Me watching this week’s episode of Victoria.
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#12: Uncle/Daddy is back
Leopold makes an appearance in the palace to try to make amends with Albert – he wants Albert and Victoria to know that family is important. Victoria tells him his revelation wasn’t appreciated and that a real father wouldn’t have been so selfish. He spends most of the episode trying to make up with Albert.
#11: Peel back the layers.
Sir Robert Peel is one of the better Prime Ministers of England’s past. In this episode we see him fight for what is right, rather than fighting along party lines, even though he knows he will be removed from his position if he continues…I think most of today’s politicians could take a lesson. Thankfully, Wellington is on his side when other party members defect during a meeting. Albert meets with him before yet another Parliament debate on repealing the Corn Laws, and lets him know just how much he admires him, and offers a toast: “To the thin-skinned; may we always be stout-hearted.”
#10: Albert vs. Lehzen
Albert has been increasingly frosty towards Lehzen. In this particular episode, it’s because she likes to leave the nursery windows open for fresh air, and he is afraid the children will become ill. Victoria takes Lehzen’s side and calls Albert an old nanny goat. Princess Vicky starts to feel ill, and when Lehzen is in the kitchens asking Penge for bread and milk, he tells her that it isn’t smart to come between a husband and wife. When the Princess falls deathly ill gets a fever because she’s a child and they tend to pick up germs, Victoria and Albert show us they do have loud voices when they yell at each other about Lehzen. Albert says either she goes or he does.
#9: Albert causes a problem for Peel.
Albert has been in a terrible mood since Leopold revealed he is his father. He has been taking it out on those around him, and when Victoria disagrees with him about going to Parliament to view the Corn Laws debate, he tells her she isn’t always right. Turns out she’s right. The opposition in Peel’s party calls out Albert as Peel’s nursemaid, and Albert realizes he’s made a huge mistake.
#8: Ernst…yet again.
Ernst is still around, and he’s lusting after Harriet big-time. His doctor says he can marry anyone he wants if he isn’t showing symptoms. Um no…thank goodness for medical advances! He decides to ask Harriet to meet him one evening so he can propose, but Brodie tells him he has a terrible, coppery colored rash on his back after his bath. He is devastated and sends his regrets to her through Brodie. At least he is doing the right thing, I suppose. #foiledbysyphilis
#7: What happens in Scotland stays in Scotland.
Drummond meets Paget at their supper club to let him know that he’s broken off his engagement. Alfred tells him he is crazy – and Edward says that after Scotland he feels it is only right. Alfred tells him that a successful politician needs a wife, and that Drummond IS going to be a successful politician, and what happened in Scotland was an indiscretion. Edward is devastated and storms out.
#6: Love is in the kitchens!
Mrs. Skerrett and Mr. Francatelli are finally flirting openly again! I’ve been waiting for this all season, and it doesn’t disappoint. He asks her on a date, and they go boating in a little rowboat. He tells her that a woman like her should be lying on the sofa all day eating strawberry tarts. His smile when he looks at her just makes me happy – and they finally get to kiss! This is one of the only bright spots in the whole episode, and I loved it.
#5: The Princess recovers.
Princess Vicky is in bed with a terrible fever, and Victoria cries a lot about it. Albert comforts her, and they both apologize for being wrong. He tells Victoria that the princess will get through it, because she is strong like her mother. She does recover, and everyone is happy. Albert even welcomes Leopold’s hand on his shoulder when she wakes up. Does this signal a reprieve?
#4: Who knew the Corn Laws could cause so much trouble, you ask? Everyone. Everyone knew.
The Corn Laws are finally repealed, to the great joy of most of England. There are some people who are very unhappy, though, and when one of them pulls a pistol on Peel as he exits Parliament, Drummond steps in front of him and is shot, dying immediately. Peel and Wellington return to the palace to convey the news of the repeal, and of Drummond’s death. Peel cries for his friend, and I actually teared up to see him do this. He later tells Victoria and Albert that he is resigning – he feels he accomplished what he needed to with the repeal.
#3: The Duchess’ heart grew two sizes that day
The Duchess receives a letter about Drummond’s death and asks Paget to please escort her to a drawing room. She tells him that she hopes he is strong today, and proceeds to give him the letter. She is a very kind woman under that dragon exterior, and she lets him know that she isn’t blind and knew what Drummond meant to him. She tells him to take deep breaths, and to remember that the chief mourners at his funeral will be his mother and his fiancée. When we watch the funeral, my first thought is that someone needs to mow the damn grass in the cemetery. Paget meets the fiancée and leaves with Miss Coke.
#2: Lehzen says goodbye
Victoria tells Lehzen that she feels her family in Hanover must really miss her and asks if she wouldn’t like to return to see them. Lehzen tells her she has always dedicated her life to protecting her. The Queen makes it clear that she doesn’t need protecting from Albert; marriage is not a battle between two people – they are on the same side. Lehzen tells her she will go home, and Victoria tells her that for many years she was everything to her. As she is leaving the palace, Penge comes out to tell her goodbye and gives her a gift for her journey. She says she will miss him, and he tells her the same…in German! #colormesurprised
#1: Family really is everything
The episode ends with Victoria and Albert playing with their children when Leopold comes in leading a pony. I am sure the servants appreciated it – have you ever seen how big horse poop is? He tells Victoria that he would do anything for his family.
Overall, this wasn’t one of my favorite episodes. I thought the whole fever thing was over dramatic, and I didn’t find myself smiling through this one.
What did you think of The Luxury of Conscience? Could you take it or leave it? Will you miss the Drummond/Paget storyline?
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**All production photos courtesy of ITV Studios.
