Young Victoria - The Movie
The latest about the upcoming movie, "The Young Victoria." The movie will chronicle Victoria's early rise to power, focusing on the romantic courtship and her legendary marriage to Prince Albert. The film begins in 1836, the year before Victoria ascended the throne, and ends in 1840.
Young Victoria
Who Was Queen Victoria?
"She was a fun-loving princess who endured an unhappy childhood, enjoyed the attentions of some of the most prominent men of her day and, for all her breeding, retained the common touch."
The history books tell us that she was the ruler of the United Kingdom of Great Britain from 1837 to 1901. Her time in power was the longest of any ruler in British history and came to be known as the
Victorian Era. With this, we immediately conjure up all those images of a frumpy over-weight woman dressed in black; but soon, the upcoming motion picture, "The Young Victoria", will present a different view of this dynamic British monarch. "The Young Victoria" will chronicle the early and often turbulent years, of a young girl who became queen of Great Britain. Victoria was a young girl of barely 18 when she was crowned, vivacious, fond of parties, and prone to flirting with the gentlemen of the court, and even her ministers. The film will focus on her storied romance and legendary marriage to Prince Albert. Martin Scorsese [American] and Graham King [British] have teamed-up again [The Departed, The Aviator and Gangs of New York] to retell the story of this famous queen with a little help from the outspoken Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson. Graham King told Variety Magazine, "We all think we know Queen Victoria from the latter part of her life, but in fact she was an amazing, dynamic, romantic personality from a very early age that is largely unknown. I had been searching for a British project for many years so I am just thrilled to bring her story to life." Although no names have signed yet, "The Young Victoria" will be a prestige production with a big-budget and big stars. Scorsese will co-produce.
The Story
Photo by Liam Daniel
Andrew Roberts, the historian and broadcaster who has written extensively on the period, said: "This revision is long overdue. The character of the elderly widow dressed from head to toe in bombazine black is a travesty. When young, she was lovely, charming, humorous and passionate."
The film begins in 1836, the year before Victoria ascended the throne, and ends in 1840. Princess Victoria is portrayed as having no time for the pomposities of court life - playfully bathing her dog within hours of being crowned and dancing down a corridor after surviving her first privy council meeting.
Controversially, however, the movie will claim that as a child Victoria had been held under virtual house arrest by her scheming mother, the Duchess of Kent, who plotted to block Victoria's path to the throne so that she and the man she loved, Sir John Conroy, could become regents. Conroy is portrayed as the villain of the film. He was ambitious, clever, good-looking -- he totally controlled the duchess.Prince Albert was purposefully chosen as a husband for Victoria over his less attractive older brother because it was known that Victoria was too much of a romantic and Albert was considered ideal for a woman who was determined to marry for love.
"What is interesting is that he fell for her completely. He came from a very dour German court and suddenly he was with this girl who was out for a good time. She loved dancing, music, riding."
Production Info
Producer : Martin Scorsese [The Departed]
Producer : Graham King [The Departed]
Producer: Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson
Director : Jean-Marc Vallee [Black List, C.R.A.Z.Y.]
Screenwriter : Julian Fellowes [Vanity Fair, Gosford Park, Mary Poppins (Play)]
Begins Filming in London: Late summer 2007
Release Date: TBA 2009
Producer : Graham King [The Departed]
Producer: Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson
Director : Jean-Marc Vallee [Black List, C.R.A.Z.Y.]
Screenwriter : Julian Fellowes [Vanity Fair, Gosford Park, Mary Poppins (Play)]
Begins Filming in London: Late summer 2007
Release Date: TBA 2009
Cast
Victoria:
Emily Blunt, of "Summer Of Love", "The Devil Wears Prada," will star as the young Victoria. Emily Blunt has decided that her Queen Victoria won't be rigid and unsmiling - she'll be a wild child who, behind the scenes, lets her hair down.
----------------------------------------
Prince Albert:
Rupert Friend of "Pride And Prejudice," "The Libertine," "Outlaw," will play Victoria's husband, Prince Albert.
----------------------------------------
Duchess of Kent:
Miranda Richardson of "Tom & Viv", "Damage" and "Fred Claus" will play the Duchess of Kent, Victoria's mother.
----------------------------------------
King William:
Jim Broadbent of "Iris" and "Indiana Jones 4" will play King William IV, Victoria's uncle, whose 1837 death paved the way for his niece Victoria to accede to the throne.
----------------------------------------
Sir John Conroy:
Mark Strong, of "Syriana", will play the devious Sir John Conroy, a man rumored to have been Queen Victoria's real father.
----------------------------------------
Lord Melbourne:
Paul Bettany, of "A Beautiful Mind", "The Knight's Tale" and "The Da Vinci Code", will play the adviser who helped Britain's Queen Victoria learn about government and politics.
----------------------------------------
King Leopold of Belgium:
Thomas Kretschmann of "King Kong" will play young Victoria's uncle. Kretschmann most recently completed shooting the Angelina Jolie starrer 'Wanted' and has been cast in Bryan Singer's 'Valkyrie' starring Tom Cruise.
----------------------------------------
Lady-in-Waiting:
Genevieve O'Reilly, who played the title role in "Diana: Last Days of a Princess", will play one of Victoria's ladies-in-waiting.
A Real Princess in "The Young Victoria" Film
Princess Beatrice to Be an Extra
Princess Beatrice, who is fifth in line to the throne, will appear in "The Young Victoria." Beatrice, 19, will have a non-speaking role in scenes showing her great-great-great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria's coronation. Beatrice will have her gown specially fitted and make-up checked by Academy Awardwinners Sandy Powell and Jenny Shircore.
A "Victorian" Princess Beatrice
On location at Lincoln Cathedral, a 19 year old princess is dressed up for her great-great-great-great-grandmother's wedding.
Film Location
You Want Me to Film Where??
Producer Graham King admits that for a while he was under budgetary pressure to do some location shooting abroad, but he was adamant that the film would be shot in Britain.
"You can't shoot a film about a great queen of England in bloody Budapest or Bucharest - or at least I can't. Audiences aren't stupid. They travel, so they know an Eastern European landscape when they see one," King insisted.
Filming begins next month on locations all over the UK, and Fergie has been vital in helping executives to meet with officials responsible for Kensington Palace and Windsor Castle. Director Jean-Marc Vallee wants to shoot portions of the film there. Westminster Abbey is on the list of desired locations. Permission has already been granted to shoot some of the movie at Blenheim Palace, Arundel Castle and Belvoir Castle.
Filming Began in August 2007
The Young Victoria will be filmed on location in England and at Shepperton Studios during a 10 week shoot. Many of England's famous estates and landmarks will be featured.
Film Location: Wilton House
Filming Began at the Wilton House in August 2007
The magnificent Wilton House with its splendid staterooms and landscaped parkland are unsurpassed as a backdrop for period dramas. In recent years Wilton House has been used for feature films such as "Sense & Sensibility," "The Madness of King George," "Mrs Brown" and "Pride & Prejudice."
Web Site
Film Location: Blenheim Palace
Filming Began at the Blenheim Palace on August 20-25, 2007
Set in 2100 acres of beautiful parkland, the exquisite Baroque Palace is surrounded by sweeping lawns, formal gardens and the magnificent Lake.
Web Site
Filming at Blenheim Palace
Film Location: Westminster Abbey
"Young Victoria" was filmed in and around Westminster Abbey for the coronation scenes. Westminster Abbey is the House of Kings, where the coronation of Kings and Queens has taken place since 1066, and where many of the Kings and Queens of England and of the United Kingdom are buried.
Web Site
Film Location: Belvoir Castle
"Young Victoria" was filmed at Belvoir Castle, the ancestral home of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland for one thousand years and currently the family home of 11th Duke and Duchess and their five children. Some of the rooms, including the Elizabeth Salon, will appear as the inside of Windsor Castle.
Web Site
Film Location: Arundel Castle
"Young Victoria" was filmed at Arundel Castle, the seat of The Dukes of Norfolk and set in 40 acres of sweeping grounds and gardens, Arundel Castle has been open to visitors seasonally for nearly 200 years.
Web Site
Film Location: Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral was a backdrop of this historical epic. The cathedral doubled as Westminster Abbey as it also did in "The Da Vinci Code," and scenes from Queen Victoria's Coronation will be filmed there.
Costumes
Costume Designer: Sandy Powell
Sandy Powell has won 2 Oscars for "The Aviator" and "Shakespeare in Love," plus another 6 wins and 21 nominations.
Sandy Powell has won 2 Oscars for "The Aviator" and "Shakespeare in Love," plus another 6 wins and 21 nominations.
Latest News About the Movie
- 2/08/07 - Scorsese, King team for Queen
- Duo are reteaming to produce "The Young Victoria," which will chronicle the early life of the famed British monarch.
- 2/19/07 - Vallee Signs on to Direct The Young Victoria
- Vallee has private tours of Buckingham, Windsor and Kensington palaces, as well as Westminster Abbey.
- 3/02/07 - Blunt to Play the Young Queen Victoria
- Emily Blunt, who shot to stardom in Summer Of Love and The Devil Wears Prada, will portray the young Victoria in a movie that begins filming in London late this summer.
- 3/20/07 - Emily Blunt to Play Queen
- King said Blunt is "perfect to play this feisty, passionate young woman who went on to have nine children with the love of her life, Prince Albert."
- 3/22/07 - Film About Victoria is by Royal Appointment
- The Duchess of York said yesterday: "I met Graham King and said, 'Why don't you produce a movie about Queen Victoria?' All people see of Victoria is a melancholy Queen in mourning, dressed in black. She should be remembered as a beautiful girl, skipping through the grass in bare feet. Hers is a wonderful love story."
- 4/03/07 - Mary Poppins Book Writer to Pen Screenplay for "The Young Victoria"
- Julian Fellowes - book writer of the Mary Poppins musical currently playing on Broadway and in London - will pen the screenplay for the upcoming film "The Young Victoria."
- 7/08/07 - 'Young Victoria' finds Friend
- Graham King and Martin Scorsese have found their Prince Albert. Rupert Friend ("Pride and Prejudice") will star opposite Emily Blunt in "The Young Victoria."
- 7/12/07 - Fergie Wants to Shoot in Royal Palaces
- Filming of The Young Victoria begins next month on locations all over the UK, and the Duchess has been vital in helping executives to meet with officials responsible for Kensington Palace and Windsor Castle.
- 7/30/07 - Be Part of the Movie!
- 8/01/07 - Broadbent, Richardson Join Royal Drama
- Jim Broadbent and Miranda Richardson have joined the royal crowd in "The Young Victoria," Graham King and Martin Scorsese's look at the monarch's tur-bulent rise to power.
- 8/19/07 - Pair set for Young Victoria
- Paul Bettany and Thomas Kretschmann have joined "The Young Victoria."
- 8/17/07 - Can You Dance?
- "Young Victoria" is looking for male dancers for a Regency Waltz and energetic country dance for the Ball scene. Call Sam on :-
07977 988 225 (between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday only) if you are interested and available on the following dates:- 22/08/07 casting, 28/08/07or 03/09/07 for Costume fitting, 13/09/07 for Rehearsal , 07/10/07 for Filming. - 9/22/07 - Making a Throne
- The Bridgwater-based Woodcarvers Guild has been commissioned to produce an exact copy of the elaborate, 700-year-old Coronation Throne and stool. The original is based in Westminster Abbey and was made in 1297 on the orders of Edward I.
- 9/23/07 - Arundel Castle
- Arundel Castle to play a part in forthcoming feature film The Young Victoria.
- 09/27/07 - On The Set At What Time??
- An extra describes his day on the set of "The Young Victoria."
- 10/12/07 - Prince Albert
- Prince Albert was a workaholic who would rise at four in the morning, take the dogs out, play sport - and still find time to study philosophy, politics and languages.
- 10/19/07 - Queen Doesn't Like Her Corset
- British actress Emily Blunt hates playing 19th century British monarch Queen Victorian in new movie "The Young Victoria" - because the costume choices severely restrict her diet.
A Free Online Magazine about the Victorian Era
Victoriana Magazine is a free online publication for all who love the Victorian Era. It is a vibrant and inspiring magazine that cuts through the complexities of modern life to illustrate what was beautiful in the past.
Victoriana Magazine transforms the internet into an online time-machine focusing on the decorative arts and lifestyles during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) with articles from both current experts and Victorian era publications. This free online magazine provides ideas, inspiration and information on Victorian fashion, decorating, remodeling, entertaining, holidays, history and more. Each illustrated issue contains a special crafts section, children's corner, plus the latest museum exhibits.
See Victoriana Magazine online now!
A Royal Wedding for Young Victoria
Read about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's wedding, including details of her wedding dress and the bridesmaids' dresses. Find info HERE!
Victoria had NINE children!
Want to know what she thought of it all?
Queen Victoria's Not So VICTORIAN Writings
Illustrated article about what Queen Victoria really thought about pregnancy, children, marriage and men.
Timeline of Queen Victoria's Life
Short and Personal
1819 - Victoria, daughter of Edward, Duke of Kent and Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfield, is born at Kensington Palace on May 24th.1837 - On June 20th, Victoria, at age 18, becomes Queen of England, succeeding her uncle William IV.
1837 - Prince Albert writes a letter to his cousin, the Queen of England.
1838 - Victoria is crowned at Westminster Abbey on June 28th.
1840 - Marriage of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on February 10th.
1840 - Princess Victoria is born - first child.
1841 - Prince Albert Edward Wettin is born - second child and future King of England.
1842 - Attempted assassination of Queen Victoria.
1843 - Princess Alice Maude Mary is born - third child.
1844 - Prince Alfred Ernest Albert is born - fourth child.
1846 - Princess Helena Augusta Victoria is born - fifth child.
1848 - Princess Louise Caroline Alberta is born - sixth child.
1850 - Prince Arthur William Patrick is born - seventh child.
1851 - Great Exhibition opens in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park.
1853 - Prince Leopold George Duncan is born - eighth child.
1857 - Princess Beatrice Mary Victoria is born - ninth child.
1857 - Parliament gives Albert the title of Prince Consort.
1861 - Prince Albert dies of typhoid fever at age 42.
1863 - Edward, Prince of Wales, marries Alexandra of Denmark.
1877 - Victoria becomes Empress of India.
1887 - Queen Victoria celebrates her Golden Jubilee, 40th anniversary of her accession to the throne.
1897 - Queen Victoria celebrates her Diamond Jubilee, 50th anniversary of her accession to the throne.
1901 - The death of Queen Victoria at Osborne House, Isle of Wight on January 22nd. She was 81.
Dressing-Up - Women's Fashions 1855-1860
The mid-nineteenth century lady was a vision of elegance and grace in beautiful gowns lavishly trimmed with frills, flounces, lace, braid, fringe, ruche and ribbons. The fashion conscious Victorian lady created this appearance with a mysterious combination of the "uncomfortable and inconvenient" with the "frivolous and decorative." Numerous heavy petticoats, layers of underclothes, metal hoops, tight corsets under-pointed boned bodices of whalebone and steel were hidden by an array of ornately accented undersleeves, collars, pelerines, fans, gloves, hats, and parasols. The finished look was of elegance and grace with an illusion of ease and comfort.
Read More!
Dressing the Victorian Lady - 19th Century Fashion Links
- Dressing the Victorian Lady from the 1850's
- Step by step description of Victorian clothing worn by the Victorian lady from the 1850s, starting with her undergarments to her Victorian dress.
- A Chapter on Shawls
- Cashmere Shawls: A garment capable of appearing the most feminine and graceful in the world was a "must have" Victorian clothing garment for the lady of fashion.
- Fashion Print Timeline
- Victorian dresses from 1850 to 1865.
- 1860s Wedding Dress
- An early 1860s Victorian dress. Move mouse over image to learn about the Victorian clothing worn underneath a dress.
- Lady's White Night Caps
- Illustration of Victorian night caps for ladies from Harper's Bazaar.
- Headdresses and Hairstyles
- Fashionable hair styles for the Victorian lady, 1860-65.
- A Gift for a Princess - A Royal Purse
- The small tan colored leather purse trimmed in royal blue piping was presented to Alexandra, The Princess of Wales, married to Queen Victoria's eldest son and heir.
- The Royal Unmentionables
- Identifying a royal collection - Queen Victoria's underwear.
- Auctioning a Queen's Wardrobe
- What did 19th century royalty wear? Auction catalog with descriptions of Queen Alexandra and Prince Edward's royal garments during the height of Victorian fashion.
- A Princess' Silk Shoes
- Silk shoes worn by Princess Alexandra in the 1860s. Part of HM Queen Alexandra's trousseau.
The Victorian Crinoline or Hoop-Skirt
The Victorian crinoline, or hoop-skirt, was a vital accessory worn under the expansive mid-1800s skirt.
Info & Images here.
Dance, Dance, Dance!
A Victorian Ball
It was in the ballroom that Victorian society was on its best behavior. Read this illustrated article about the proper etiquette for a 19th century ball.
19th Century Dance Instruction
You know how to dress for a Victorian Ball, but do you know how to dance? Watch these videos.
Dressing-Up - Men's Fashions, 1840s
Men's
Clothing 1840s
Colorful fashion prints showing men's clothing from
the 1840s, the first 10 years of Victoria and Albert's marriage.
Dressing the Victorian Gentleman - 19th Century Fashion Links
- The Victorian Gentleman's Smoking Cap
- A smoking cap or lounging cap was popular as informal gentleman's wear from the late 1840s through the 1880s.
- Men's Slippers
- Berlin wool work was a style of embroidery very popular during the mid- 19th century. These men's shoes were worked on canvas in a petit point stitch with colorful wools, producing an intricate three-dimensional look.
- Pattern for Gentleman's Smoking Cap
- A needlework pattern for a gentleman's smoking cap.
- Gentleman's Shirt
- Directions and pattern to make a man's mid-19th century shirt.
- Men' Clothing- 1830s
- Colorful 19th century fashion prints showing the latest styles of men's clothing from the 1830s.
- Gentlemen's Fashions from 1868
- Harper's Bazaar, a leading 19th century fashion magazine, features fashions for men.
Info on British Royalty
- Alexandra, Princess of Wales
- An intimate look at a young princess.
- A Queen's Daughter, Princess Alice Maud Mary
- Read about Queen Victoria's daughter, Princess Alice Maud Mary.
- Photographs of British Royalty
- Thumbnails of images of royalty in the Lafayette Archive at the V&A.
- Queen Victoria Biography
- Victoria was the only child of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and Princess Victoria Mary Louisa of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.
- An Acquired Collection
- Queen Victoria had a expansive and varied collection of antiques and art work, see what caught her eye.
- British Royal Residences Through the Ages
- During the past thousand years kings and queens of the United Kingdom have built, bought and acquired many different residences as their centers of government, workplaces and family homes.
- King Edward VII
- He was the second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria (r. 1837 - 1901) and Prince Albert. Prince Edward was 59 years old when he became king.
- The British Royal Collection
- The Royal Collection includes paintings, drawings and watercolors, furniture, ceramics, clocks, silver, sculpture, jewelry, books, manuscripts, prints and maps, arms and armor, fans, and textiles of the British Royal family through history.
More News!
Fetching RSS feed... please stand by
