Starring Emily Blunt as the queen who went on to symbolize the entire British Empire, the film follows Victoria’s early struggle to succeed her uncle as the ruler of England, a quest blocked by her mother, the Duchess of Kent (Miranda Richardson), whose odious “adviser” is Sir John Conroy (Mark Strong). Widowed at a young age, the duchess has been convinced by Conroy that she must protect Victoria’s health at all costs and keep her away from the court in order to preserve her own position – despite the vocal complaints of King William IV (Jim Broadbent, in a very amusing turn), Victoria’s uncle, who clearly wants his niece to follow in his footsteps. When Victoria is finally crowned, she’s entirely unaware of the potential ramifications of her actions and allows herself to be misled by the dashing Lord Melbourne (Paul Bettany), who may be using her youth and inexperience to further enhance his own position. Enter Prince Albert (Rupert Friend), who almost immediately charms Victoria by refusing to stick to the script given him by his scheming and Machiavellian relations. As their love for one another grows, crucial questions remain unanswered: will Victoria listen to Albert’s counsel or will her loyalty to Melbourne win out?
