooms.

1359
01:17:42,320 --> 01:17:45,960
This is the remove dish,
so this is a really crucial part

1360
01:17:45,960 --> 01:17:48,080
of it, because you've got everything
on the table

1361
01:17:48,080 --> 01:17:50,600
<font color="
the turbot or the soup -

1362
01:17:50,600 --> 01:17:53,560
and once this comes in, all the
other dishes are then uncovered.

1363
01:17:53,560 --> 01:17:56,080
So this is quite a
sort of key wow factor.

1364
01:17:56,080 --> 01:17:58,320
It's a wow factor now, isn't it?

1365
01:17:58,320 --> 01:18:01,840
When the waiting staff have
<font color="

1366
01:18:01,840 --> 01:18:05,560
the guests themselves have the
pleasure of carving them.

1367
01:18:05,560 --> 01:18:09,480
Victorian diners above-stairs
revelled in the artistry

1368
01:18:09,480 --> 01:18:11,800
of the craftspeople down below.

1369
01:18:11,800 --> 01:18:15,320
A host was judged on their ability
to find a great cook and,

1370
01:18:15,320 --> 01:18:17,480
<font color="

1371
01:18:17,480 --> 01:18:20,520
Her head chefs were stars,
and when they left the palace,

1372
01:18:20,520 --> 01:18:24,280
they had their pick of jobs
at grand hotels and restaurants.

1373
01:18:24,280 --> 01:18:26,720
So many dishes to get through,

1374
01:18:26,720 --> 01:18:30,240
but Victorian diners
knew to pace themselves.

1375
01:18:30,240 --> 01:18:33,320
<font color="
to put mustard inside the ear.

1376
01:18:33,320 --> 01:18:36,120
It's supposed to deaden the
nerve that tells the brain

1377
01:18:36,120 --> 01:18:37,840
when the stomach's full.

1378
01:18:38,920 --> 01:18:42,280
Once she was queen,
Victoria was distressed to discover

1379
01:18:42,280 --> 01:18:44,120
that she was putting on weight.

1380
01:18:44,120 --> 01:18:46,280
<font color="
Lord Melbourne about this.

1381
01:18:46,280 --> 01:18:49,000
He said, "You should only eat
when you're hungry."

1382
01:18:49,000 --> 01:18:52,040
She said, "Well, then
I'd always be eating."

1383
01:18:54,960 --> 01:18:59,440
Victoria was notorious for
being an extremely fast eater.

1384
01:18:59,440 --> 01:19:02,880
And, of course, the protocols
<font color="

1385
01:19:02,880 --> 01:19:05,920
finished her food and
put her knife and fork down,

1386
01:19:05,920 --> 01:19:09,600
that was it, the servants came in,
whisked the plates away.

1387
01:19:09,600 --> 01:19:12,200
And there were always
these complaints from members

1388
01:19:12,200 --> 01:19:15,080
of the entourage that they
<font color="

1389
01:19:15,080 --> 01:19:19,040
what was on their plate because
Victoria had gobbled her food.

1390
01:19:19,040 --> 01:19:23,720
Her Majesty might have been racing
to get to the jellies and puddings.

1391
01:19:23,720 --> 01:19:27,040
Like so many of her subjects,
Victoria has a sweet tooth.

1392
01:19:28,720 --> 01:19:30,920
<font color="
Ooh... Yeah, yeah.

1393
01:19:30,920 --> 01:19:32,680
There's a bit of leakage.

1394
01:19:32,680 --> 01:19:33,920
Oh!

1395
01:19:35,280 --> 01:19:37,600
SHE GASPS

1396
01:19:37,600 --> 01:19:40,440
Yes! Wahey, excellent.

1397
01:19:40,440 --> 01:19:43,640
The kitchens at the royal palaces
were divided into divisions,

1398
01:19:43,640 --> 01:19:46,520
<font color="
was the confectionery division

1399
01:19:46,520 --> 01:19:49,040
which was in charge of sugar craft
and that kind of thing,

1400
01:19:49,040 --> 01:19:50,960
but also jellies.

1401
01:19:50,960 --> 01:19:53,640
If you were Victorian
and you had money and you wanted

1402
01:19:53,640 --> 01:19:56,840
to show it, then you put
<font color="

1403
01:19:56,840 --> 01:19:58,000
Not just jellies.

1404
01:19:58,000 --> 01:20:00,560
If it could be moulded,
then you'd mould it.

1405
01:20:00,560 --> 01:20:04,440
So this one is a moulded fruit
puree, this mould over here,

1406
01:20:04,440 --> 01:20:07,080
this is designed for cakes.
Or you've got something like this,

1407
01:20:07,080 --> 01:20:10,120
<font color="
for a meat mousse.

1408
01:20:10,120 --> 01:20:14,080
Put it this way, it would not
be a Victorian wedding feast

1409
01:20:14,080 --> 01:20:16,840
if we didn't have moulded
foods on the table.

1410
01:20:16,840 --> 01:20:19,000
This confection of icing sugar,

1411
01:20:19,000 --> 01:20:23,680
jam and whipped cream
is puff pastry cake,

1412
01:20:23,680 --> 01:20:27,760
<font color="
first touch of the spoon.

1413
01:20:27,760 --> 01:20:30,080
That looks precarious.
Oh, yeah, it is.

1414
01:20:30,080 --> 01:20:32,880
I sort of had a vision
of what this would look like,

1415
01:20:32,880 --> 01:20:35,920
based on reading the recipe
but you never really know

1416
01:20:35,920 --> 01:20:39,760
<font color="
I'd realised it was quite so...

1417
01:20:39,760 --> 01:20:41,000
..dangerous.

1418
01:20:41,000 --> 01:20:43,200
Puff pastry is so delicate.

1419
01:20:43,200 --> 01:20:45,760
It's very light, it looks
sort of like an enormous cake

1420
01:20:45,760 --> 01:20:49,120
but, actually, it's just very,
very light cream and a really

1421
01:20:49,120 --> 01:20:51,120
<font color="

1422
01:20:51,120 --> 01:20:54,560
This is actually almost
a sort of cloud as a mouthful,

1423
01:20:54,560 --> 01:20:56,880
rather than an enormous great cake.

1424
01:20:56,880 --> 01:20:58,760
So much time and work that
goes into it.

1425
01:20:58,760 --> 01:21:01,480
There was a little bit
of apprehension, for sure,

1426
01:21:01,480 --> 01:21:04,200
but, actually, I quite like it.

1427
01:21:04,200 --> 01:21:07,200
<font color="
had made Annie quake.

1428
01:21:07,200 --> 01:21:09,960
Will it collapse before
it reaches the table?

1429
01:21:09,960 --> 01:21:12,360
Now fully dressed and still upright,

1430
01:21:12,360 --> 01:21:15,280
it's ready to ascend to
the dining room.

1431
01:21:19,040 --> 01:21:23,640
Like all weddings, the ceremony
<font color="

1432
01:21:23,640 --> 01:21:27,360
For some guests, one of
the last of such gatherings.

1433
01:21:29,960 --> 01:21:34,560
Within four years, Albert's father
Ernst I would be gone.

1434
01:21:36,880 --> 01:21:39,920
His son, Ernst II,
would live to be 75,

1435
01:21:39,920 --> 01:21:43,000
busy philandering, active in the
<font color="

1436
01:21:43,000 --> 01:21:46,440
and nearly becoming
the King of Greece.

1437
01:21:46,440 --> 01:21:49,520
The Queen Mother would live
for another 21 years.

1438
01:21:49,520 --> 01:21:52,720
She and Victoria would
never fully reconcile,

1439
01:21:52,720 --> 01:21:54,200
although after her death,

1440
01:21:54,200 --> 01:21:56,720
the Queen would realise how much her
<font color="

1441
01:21:56,720 --> 01:21:59,080
and would be grief stricken.

1442
01:21:59,080 --> 01:22:02,520
The Duchess of Sutherland would
become a high-profile campaigner

1443
01:22:02,520 --> 01:22:06,320
against slavery and remain
the Queen's close friend -

1444
01:22:06,320 --> 01:22:10,240
the person Victoria would
cling to when Albert died.

1445
01:22:10,240 --> 01:22:14,360
<font color="
would be dismissed by Prince Albert

1446
01:22:14,360 --> 01:22:18,640
and go to live in Germany,
where she would die in 1870,

1447
01:22:18,640 --> 01:22:22,000
surrounded by pictures
of the Queen she adored.

1448
01:22:24,120 --> 01:22:27,320
The grand finale of the feast
is this mammoth cake,

1449
01:22:27,320 --> 01:22:30,800
<font color="
of cakes sent out to those

1450
01:22:30,800 --> 01:22:33,920
who couldn't be
in London for the big day.

1451
01:22:37,440 --> 01:22:39,840
The cake is sensational.

1452
01:22:39,840 --> 01:22:43,040
It's nine feet in circumference,

1453
01:22:43,040 --> 01:22:49,400
it contains 300 pounds of fruit
and 11 pints of French brandy.

1454
01:22:49,400 --> 01:22:52,080
<font color="
and Albert themselves,

1455
01:22:52,080 --> 01:22:54,720
rather incongruously
dressed in Grecian robes.

1456
01:22:54,720 --> 01:23:00,160
There's so much sugar and brandy in
the cake that it will last for ever.

1457
01:23:00,160 --> 01:23:04,000
The guests were given slices to
take home in special little tins,

1458
01:23:04,000 --> 01:23:08,200
<font color="
come up for sale in auctions.

1459
01:23:08,200 --> 01:23:12,040
So you could buy a bit and, I guess,
you could still eat it.

1460
01:23:21,720 --> 01:23:26,360
After the cake is cut, Victoria and
Albert rise and leave the table.

1461
01:23:26,360 --> 01:23:28,680
They have somewhere else to be,

1462
01:23:28,680 --> 01:23:31,160
away from the madding crowd.

1463
01:23:31,160 --> 01:23:33,400
<font color="

1464
01:23:33,400 --> 01:23:37,200
She wrote, "I went upstairs
and undressed and put on a white

1465
01:23:37,200 --> 01:23:41,680
"silk gown trimmed with swan's-down
and a bonnet with orange flowers.

1466
01:23:41,680 --> 01:23:45,400
"At 20 minutes to four,
Lord Melbourne came to see me."

1467
01:23:47,320 --> 01:23:53,320
Perhaps she then finally realised
<font color="

1468
01:23:53,320 --> 01:23:57,360
the last three years,
looking after her and, you know,

1469
01:23:57,360 --> 01:24:02,720
nurturing her and helping her
learn the job of being queen.

1470
01:24:02,720 --> 01:24:07,240
Suddenly, their long-held
roles are reversed.

1471
01:24:07,240 --> 01:24:12,480
She's in charge now,
<font color="

1472
01:24:12,480 --> 01:24:15,840
and then Albert comes in looking
wonderful and he's the one

1473
01:24:15,840 --> 01:24:19,360
who carries her off,
leaving poor Melbourne.

1474
01:24:21,280 --> 01:24:24,720
Melbourne was very
diplomatic with Albert.

1475
01:24:24,720 --> 01:24:29,320
He didn't entirely approve
<font color="

1476
01:24:29,320 --> 01:24:32,800
as he described it,
but he understood that Albert

1477
01:24:32,800 --> 01:24:37,520
was the right man to be
Victoria's husband

1478
01:24:37,520 --> 01:24:39,520
and to guide her.

1479
01:24:39,520 --> 01:24:41,800
They were to be separated.

1480
01:24:41,800 --> 01:24:44,120
I can see why he cries,
I cry thinking about it myself.

1481
01:24:44,120 --> 01:24:47,640
<font color="
moving little moment

1482
01:24:47,640 --> 01:24:49,360
in the whole day, really.

1483
01:24:52,880 --> 01:24:55,280
It's four o'clock -
time to put the grime

1484
01:24:55,280 --> 01:24:57,240
of the capital behind them.

1485
01:25:00,960 --> 01:25:03,320
The rain stopped
and the sun came out,

1486
01:25:03,320 --> 01:25:06,880
and then they were riding
<font color="

1487
01:25:06,880 --> 01:25:09,840
They were deliciously alone.

1488
01:25:09,840 --> 01:25:12,400
They were in limbo -
they were free from all

1489
01:25:12,400 --> 01:25:15,440
the formality and the pressure
of Buckingham Palace

1490
01:25:15,440 --> 01:25:19,400
and ahead of them lay the
fairy tale castle of Windsor.

1491
01:25:21,960 --> 01:25:25,120
<font color="
the evening in her old rooms

1492
01:25:25,120 --> 01:25:27,360
and have their supper delivered.

1493
01:25:27,360 --> 01:25:30,760
He plays her sweet music
and she swoons.

1494
01:25:33,520 --> 01:25:35,680
Victoria wasn't feeling very well,

1495
01:25:35,680 --> 01:25:40,280
but nothing would stop her
enjoying her wedding night.

1496
01:25:42,280 --> 01:25:44,600
There is no element
<font color="

1497
01:25:44,600 --> 01:25:47,600
She describes it frankly
in her journals,

1498
01:25:47,600 --> 01:25:50,480
she describes the first night
they spend as man and wife.

1499
01:25:50,480 --> 01:25:51,760
She adored him.

1500
01:25:51,760 --> 01:25:56,160
As she wrote, "At 20 minutes
past ten, we both went to bed."

1501
01:25:56,160 --> 01:26:00,240
"Of course, in one bed,
<font color="

1502
01:26:00,240 --> 01:26:01,920
"and on his dear bosom

1503
01:26:01,920 --> 01:26:05,040
"and be called by names
of tenderness I have never

1504
01:26:05,040 --> 01:26:09,760
"yet heard used to me before,
was bliss beyond belief."

1505
01:26:09,760 --> 01:26:13,640
A baby, Princess Vicky,
was very possibly conceived

1506
01:26:13,640 --> 01:26:15,400
even that night.

1507
01:26:15,400 --> 01:26:19,080
<font color="
over the next 16 years.

1508
01:26:19,080 --> 01:26:23,960
The Queen began to long for the days
when she and Albert could be alone.

1509
01:26:23,960 --> 01:26:28,480
Not surprisingly, being the Queen
as well as Albert's wife

1510
01:26:28,480 --> 01:26:30,840
as well as the mother
of all of these children,

1511
01:26:30,840 --> 01:26:33,960
<font color="

1512
01:26:33,960 --> 01:26:36,040
She started to experience symptoms

1513
01:26:36,040 --> 01:26:40,240
that today might lead to
a diagnosis of postnatal depression.

1514
01:26:40,240 --> 01:26:43,880
Even so, during this first
decade of her marriage,

1515
01:26:43,880 --> 01:26:49,600
she proved herself to be dutiful
and spirited and pretty tough.

1516
01:26:51,080 --> 01:26:55,040
<font color="
had established a brand.

1517
01:26:55,040 --> 01:26:59,560
Victoria and Albert - a family
business that people could trust.

1518
01:26:59,560 --> 01:27:02,040
It had rescued the crown.

1519
01:27:02,040 --> 01:27:07,240
14 years later, what's said to be
a retrospective wedding photograph

1520
01:27:07,240 --> 01:27:09,640
was snapped up by
<font color="

1521
01:27:13,120 --> 01:27:15,520
We remade that wedding to see how

1522
01:27:15,520 --> 01:27:18,760
even the smallest detail
was managed.

1523
01:27:18,760 --> 01:27:21,640
The use of scale was masterful,

1524
01:27:21,640 --> 01:27:26,600
the small Queen in the huge dress
was vulnerable and powerful.

1525
01:27:28,040 --> 01:27:32,040
Albert's scarlet drew the eye,
<font color="

1526
01:27:32,040 --> 01:27:36,200
We understood Victoria's placing
of those she loved in her eyeline

1527
01:27:36,200 --> 01:27:38,880
and those she distrusted out of it.

1528
01:27:38,880 --> 01:27:43,720
And most of all, we saw the story
the public would be sold.

1529
01:27:43,720 --> 01:27:47,360
The new-style royals
who believed in love,

1530
01:27:47,360 --> 01:27:49,920
<font color="

1531
01:27:50,880 --> 01:27:52,720
Splashed across every newspaper,

1532
01:27:52,720 --> 01:27:56,560
the wedding and the marriage
were expertly crafted to stop

1533
01:27:56,560 --> 01:27:58,760
Britain from becoming a republic -

1534
01:27:58,760 --> 01:28:00,200
and it worked.

1535
01:28:00,200 --> 01:28:03,480
There is a kind of cooperation
that happens between the press

1536
01:28:03,480 --> 01:28:04,640
<font color="

1537
01:28:04,640 --> 01:28:07,640
Victorian and Albert
are going to be a fresh start,

1538
01:28:07,640 --> 01:28:10,960
they're going to be representatives
of progress, and that's something

1539
01:28:10,960 --> 01:28:15,040
that most newspaper editors
of this period are interested in,

1540
01:28:15,040 --> 01:28:20,240
the idea that Britain is going to go
<font color="

1541
01:28:20,240 --> 01:28:24,920
The wedding of Victoria and Albert
saw the birth of a legend,

1542
01:28:24,920 --> 01:28:30,720
the legend of their powerful love
that came to define her whole reign.

1543
01:28:30,720 --> 01:28:35,480
The brand of Victoria and Albert
was born at this ceremony.

1544
01:28:35,480 --> 01:28:39,640
And, on top of that,
<font color="

1545
01:28:39,640 --> 01:28:44,000
affects the way that people
still get married to this day.