- [Queen Victoria is being introduced to prospective ladies-in-waiting]
- Lord Melbourne: Do consider Lady Portman. Her husband is Under-Secretary for the Colonies and something of a booby, but she knows *everyone*.
- [Lady Portman approaches the throne and curtseys to Victoria]
- Lord Melbourne: Lady Portman knew your father, Ma'am.
- Lady Emma Portman: Such a handsome man, Your Majesty, and a very good dancer.
- Victoria: That must explain why I love dancing so much. Of course there can be no dancing until the Coronation.
- Lady Emma Portman: [hesitantly] Is there to be a Coronation Ball, then, Ma'am?
- Victoria: Yes indeed - that is, if it isn't too expensive, Lord M.
- Lord Melbourne: Well I'm hoping you'll only have the *one* Coronation, Ma'am, so I think a little extravagance is permitted.
- [in intercut scenes, Sir John Conroy is trying to give advice to Lord Melbourne, while the Duchess of Kent and Lady Flora Hastings are trying to give advice to Queen Victoria]
- [Lord Melbourne approaches Sir John Conroy in a corridor]
- Lord Melbourne: Sir John, I fear you've been waiting for me.
- Sir John Conroy: The Duchess is concerned - about the appointment of the Queen's Ladies.
- Lord Melbourne: Yes, I believe it's the first time she's been allowed to choose her own companions. She must find it a pleasant change.
- [the Duchess of Kent approaches Queen Victoria in her drawing room]
- Duchess of Kent: So you have chosen *her* to be your Mistress of the Robes?
- Victoria: Harriet Sutherland is charming.
- Duchess of Kent: But she is the wife of Melbourne's friend. It is not good to be so in his hands.
- [Melbourne and Conroy]
- Sir John Conroy: It seems to me you've made her into a weak puppet.
- Lord Melbourne: It may look that way to *you*, Sir John. As a man who's never seen further than his own self-interest, I suppose it must, but I hold myself to a different standard.
- [Lady Flora Hastings approaches Queen Victoria and the Duchess of Kent]
- Lady Flora Hastings: I feel I should tell you, Ma'am, that at Holland House they call you "Mrs Melbourne".
- [Melbourne and Conroy]
- Lord Melbourne: The Queen is a remarkable young woman, and I consider it the greatest privilege of my career to serve her.
- [Queen Victoria, the Duchess of Kent and Lady Flora]
- Victoria: Well I feel I should tell *you* that mama and Sir John as known as "The Conroyals".
- Duchess of Kent: Sir John, at least, has never been involved in a case of criminal conversation with a married woman.
- Victoria: Lord Melbourne was acquitted.
- [Melbourne and Conroy]
- Sir John Conroy: I cannot look into your soul. But you are a man and she is a very young and impressionable woman.
- [Queen Victoria and the Duchess of Kent]
- Duchess of Kent: Please, Victoria, he is someone who is clever at stealing hearts. He must not take yours.
- [Melbourne and Conroy]
- Lord Melbourne: [walking away from Sir John] I bid you good day.
- Victoria: You don't think I'm too short to be dignified?
- Lord Melbourne: To me, ma'am, you are every inch a queen.