Victoria & Albert

When I first saw Victoria Hamilton in the trailers, I thought, 'she's not a good likeness', but having seen the first episode, I can only praise the wonderful acting and superb script. I, for one, (while reasonably coversant with history), have never thought about her early years on the throne, and the difficulty as a teenage monarch, of dealing with Mum and Parliament! Mentally, I was constantly comparing her situation with that other teenage female queen, Lady Jane Grey. Victoria as portrayed, is an engaging and thoroughly likable person, very much a child coming into adulthood, and thus a fascinating comparison to the standard historical perspective that we have grown up with.

I must admit I really enjoyed 'Victoria and Albert'. It was excellent. My only criticism of the film was it could have been a couple of episodes longer as it left out so many other possibilities rushing to reach its conclusion. Jonathon Firth was really very good as Prince Albert and Victoria Hamilton made a good job at Queen Victoria. I particularly liked Dame Diana Rigg as Baroness Lehzen and Penelope Wilton as the Duchess of Kent. Sir Peter Ustinov was marvellous as King William IV. Patrick Malahide was so completely odious as Sir John Conroy. I also found Nigel Hawthorne brilliant as Viscount Melbourne. Rachel Pickup was really very good as Lady Henrietta Standish and David Suchet was great as Baron Stockmar. Jonathon Pryce was adequate as King Leopold I. Elizabeth Spriggs was delightful in a cameo role in 'The Rivals'. I would really recommend this.

Few movies are made that are so flawless. Perfect in: casting, directing, editing, content, costumes, and background music. All performances are believable and the diction is as clear as if it were an American made movie. The main character "Victoria" is played by Victoria Hamilton whose ability to express feelings without speaking is Oscar winning quality plus.

All pictures of Victoria have her as a stern, humorless woman.

This program did manage to shed some light on the real person and quite a bit I did not know.

I was not aware she was the niece of the previous king, thereby not directly in the bloodline, but simply next in line.

I think I had heard she was eighteen when she became queen, but I had forgotten.

And I wasn't aware of the problems with her mother and the uncle on her mother's side.

Sensational when she became her majesty, the Queen of England in their presence and they said no more.

Moments of what it means to be queen and what it means to be married were especially strong here;

when she had to respond to Albert as his wife and not as his queen.

And especially Albert's surprise when the Queen and not his wife honored him for that architectural structure.

I especially enjoyed dear Richard Briers, who never disappoints, as the architect.

When Albert informed him that the Queen had entered, Briers looks up and merely replies 'evening, mum' then continues to beam at his designs.

Her Majesty simply smiled and went to stand with her husband.

Performances were flawless all the way around. I do think Diana Rigg was wasted as the nanny. I've never enjoyed her as an unhappy person, but always in control.

I caught it on A & E, and didn't keep it. Now I wish I had. Ah well.

Since the days gradually came on the Royal Family in Great Britain that they are to reign rather than rule, the struggle has always been to be popular and stay popular without being self indulgent. They are the unifying symbol for their country rather than a written Constitution that we Yanks have, so they're behavior, good or bad, counts for so much more.

The folks who established that tradition were Victoria & Albert, first cousins in the Saxe-Coburg family and husband and wife. Through her father, the Duke of Kent, young Victoria was the heir to the British monarchy to which she ascended in 1837.

Royalty made its last gasp for power immediately preceding the events that are shown in this mini-series. King William IV played here by Peter Ustinov by royal prerogative dismissed the government of Prime Minster Earl Grey. Robert Peel formed a Tory government, but it only lasted for a few months because Parliament by now had firm control of the Treasury. William IV was forced to call back Earl Grey and bow to the wishes of the people's representatives, now even more representative since the Reform Act of 1832 reapportioned Parliament after several hundred years.

So the monarchy was to reign instead of rule, but if this bunch didn't keep a lid on the peccadilloes, the folks in the United Kingdom might just take it in their heads to be rid of them and get themselves a republic like their former colonies had done. That was the duty that Prince Albert (Jonathan Firth) saw it and he persuaded his young bride, Queen Victoria (Victoria Hamilton) that they must do the same.

Albert was a serious young man and Victoria had been leading a sheltered life courtesy of her mother Penelope Wilton had led a life away from the dissolute Hanoverian Court of Uncles George IV and William IV.

When you have no other purpose in life, but to set an example, you'd better be good at that. A few in the Royal Family haven't lived up to that down to this day. If you can't be good, at least be discreet.

Victoria & Albert is a good mini-series from the BBC capturing the ambiance of the early Victorian era very well indeed. Diana Rigg won an Emmy for her performance as Baroness Lehzen, young Victoria's governess who didn't quite know when to let go.

You can enjoy it even if you're not familiar with British history.