VICTORIA: “An Ordinary Woman” {Recap}

Victoria, after giving us the whirlwind romance between Victoria (Jenna Coleman) and Albert (Tom Hughes), now gives us a royal wedding that will make everyone smile.

However, despite a happy occasion, there are small troubles for the couple.

Here’s the brief rundown of what did go wrong before their wedding night:

Money

Albert’s father is in need of money to keep up his home in Coburg, but Parliament – after seeing King Leopold squander his allowance – only grants Albert 20,000 pounds a year and no British title.

Albert truly only wants to know he is independent of his wife, especially as he will be a British subject after, but the argument over money also allows others to tell Victoria that Albert may be unfaithful to her later (or already is).

Lord Melbourne (Rufus Sewell) can only do so much to give Albert an allowance, as the Tories are after a tighter purse for this new member of the royal family.

Fidelity

Victoria vows to take Albert as an Ordinary Woman at her wedding, even as she fears he will cheat on her. As much talk up to the wedding is about extra-marital affairs, it is awkward for Victoria to want to demand that from him when he cannot have money of his own.

As the wedding approaches, Victoria takes other steps to show that she is not marrying Albert as Queen – forgoing a tiara for wreath – and allowing herself to be subject to him.

But before the happy couple can be wed, Prince Ernst (David Oakes) takes Albert for one night to a brothel, to better allow Albert to know how to please Victoria. Rather than sleep with someone, he takes notes to know what is best.

Victoria
On MASTERPIECE on PBS
*SPECIAL TWO-HOUR PREMIERE*
SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2017 AT 9PM ET
Continues Sundays, January 22 – February 19, 2017 at 9pm ET
Season Finale on Sunday, March 5 at 9pm ET
Episode Four – “An Ordinary Woman”
Sunday, February 5 at 9pm ET
Courtship at court leads to second thoughts and other complications. Will Victoria and Albert take the fateful step into matrimony? And will the queen promise “to obey” her foreign prince?
Shown from left to right: Tom Hughes as Prince Albert and Jenna Coleman as Victoria
(C) ITV Plc

Loyalty

As the wedding day ends, Lord Melbourne admits that he is stepping down as Prime Minister, leading to a new Tory government. What will that mean for Victoria’s interests in government? Given how she felt about the Tories before her wedding, is there much changed that will sway the Tory’s PM to Victoria’s good graces?

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Victoria continues Sundays at 9PM/8PM Central on PBS.