“Victoria” fans are jumping up and down for joy, ten times, to be exact: “Victoria” Season 2 is premiering on Masterpiece with a continuation of the young Queen’s story as interpreted by PBS and acted-out on-screen by Doctor Who’s Jenna Coleman as well as Rufus Sewell and Tom Hughes.
“Victorians,” as fans call themselves, are hopeful that this season will be as great as the last. Considering that a large portion of the show is based on events in Queen Victoria’s life that actually took place, fans are reading up on their history and making predictions. Read on to take a look at a few.
A Glance Back at Season 1
With luck, Victoria Season 2 will be equally, if not, more historically accurate than Season 1 ended up being. Despite the presence of the accuracies of the series’ premiere, the show’s writers did take some creative license when it came to several aspects. For example, everybody’s favorite character, Lord Melbourne, played by Rufus Sewell, was neither a heartthrob nor a love interest of Queen Victoria. In fact, he was not nearly as attractive as Sewell. Though, in truth, who is?
Along with this, he was old enough to be the Queen’s father, as he was a whopping 40 years older than she. In fact, a report from History Extra said, “The pair were so close that Victoria claimed to love him ‘like a father.’” Although, the same report implied that not all of the British people liked Victoria’s admiration for Lord Melbourne, as recordings indicate her having been called, on occasion, “Mrs. Melbourne.”
Historically, following the birth of Victoria’s first child, also by the name of Victoria, she went on to have eight — yes, eight — children. Vicky and Al (Prince Albert) were a bit like the royal, Victorian version of the Duggars. Apparently, her employment of her favored “birth control” technique, as hilariously demonstrated toward the end of Season 1, ended up being futile.
What Everyone’s Been Waiting for: Season 2
“Victoria” Season 2 is bound to continue to engage and entertain audiences with humor, romance and what every show needs: a little bit of drama. Season 1 certainly bore this quality, as it displayed the tense relationship between Victoria and her mother, Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. In actuality, they did have a complicated relationship due to the Princess’ desire to control every aspect of her daughter’s life while she was growing up.
Of course, as Victoria’s father passed away less than one year after her birth, her mother employed the assistance of another father figure to bring up Alexandrina Victoria or, as she is called by her mother in the show and by some throughout her lifetime, Drina. (Personally, she preferred being called Victoria.) The individual, Sir John Conroy, happened to be one that Victoria came to despise and associate with a joyless childhood. All “Victoria” fans should take this opportunity to boo and hiss. Thankfully, it seems as if the series has gone in a direction that will hopefully prevent any further appearances of the beloved Queen’s antagonist.
History indicates that Albert eventually took over duties regarding the fighting of the British in Afghanistan during Victoria’s rule. This information is likely to be present in “Victoria” Season 2, as the description for the season’s first episode on Masterpiece reads, “New mother Victoria is impatient to return to the business of ruling a nation, while Albert attempts to protect her from the increasingly desperate news regarding British soldiers in Afghanistan. Victoria is thrown into turmoil by the realization that she is pregnant again, and her equilibrium is further threatened by Albert’s burgeoning friendship with the lady mathematician, Ada Lovelace.” As a result, viewers might be getting a closer look at the young Queen’s political side in the coming season.
The episode description also seems to be foreshadowing the Queen’s eagerness to get back to work following the birth of her first child, Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa. She also seems to be in shock when, in the first episode of the season, she discovers that she is pregnant once again with Edward VII.
A Late Christmas Special
The Christmas episode, which is the Season 2 finale and has yet to air in the U.S., is predicted to share the story of an African girl named Sarah Forbes Bonetta, who was like an adopted daughter to Queen Victoria. The story of the young girl is bound to make for an interesting season finale, as the Queen aids a child in need who would, sadly, otherwise have gone unaided in those days due to terrible, inexcusable racism and discrimination.
The special also illustrates Victoria’s general dislike for Christmas. According to Radio Times, “The festive outing for Jenna Coleman’s queen will be made all the more special thanks to her historical husband, Albert’s (Tom Hughes), well-documented love of the winter celebration.”
The upcoming season is to gain even more fans of both the series and the deceased Queen herself. Chances are that the general public, including Americans, will also go on to develop a deeper curiosity and appreciation for British culture and the Royal Family, especially with the recent engagement of Meghan Markle to Prince Harry.
This is not only a spectacular production, furnished with the talents of spectacular actors and actresses and the writings and research of the series’ creator, Daisy Goodwin, but it is also a wonderful learning opportunity that teaches viewers the fascinating history of the Victorian Era. Don’t let the reference to learning history scare you away; it really is a great show! To watch, go to PBS/Masterpiece Sundays at 9 p.m. EST, or take a look at episodes that are already on their website.
