The Young Victoria Page #3

Tell her. Make her understand.

What Sir John means is that you're

unprepared for the task ahead of you.

And if I am, whose fault is that?

You're too young! You've no experience!

You're like a china doll

walking over a precipice!

Well, then, I must smash!

For it's too late to mend my ways now!

- So if you'll excuse me...

- But I will not excuse you!

Now this is what you will do!

First, you will refuse the money and

demand that it be given to your mother.

Next, you will appoint me

your private secretary from today.

Finally, you will agree

to be co-regent with the Duchess

until your 25th birthday.

Neither she nor I will accept less!

You may do

what you like with the money.

Now, get out of my way!

And if you think that I will ever forget

that you just stood by silent

and you watched him treat me thus,

you are dreaming!

Is there no limit

to this disobedience?

Mark my words!

The reign of King Conroy is coming!

My poor sister-in-law. What is the hold

that wicked man has over her?

What about her uncle in Brussels?

Could he not be of assistance?

King Leopold is as slippery

as a barrel full of eels.

If he did dislodge Conroy, it'd only be

to tighten his own grip on the girl.

Mightn't there be some benefit

if I pay Princess Victoria a visit

before Conroy

has a chance to usurp her?

Very well.

Lord, in your mercy, get me past May!

That way she'll be of age and we'll

have killed off the Regency at least.

I tell you, Lord Melbourne,

his behaviour to me

makes it impossible to keep him

in any post near my person.

Any post whatever.

You don't think it more dangerous

to cut him loose?

I know things that mean

I could never have confidence in him.

Now, I see I must endure Lady Flora.

Mama cannot appear at Court

without a lady-in-waiting,

but I draw the line at Conroy.

And once I'm Queen, I do not wish

to look upon his face again.

Well, we can't prevent the Duchess

from keeping him

in charge of her own affairs.

That will be her mistake, not mine.

My dear Victoria, when I think...

Dearest Victoria,

if ever you should need...

What? Like a vulture? T o hover

at the edge until the King is dead?

And, ma'am, you needn't worry.

I'll be your private secretary.

For now, at least.

Thank you, Lord Melbourne.

That is a great comfort to me.

- Wenn er tot ist, dann gibt es mehr...

- Ernst! English, please!

When he is dead, there'll be more

than one vulture to contend with.

We should consider

the new appointments.

Your ladies-in-waiting and so forth.

Perhaps the Duchess of Sutherland

for Mistress of the Robes?

Oh, I don't really know her.

Ma'am, she's a dear friend of mine.

You'll enjoy her enormously.

I should be lost without your guidance.

- I hope you know how grateful I am.

- I'll draw up a list.

What is it? Don't you like her?

Yes, I like her.

More than I dared hope.

But it's not up to me, is it.

What do you call a man

who waits for a rich woman to decide

whether or not she wants him?

- Then, why not tell her how you feel?

My dear Victoria,

these days will be full of sadness

since I know the King is dear to you.

Will you allow me to offer my support,

albeit at a distance?

If I cannot be with you,

then I pray you will hear my voice

in the music that I send.

You know my love of Schubert.

This is his "Swan Song".

And I play it with you in my heart.

- Is he ready?

- Well, he may be, but she isn't.

Let her enjoy succession

and the freedom it'll bring.

We must wait for disillusion,

and the loneliness that follows.

Victoria.

You must come now.

Long live the Queen.

I'm going back to bed.

I imagine Lord Melbourne

will be here quite early.

Make sure he has everything he needs

if I am not ready to receive him.

Of course, Your Royal...

Your Majesty.

Victoria, wait. I will hold your hand.

No. Thank you, Mama.

And, Lehzen, in the morning,

arrange for my bed to be moved

into a room of my own?

- Surely there's no need...

- As soon as possible, Lehzen.

The Council is assembled,

Your Majesty.

Her Majesty the Queen!

It is with a sense

of reverence and honour

that I address you,

my Privy Councillors,

as your Sovereign and Queen.

I mourn sincerely the death

of my dear uncle, the King,

but I know I may count on you to serve

me as loyally as you served him.

I am young, but I am willing to learn.

And I mean to devote my life

to the service of my country

and my people.

I look for your help in this.

I know I shall not be disappointed.

Thank you.

She starts on your watch,

Lord Melbourne.

Guard her well

and keep her safe from harm.

As a matter of interest, will a time

come when I read them first?

You'll enjoy this.

She has a real flair for description.

Present arms!

Dearest Albert, on Tuesday,

I went to inspect Buckingham Palace.

It is only just finished and I shall be

the very first sovereign to live there.

As I stepped out of the carriage,

for the first time in my life,

I felt freedom.

- Splendid, is it not?

- Y es!

You'll have to decide

on a husband soon.

What about Leopold's candidate?

I can't marry the man

they want me to marry.

Oh!

Every suitor

will come with strings attached.

Can't I be my own mistress for a while?

Haven't I earned it?

Dear Lord M, he's so very kind. I

couldn't have asked for a better tutor.

You may dream of independence,

but you won't get it.

From now on, everyone will push you

and pull you for their own advantage.

Melbourne more than the rest.

Just remember, you are the Queen,

he's a politician.

And politicians, whatever their creed,

always resent a monarchy.

They pass through. You stay.

So just keep "dear Lord M"

in his proper sphere.

He's already chosen the new household.

About my ladies-in-waiting...

Yes, I'll have a list brought

over later. They've all accepted.

Only my aunt advised me not to be,

well, too partisan in my choice.

With respect, Your Majesty,

I think I understand these things at

least as well as the Queen Dowager.

I know that, of course.

And we want our friends around us,

of course, surely,

as we begin our labours.

We don't want to find Sir John Conroy

sneaking his feet back under the table.

No. Not if we have to line up

every friend we both possess.

Well, quite, ma'am. It's very cold

in here. Why haven't they lit the fires?

It seems the fires are laid

by the Lord Steward's department,

but lit by the Lord Chamberlain's,

and no one knows which footmen

should do it. It's not very sensible.

Well, if that's the way things are done,

I shouldn't meddle.

We must improve where we can.

If I've discovered anything

from touring England,

it's the suffering that needs my help.

Never try to do good, Your Majesty.

- It always leads to terrible scrapes.

Lord Melbourne, that is not

what is preached from the pulpit.

No. That's why I never go to church.

One always hears

the most extraordinary things.

I've made no promise to him.

But sometimes I feel

quite alone in the world.

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