Dominated by her possessive mother and her bullying consort, Conroy, since childhood, teen-aged Victoria refuses to allow them the power of acting as her regent in the last days of her uncle, William IV's rule. Her German cousin Albert is encouraged to court her for solely political motives but, following her accession at age eighteen, finds he is falling for her and is dismayed at her reliance on trusty premier Melbourne.

Victoria is impressed by Albert's philanthropy which is akin to her own desire to help her subjects. However her loyalty to Melbourne, perceived as a self-seeker, almost causes a constitutional crisis and it is Albert who helps restore her self-confidence. She proposes and they marry, Albert proving himself not only a devoted spouse, prepared to take an assassin's bullet for her, but an agent of much-needed reform, finally endorsed by an admiring Melbourne.

The Cast

Emily Blunt ... Queen Victoria

Rupert Friend ... Prince Albert

Paul Bettany ... Lord Melbourne

Jim Broadbent ... King William IV

Miranda Richardson ... Duchess of Kent

Thomas Kretschmann ... King Leopold of Belgium

Mark Strong ... Sir John Conroy

Jesper Christensen ... Baron Stockmar

Harriet Walter ... Queen Adelaide

Jeanette Hain ... Baroness Lehzen

Julian Glover ... Duke of Wellington

Michael Maloney ... Sir Robert Peel

Michiel Huisman ... Ernest

Genevieve O'Reilly ... Lady Flora Hastings

Rachael Stirling ... Duchess of Sutherland

The Filmmakers

DIRECTOR
Jean-Marc Vallée

SCREENPLAY BY
Julian Fellowes

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Colin Vaines

PRODUCERS
Graham King
Martin Scorsese
Tim Headington
Sarah Ferguson

Awards

ACADEMY AWARDS®

Best Achievement in Costume Design - Sandy Powell

Nominations

Best Makeup - Jon Henry Gordon, Jenny Shircore
Best Art Direction - Patrice Vermette (art director), Maggie Gray (set decorator)

BAFTAs

Best Costume Design - Sandy Powell
Best Make Up & Hair - Jenny Shircore

GOLDEN GLOBES®

Nominations

Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama - Emily Blunt