Victoria (OV)

A month after the birth of her daughter, Victoria finds that the government has not been confiding in her with their business, and becomes irritated with Albert for helping them. Having been kept in her rooms to recover from giving birth, Victoria comes to learn that the British troops were slain in the Anglo-Afghan War, and she refuses Leopold's decision to organize a betrothal of the princess to another country's power for the purpose of politics. With the public angered by the defeat of their troops, Victoria makes her first public appearance after having given birth at the launch of HMS Trafalgar, while Albert goes to his brother, Ernest, for advice on how to fix the rift between him and Victoria. Miss Skerrett is promoted following the departure of Mrs. Jenkins, while Francatelli, the previous chef for the queen, returns after having been persuaded, and the Duchess of Buccleuch is hired as the Queen's new Mistress of the Robes following the Duchess of Sutherland's resignation.

Albert resists his profligate father's demands regarding Albert's finances, and as a result, Albert visits the Royal Society to meet with the pioneers of the computing industry, Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace. He invites the two to a palace function. Victoria becomes suspicious and jealous of Albert's admiration of Lovelace, the daughter of Lord Byron, a man known for his many affairs. Victoria wonders if Albert intends to make her his mistress. She seeks assurance from Lord Melbourne that the relationship between the two exists for the reasons of science and shared interests; he successfully consoles her. Victoria finds herself pregnant again, causing initial distress due to the short lapse of time since the first birth, but it eventually gives her and Albert a reason to reconcile. In the kitchens, a young thief makes his way through the castle, convincing Miss Cleary, the Queen's assistant dresser, that the castle is haunted and a ghost roams the halls.

After the presence of the thief becomes knowledge to the Queen and her husband, Albert becomes apprehensive about the presence of the boy and inefficiency of the household staff. The wages of the staff are increased as a result, to make them more willing to pay attention. Victoria holds a meeting with a silk weaver from Spitalfields, who explains to her the damage to local weavers when silk comes from foreign countries. As a result, Victoria declares her intent to hold a ball, for which the costumes are made only from the production by the Spitalfields weavers. Sir Robert Peel advises against the ball, but it proceeds, proving Peel right as the villagers protest outside the palace, complaining of the costly and unnecessary extravagance of the ball while they starve and are left for dead. Lord Melbourne also attends the ball, having fallen sick, but he attempts to hide this from Victoria. He reveals to Albert the extent of his condition, and Victoria visits Melbourne for an emotional goodbye. She returns to the palace to tearfully discover her beloved dog, Dash, dead in her sitting room; she will inter him on the Palace grounds.

Victoria's birth of a son is painful and she experiences postpartum depression. Albert, receives news of his father's sudden death, visits Germany for the funeral, and learns that Leopold believes that he may be Albert's biological father. Albert's mother found comfort with Leopold while her husband ignored her and pursued other women. Albert, is questioning his beliefs and his sense of identity, drinks excessively that evening, and then departs for England the next day without a farewell. Victoria, alongside the Duchess of Buccleuch, continues to be depressed while she makes public appearances. Miss Skerrett reveals to the Queen that it was her cousin, Eliza, who sold to the newspapers the story of the palace thief, and that her position as dresser was first intended for Eliza, but Eliza fell pregnant so Skerrett was forced to assume her identity. Victoria prepares to remove Skerrett from the palace, but Albert persuades her to allow the woman to remain.

Robert Peel appeals to Victoria about his thoughts on the King of France, Louis Philippe I, and the plans for the king's son, the Duke of Montpensier, to marry the Spanish Infanta, Isabel. Peel fears that an alliance between France and Spain could be against the best interests of Britain, and so Victoria travels to France to discuss the matter and persuade Louis Philippe to consider another betrothal. Victoria finds herself annoyed at the King's constant refusal to discuss the topic, and vexed by Albert being unsupportive and distant behaviour. Albert reveals his fear that he may be illegitimate, but Victoria reassures him that who is his father is not her care. They do talk to Louis Philippe about the betrothal and are convinced that he is against the match. Upon return to England, Victoria comes to learn that Louis went ahead with the betrothal. Their frustration is lifted, however, when it is discovered that Victoria is pregnant again.

Victoria has given birth to a daughter, Alice, and Ernest returns to England for the christening. A severe famine is caused by a potato blight, affecting the Catholic country of Ireland. The vicar Robert Traill receives an apathetic response from the Protestant clergy, writes to Victoria for assistance and she organizes a meeting with him. Peel refuses to help alongside her, claiming that showing any form of favouritism, especially to the Irish, would cause unrest and resentment at home and in the government. Albert works on improving the palace and of the City of London hygiene and sanitation with the Royal Society. Ernest secretly sees a doctor for his syphilis. After meeting with Victoria, Traill falls sick with typhus, and aid is sent not in time to help him and he dies, along with a million of his countrymen. Francatelli, after talking with Cleary about her family, gives her, to pawn, his gold watch to help her family in the time of need; Cleary is later distressed when she discovers that her relatives have immigrated to the United States to escape the famine.

After an attempt is made to assassinate Victoria, she and Albert decide to travel to the Scottish Highlands for some time, visiting and staying with the Duke of Atholl. While out on a ride with their entourage, they become bored with the entertainment provided, and make an escape to spend time alone in the countryside. They become lost, and seek refuge with an elderly couple in their small home. Victoria and Albert find themselves at peace with this freedom, but are eventually found the following morning. Drummond, who is scheduled to enter into a marriage for political purposes, enjoys his time with Lord Alfred Paget, and they become passionate with each other. Ernest receives news that the Duchess of Sutherland's husband has passed away, making her a widow, and his attempts at flirting with her come to be successful.

Peel takes to parliament the ideas of repealing the Corn Laws and making international trade tariff-free, where he faces opposition for his ideas. However, his cause is supported by Albert by attending a session of parliament; his presence and Peel are mocked by both the Tories and the Whigs. A romantic situation begins to form between Francatelli and Nancy Skerrett. Leopold arrives unexpectedly, Albert is unsettled, and there is tension in the palace. Victoria later quarrels with Albert when he expresses his fears that Baroness Lehzen is improperly caring their children. When their daughter falls ill, she is diagnosed with a serious fever that could kill her, and Victoria relents and dismisses Lehzen. Peel's bill is passed, and a man shoots at him as he leaves the House of Commons; and Drummond is shot dead when he jumps in the way to protect Peel. Devastated by Drummond's loss, Peel resigns as Prime Minster. Ernest breaks off with the duchess when he discovers physical indications of his syphilis, while Leopold makes attempts to improve his relationship with Victoria and Albert.