- Victoria returns to her royal duties sooner than expected after the birth of her first child. She suspects her husband and prime minister are concealing news from her. Albert's family descend on the palace for the christening.
- A month after giving birth, Victoria is frustrated at being cosseted and angry that Albert and the government are excluding her from their business. She is particularly annoyed to learn that they have kept from her the slaughter of British troops in the unwinnable war in Afghanistan and rebuffs Leopold's view that her baby girl is betrothed to a foreign power for political purposes. In the wake of public outrage at the Afghani defeat she rallies the country with a personal appearance whilst Albert's brother Ernest advises him on healing the marital rift. Below stairs the departure of Mrs Jenkins means promotion for Miss Skerrett whilst chef Francatelli is 'persuaded' to return and the formidable Duchess of Buccleuch becomes the new Mistress of the Robes.—don @ minifie-1
- Albert has duly dealt with the royal boxes in close collaboration with PM Sir Robert Peel during Victoria's first month as young mother, but refuses uncle Leopold dynastically betrothing Vicky junior from infancy. Tired of being cotton wool-pampered in a wheelchair, she insists to resume work and bitterly criticizes both worries being kept from her, notably concerning the disastrous Afghanistan campaign, and objective nominations by merit instead of her feudal mentality, notably favoring acquaintances of Lord Alfred Paget. Their own choice of a new Mistress of the robes, antiquated court-veteran Scottish dragon Duchess of Buccleuch, proves a disaster like the successor of cook Francatelli, so promoted Miss Skerrett is sent to lure him back, but only Lord Alfred's connections can 'motivate' him the hard way. While the Afghan disaster proves the need of modernization, Wellington agrees the queen must first save face, putting on a show at a war ship christening, and Ernst convinces his brother Albert to play along as the bigger man for marital peace and imperial cohesion.—KGF Vissers
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