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122-530: The Young Victoria is a 2009 British period drama film directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and written by Julian Fellowes , based on the early life and reign of Queen Victoria , and her marriage to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha . Produced by Graham King , Martin Scorsese , Sarah Ferguson , and Timothy Headington , the film stars Emily Blunt , Rupert Friend , Paul Bettany , Miranda Richardson , Harriet Walter , Mark Strong , and Jim Broadbent among

244-477: A "frivolously entertaining film" and believed it was "directed with some snap by Jean-Marc Vallée." Dargis finished her review, "Despite the filmmakers' efforts to persuade us that The Young Victoria is a serious work, and despite some tense moments and gunfire, the film's pleasures are as light as its story. No matter. Albert may never rip Victoria's bodice, but he does eventually loosen it, to her delight and ours." The Daily Telegraph called The Young Victoria

366-472: A "production of the highest calibre with an impeccable cast." The Times ' Wendy Ide gave the film 3 out 5 stars wrote "It's decorative, but suffers from a stultifying lack of drama" and found similarities to the 1998 film Elizabeth . Ide found Victoria and Albert's relationship to be "persuasive and rather charming," and praised the performances of both the main and supporting cast, particularly noting Bettany's scene-stealing performance. Less positive

488-636: A (Kind of) Blue Plaque by the Brecon Jazz Festival as one of the venues making the greatest contribution to jazz music in the United Kingdom. During the First World War , which lasted from 1914 until 1918, the palace escaped unscathed. Its more valuable contents were evacuated to Windsor, but the royal family remained in residence. The King imposed rationing at the palace, much to the dismay of his guests and household. To

610-464: A B+; he gave praise to Emily Blunt's performance and concluded, " The Young Victoria has a subtler flow than you might expect, and at times it's calmer than you may like. Director Jean-Marc Vallée's images have a creamy stateliness, but this is no gilded princess fantasy – it's the story of a budding ruler who learns to control her surroundings, and Blunt makes that journey at once authentic and relevant." Manohla Dargis of The New York Times called it

732-571: A DJ to "create a structure for a film using music with the right rhythm and balance. I wanted to combine classical pieces with a rock spirit." During filming Vallée often played rock music, such as the Rolling Stones , to create the right "mood" before a scene. Executive producer Colin Vaines knew composer Ilan Eshkeri , and hired him for the film. Sinéad O'Connor performed "Only You," which O'Sullivan described as "very much in line with one of

854-573: A German Dornier Do 17 bomber he believed was going to bomb the palace. Holmes had run out of ammunition to shoot down the bomber and made the quick decision to ram it. He bailed out and the bomber crashed into the forecourt of London Victoria station . Its engine was later exhibited at the Imperial War Museum in London. Holmes became a King's Messenger after the war and died at the age of 90 in 2005. On VE Day —8 May 1945—the palace

976-480: A backwards walk and a further curtsey, while manoeuvring a dress train of prescribed length. The ceremony, known as an evening court, corresponded to the "court drawing rooms " of Victoria's reign. After World War II, the ceremony was replaced by less formal afternoon receptions, omitting the requirement of court evening dress. In 1958, Queen Elizabeth II abolished the presentation parties for débutantes, replacing them with Garden Parties , for up to 8,000 invitees in

1098-545: A genre directed towards women. Historical dramas have also been described as a conservative genre, glorifying an imagined past that never existed. Historical drama may include mostly fictionalized narratives based on actual people or historical events, such as the history plays of Shakespeare , Apollo 13 , The Tudors , Braveheart , Chernobyl , Enemy at the Gates , Les Misérables , and Titanic . Works may include references to real-life people or events from

1220-662: A huge anteroom to the Throne Room, and is part of the ceremonial route to the throne from the Guard Room at the top of the Grand Staircase. The Guard Room contains white marble statues of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, in Roman costume, set in a tribune lined with tapestries. These very formal rooms are used only for ceremonial and official entertaining but are open to the public every summer. Directly underneath

1342-420: A lack of interest, Vallée agreed to direct after reading the script. He commented, "When I read the script, I saw it's a family drama, a romance, a political plot at the same time." Vallée considered Victoria to be a rebel because "she has this attitude, which is you make noise, you want to yell and yell loudly to your parents and all the people, to authority... 'I'm going to do it my way.' That's what rock 'n' roll

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1464-638: A lake and a tennis court. Adjacent to the palace is the Royal Mews , also designed by Nash, where the royal carriages, including the Gold State Coach , are housed. This Rococo styled gilt coach , designed by William Chambers in 1760, has painted panels by Giovanni Battista Cipriani . It was first used for the State Opening of Parliament by George III in 1762 and has been used by the monarch for every coronation since William IV . It

1586-544: A large ensemble cast . As screenwriter, Fellowes sought to make the film as historically accurate as possible. With this in mind, Oscar -winning costume designer Sandy Powell and historical consultant Alastair Bruce were hired, and filming for The Young Victoria took place at various historical landmarks in England to further the film's authenticity. Despite this, some aspects of the film have been criticised for their historical inaccuracies. Momentum Pictures released

1708-411: A letter of support during the crisis. The final title cards sketch Victoria and Albert's successful future together until his death, aged forty-two. Victoria lives on until her death at eighty-one, ever loyal to his memory and having reigned for sixty-three years. It was Sarah, Duchess of York , who conceived the idea for a film based upon the early years of Queen Victoria. She had been interested in

1830-504: A meeting with producer Graham King , to whom she pitched the idea along with several others. At the time wrapping up his work on The Departed , King, a native of Britain, had been looking for a project set in his home country for years. The producer later remembered, "she pitched me a bunch of things, and among them was a three-page synopsis of Victoria's early life: the precise span covered in The Young Victoria . [After that

1952-464: A minority wear morning coats , and in the evening, depending on the formality of the occasion, black tie or white tie . Débutantes were aristocratic young ladies making their first entrée into society through a presentation to the monarch at court. These occasions, known as "coming out", took place at the palace from the reign of Edward VII. The débutantes entered—wearing full court dress, with three ostrich feathers in their hair—curtsied, performed

2074-497: A more intimate relationship, however, and he leaves. When Sir Robert Peel seems likely to form a government to replace Melbourne's, he wishes to replace some of Victoria's ladies-in-waiting with supporters of his own party. When the Queen refuses, Peel rejects her invitation to form a new government, allowing Melbourne to continue as Prime Minister. The subsequent crisis damages Victoria's popularity, leading to demonstrations outside

2196-491: A more serious personality than his father; greater emphasis was now placed on official entertainment and royal duties than on lavish parties. He arranged a series of command performances featuring jazz musicians such as the Original Dixieland Jazz Band (1919; the first jazz performance for a head of state), Sidney Bechet and Louis Armstrong (1932), which earned the palace a nomination in 2009 for

2318-488: A mutual fondness, despite her knowing that their uncle sent him to romance her. They begin writing to one another after he returns home. At a birthday reception in Windsor Castle , King William states his wish to be closer to Victoria and insults her mother. When he increases Victoria's income, it is rejected by Conroy, who physically subdues her in front of her mother, heightening their animosity. The King then sends

2440-497: A political mentor to the young queen, was forty years her senior, but is portrayed as a much younger man in the film. As for King Leopold, he was her favourite uncle whose advice she constantly sought; her interest in Albert was due not to the latter's success in wooing her, but simply to please Leopold. Victoria's great-great-granddaughter Queen Elizabeth II viewed the film in a special screening; according to one source, she believed

2562-477: A post office, cinema, swimming pool, doctor's surgery, and jeweller's workshop. The royal family occupy a small suite of private rooms in the north wing. The principal rooms are contained on the first-floor piano nobile behind the west-facing garden façade at the rear of the palace. The centre of this ornate suite of state rooms is the Music Room, its large bow the dominant feature of the façade. Flanking

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2684-458: A reorganisation of the household offices and staff, and with addressing the design faults of the palace. By the end of 1840, all the problems had been rectified. However, the builders were to return within a decade. By 1847, the couple found the palace too small for court life and their growing family and a new wing, designed by Edward Blore, was built by Thomas Cubitt , enclosing the central quadrangle. The work, carried out from 1847 to 1849,

2806-582: A scene, as the scenes are so intense and real." Jim Broadbent and Mark Strong joined the cast as King William IV and Sir John Conroy, respectively, as did Harriet Walter as Queen Adelaide. Sarah's elder daughter, Princess Beatrice of York , made her film debut in a small cameo role, becoming the first member of the Royal Family to appear in a non-documentary film. "It adds so much to the film to shoot at these beautiful locations. You look at these places and think how can you not shoot here. Not only does

2928-534: A sword) usually take place in the palace's Throne Room . Investitures are conducted by the King or another senior member of the royal family: a military band plays in the musicians' gallery, as recipients receive their honours , watched by their families and friends. State banquets take place in the Ballroom, built in 1854. At 120 feet (36.6 m) long, 60 feet (18 m) wide and 45 feet (13.5 m) high, it

3050-426: Is a contradiction to people's preconception of what she was like. Everyone knows her as the mourning Queen who was wheeled around in black with a hanky on her head and was kind of repressed, but she was just the polar opposite when she was younger. That was exciting to me, that I could change people's opinion of what Victoria was like." –Emily Blunt on her character Queen Victoria For the title role, King required

3172-562: Is a royal residence in London , and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom . Located in the City of Westminster , the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning. Originally known as Buckingham House, the building at the core of today's palace

3294-596: Is a symbol and home of the British monarchy, an art gallery and a tourist attraction. Behind the gilded railings and gates that were completed by the Bromsgrove Guild in 1911, lies Webb's famous façade, which was described in a book published by the Royal Collection Trust as looking "like everybody's idea of a palace". It has not only been a weekday home of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip but

3416-419: Is all about. That's what I liked about her, this energy. [Victoria] was special and had this mystical quality." Academy Award-winning costume designer Sandy Powell heard about the script and contacted King, who in turn hired her. Powell was given access to Victoria's wedding dress and coronation robes while researching. Based upon his work on The Lives of Others and his German nationality, Hagen Bogdanski

3538-650: Is her maternal uncle, King Leopold I of Belgium , who uses family ties to secure an alliance between the United Kingdom and Belgium . He wants his nephew Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha , who is Victoria's cousin, to marry her. Albert is coached in Victoria's likes and dislikes. When the Duchess invites the Coburg brothers, Albert and Prince Ernest of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha , to visit, Victoria and Albert develop

3660-405: Is her mother, Victoria, Duchess of Kent , and the comptroller of the Duchess's household, Sir John Conroy . He tries to force Victoria to sign papers, declaring a regency that would give her mother (and himself) power if Victoria ascends the throne before her eighteenth birthday— that is, while still a minor— the provision remaining in effect until she is twenty-five years old. On the other side

3782-464: Is the largest room in the palace; at one end of the room is a throne dais (beneath a giant, domed velvet canopy, known as a shamiana or baldachin , that was used at the Delhi Durbar in 1911). State Banquets are formal dinners held on the first evening of a state visit by a foreign head of state. On these occasions, for up to 170 guests in formal "white tie and decorations", including tiaras,

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3904-480: Is what he actually said!" However, the Duchess of Kent was seated next to the King when he spoke and did not leave during the speech; and, undepicted in the film, the princess burst into tears, "and the two parties, soon realising that they had gone too far, patched up an uneasy truce." According to Charles Greville 's memoirs: "The Queen [Adelaide] looked in deep distress, the Princess [Victoria] burst into tears, and

4026-651: The BAFTA Award for Best Makeup and Hair . The film also received the 2010 Academy Award for Costume Design . Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the DVD and Blu-ray on 13 July 2009 for the UK, and 20 April 2010 for the US. The DVD special features included deleted and extended scenes, and four featurettes on filming and the subject matter's history. The Blu-ray possesses a feature that allows viewers to access real-time data about

4148-470: The Lord Chamberlain . Formerly, men not wearing military uniform wore knee breeches of 18th-century design. Women's evening dress included trains and tiaras or feathers in their hair (often both). The dress code governing formal court uniform and dress has progressively relaxed. After the First World War , when Queen Mary wished to follow fashion by raising her skirts a few inches from

4270-642: The Norman Conquest , William the Conqueror . William gave the site to Geoffrey de Mandeville , who bequeathed it to the monks of Westminster Abbey . In 1531, Henry VIII acquired the Hospital of St James, which became St James's Palace , from Eton College , and in 1536 he took the Manor of Ebury from Westminster Abbey. These transfers brought the site of Buckingham Palace back into royal hands for

4392-526: The Palace of Westminster was destroyed by fire in 1834, he offered to convert Buckingham Palace into a new Houses of Parliament, but his offer was declined. Buckingham Palace became the principal royal residence in 1837, on the accession of Queen Victoria, who was the first monarch to reside there. While the state rooms were a riot of gilt and colour, the necessities of the new palace were somewhat less luxurious. The chimneys were said to smoke so much that

4514-583: The Prime Minister Lord Melbourne to advise her. Victoria agrees to make Melbourne her private secretary, and he appoints her ladies-in-waiting , who are from families politically allied to him. King William dies shortly after Victoria's eighteenth birthday, thus avoiding a regency. After ascending the throne, Victoria immediately exerts her independence, physically distancing herself from her mother and banishing Conroy from her household and coronation . During her first meeting with

4636-528: The Privy Council , Victoria announces her intention to devote herself to serving her country and its people. She moves into the newly built Buckingham Palace . Her aunt, the dowager Queen Adelaide , advises her against acquiescing too much in Lord Melbourne's directives. Albert visits again, and he and Victoria further bond while discussing their mutual interest in social issues. She resists

4758-541: The Race Relations Act 1968 . He stated that the palace did not hire people of colour for clerical jobs, only as domestic servants. He arranged with civil servants for an exemption that meant that complaints of racism against the royal household would be sent directly to the Home Secretary and kept out of the legal system. The palace, like Windsor Castle, is owned by the reigning monarch in right of

4880-547: The Victoria Memorial , concluding at the entrance gates into the palace forecourt . This route is used by the cavalcades and motorcades of visiting heads of state, and by the royal family on state occasions—such as the annual Trooping the Colour . The boy Jones was an intruder who gained entry to the palace on three occasions between 1838 and 1841. At least 12 people have managed to gain unauthorised entry into

5002-448: The westerns and sword and sandal films that dominated North American cinema in the 1950s. The costume drama is often separated as a genre of historical dramas. Early critics defined them as films focusing on romance and relationships in sumptuous surroundings, contrasting them with other historical dramas believed to have more serious themes. Other critics have defended costume dramas, and argued that they are disparaged because they are

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5124-515: The "fundamental truth," such as the characters' real relationships to each other, he strove to "use episodes to illustrate the journey you're taking your characters, and with them, your audience." Although largely faithful to a selection of historical facts, the film has drawn criticism for embellishing events in order to increase dramatic potential . For example, Prince Albert was never shot during an assassination attempt on Queen Victoria. Fellowes told BBC Radio 4's Film Programme that in actuality

5246-469: The 2005 film Pride & Prejudice . Vallée noted, "I had an image of Albert in my mind, before we cast Rupert, and how the actor might play him and when Rupert came on board he was just right. He had a very good understanding of the character and he did a lot of research to get him right, with the accent and his deportment. He really looks the part, he looks so romantic!" Co-producer Dennis O'Sullivan called Friend "our Scarlett O'Hara search." They believed

5368-578: The Chinese regency style with furniture and fittings brought from the Royal Pavilion at Brighton and from Carlton House . The palace has 775 rooms, and the garden is the largest private garden in London. The state rooms, used for official and state entertaining, are open to the public each year for most of August and September and on some days in winter and spring. In the Middle Ages ,

5490-763: The Crown . Occupied royal palaces are not part of the Crown Estate , nor are they the monarch's personal property, unlike Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle . The Government of the United Kingdom is responsible for maintaining the palace in exchange for the profits made by the Crown Estate. In 2015, the State Dining Room was closed for a year and a half because its ceiling had become potentially dangerous. A 10-year schedule of maintenance work, including new plumbing, wiring, boilers and radiators, and

5612-588: The Duchess of Kent's funds. As Victoria's primary adviser, Albert blocks Lord Melbourne and King Leopold from influencing his wife. However, he and Victoria fiercely quarrel after Albert goes over her head to Peel about replacing some of her ladies-in-waiting. But when an anarchist attempts to shoot Victoria during an open-carriage ride, Albert is wounded when he shields her. His bravery leads to their reconciliation, and Melbourne urges her to share her work for social welfare with Albert. Their first child's birth helps reconcile Victoria and her mother, who had earlier sent

5734-562: The Duchess of York's status and connections with the British royal family, The Young Victoria was able to film in many actual palaces and other landmarks. The film had a ten-week shoot starting in August 2007. Scenes set at Westminster Abbey were filmed at Lincoln Cathedral in September and October, and Ham House was substituted for Kensington Palace . Blenheim Palace , Lancaster House and Ditchley Park doubled for internal scenes of

5856-461: The Garden. They are the largest functions of the year. At the rear of the palace is the large and park-like garden, which together with its lake is the largest private garden in London. There, Elizabeth II hosted her annual garden parties each summer and also held large functions to celebrate royal milestones, such as jubilees. It covers 17 ha (42 acres) and includes a helicopter landing area,

5978-603: The King's later regret, David Lloyd George persuaded him to go further and ostentatiously lock the wine cellars and refrain from alcohol, to set a good example to the supposedly inebriated working class. The workers continued to imbibe, and the King was left unhappy at his enforced abstinence. George V's wife, Queen Mary , was a connoisseur of the arts and took a keen interest in the Royal Collection of furniture and art, both restoring and adding to it. Queen Mary also had many new fixtures and fittings installed, such as

6100-582: The London residence of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837. The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the East Front, which contains the balcony on which the royal family traditionally appears to greet crowds. A German bomb destroyed the palace chapel during the Second World War ; the King's Gallery was built on

6222-755: The Music Room are the Blue and the White Drawing Rooms. At the centre of the suite, serving as a corridor to link the state rooms, is the Picture Gallery, which is top-lit and 55 yards (50 m) long. The Gallery is hung with numerous works including some by Rembrandt , van Dyck , Rubens and Vermeer ; other rooms leading from the Picture Gallery are the Throne Room and the Green Drawing Room. The Green Drawing Room serves as

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6344-827: The Music Room at the Brighton Pavilion. The ornate clock, known as the Kylin Clock , was made in Jingdezhen , Jiangxi Province , China, in the second half of the 18th century; it has a later movement by Benjamin Vulliamy circa 1820. The Yellow Drawing Room has hand-painted Chinese wallpaper supplied in 1817 for the Brighton Saloon, and a chimneypiece which is a European vision of a Chinese chimneypiece. It has nodding mandarins in niches and fearsome winged dragons , designed by Robert Jones. At

6466-572: The Principal Corridor, which runs the length of the eastern side of the quadrangle. It has mirrored doors and mirrored cross walls reflecting porcelain pagodas and other oriental furniture from Brighton. The Chinese Luncheon Room and Yellow Drawing Room are situated at each end of this gallery, with the Centre Room in between. Investitures for the awarding of honours (which include the conferring of knighthoods by dubbing with

6588-659: The UK The Young Victoria grossed £1,016,053, and earned a total of £4,538,697 over its six-week run. A bidding war erupted over its US release, and American distribution studio Apparition on the behalf of Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group won the rights to the film. At the time, Apparition executive Bob Berney noted the film is "very audience friendly and commercial." The Young Victoria earned US$ 160,069 on its initial US release on 18 December 2009, where it opened in twenty theatres. It expanded nationwide on Christmas Day , and grossed US$ 11,001,272 by

6710-488: The actor had the most chemistry with Blunt after selecting several to play chess with her. Friend's height (6 ft 1in) also played a factor in their choice. Friend believed "Albert was a true unsung hero. A great reformer, a doting husband and father, a hard worker and man of real integrity and modesty." The actor also thought their relationship was not "a gooey love story;" rather, their arguments showed it "wasn't an easy road by any means." Friend strove to immerse himself in

6832-537: The actors, music, film trivia and other information. Period drama Historical drama can be differentiated from historical fiction , which generally present fictional characters and events against a backdrop of historical events. A period piece may be set in a vague or general era such as the Middle Ages , or a specific period such as the Roaring Twenties , or the recent past. In different eras different subgenres have risen to popularity, such as

6954-457: The age. Buckingham Palace—the Ballroom, Grand Entrance, Marble Hall, Grand Staircase, vestibules and galleries were redecorated in the Belle Époque cream and gold colour scheme they retain today—once again became a setting for entertaining on a majestic scale but leaving some to feel Edward's heavy redecorations were at odds with Nash's original work. The last major building work took place during

7076-409: The candidate be British, and considered casting an unknown actress. British actress Emily Blunt read the script, and aware other actresses would fight for the part, she approached King early in the search process. Blunt later admitted she had a "non-existent knowledge" of the queen, but after consulting her mother about Victoria's successful marriage, Blunt told King that the queen "was a young girl who

7198-480: The centre of this wing is the famous balcony with the Centre Room behind its glass doors. This is a Chinese-style saloon enhanced by Queen Mary, who, working with the designer Charles Allom , created a more "binding" Chinese theme in the late 1920s, although the lacquer doors were brought from Brighton in 1873. Running the length of the piano nobile of the east wing is the Great Gallery, modestly known as

7320-505: The ceremony; the couple instead wrote letters to each other, but Fellowes felt that having them keep opening letters would be less cinematic. Furthermore, according to Fellowes, "The scene where [Conroy] is trying to make her sign the paper when she is ill and she throws it to the floor – it's completely true," and "The scene in Windsor where the King stands up and insults Victoria's mother is not only true, but about two-thirds of his speech

7442-480: The chapel destroyed. The King and Queen were filmed inspecting their bombed home, and the newsreel footage shown in cinemas throughout the United Kingdom to show the common suffering of rich and poor. As The Sunday Graphic reported: By the Editor: The King and Queen have endured the ordeal which has come to their subjects. For the second time a German bomber has tried to bring death and destruction to

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7564-565: The curved and domed Music Room or the State Dining Room. Since the bombing of the palace chapel in World War II, royal christenings have sometimes taken place in the Music Room. Queen Elizabeth II 's first three children were all baptised there. On all formal occasions, the ceremonies are attended by the Yeomen of the Guard , in their historic uniforms, and other officers of the court such as

7686-516: The dining table is laid with the Grand Service, a collection of silver-gilt plate made in 1811 for the Prince of Wales, later George IV. The largest and most formal reception at Buckingham Palace takes place every November when the King entertains members of the diplomatic corps . On this grand occasion, all the state rooms are in use, as the royal family proceed through them, beginning at

7808-519: The end of its theatrical run. On the online review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes , the film holds an approval score of 76% based on 157 reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The website's consensus reads, "Emily Blunt shines as Victoria in this romantic but plodding royal portrait." On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 64 out of 100, based on reviews from 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Entertainment Weekly film critic Owen Gleiberman gave The Young Victoria

7930-468: The film had a "lot of good points," but was unhappy with the change to the assassination attempt, and also thought the British officers' costumes looked too German. Apart from the assassination attempt, historian Alex von Tunzelmann noted that "historically, [the film's] not at all bad," and especially praised the depiction of contemporary politics and the characteristics Friend put into his performance as Prince Albert. Director Vallée used his background as

8052-492: The film in the United Kingdom and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group opened The Young Victoria in limited theatrical release in the United States. Critical reception was generally positive. Princess Alexandrina Victoria of Kent , the heiress presumptive to the British throne during the reign of her paternal uncle, King William IV , is subject to a political tug of war for influence over her. On one side

8174-624: The film look ravishing, but it's important for everyone especially the cast and director to feel that authenticity and see that translate onto the screen." –Graham King on filming in England In consideration of the expense of a film shot in Britain , King initially sought to film in Germany and Eastern Europe . However, he came to the realisation that it was vital The Young Victoria be filmed in its native country for authenticity. Due to

8296-415: The film's director, King wanted someone "who would steer us away from the traditional BBC-type costume drama," and "make a period film for an MTV audience." By chance, someone recommended King watch the 2005 film C.R.A.Z.Y. by French-Canadian filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée , and became immediately interested in hiring him. King offered the job to Vallée on their very first meeting. Though at first expressing

8418-621: The film] just fell into place." King brought frequent collaborator Martin Scorsese onboard initially as a co-executive producer, as the Academy Award -winning director knew "pretty much all there is to know about British history." Gosford Park screenwriter Julian Fellowes contacted King to present ideas for a script, and according to the producer, Fellowes "seemed to have the whole movie planned out in his head so we told him to go ahead and write it. Three months later, this incredibly impressive screenplay showed up on our desks." Fellowes

8540-424: The fires had to be allowed to die down, and consequently the palace was often cold. Ventilation was so bad that the interior smelled, and when it was decided to install gas lamps, there was a serious worry about the build-up of gas on the lower floors. It was also said that the staff were lax and lazy and the palace was dirty. Following the Queen's marriage in 1840, her husband, Prince Albert , concerned himself with

8662-415: The first time since William the Conqueror had given it away almost 500 years earlier. Various owners leased it from royal landlords, and the freehold was the subject of frenzied speculation during the 17th century. By then, the old village of Eye Cross had long since fallen into decay, and the area was mostly wasteland. Needing money, James VI and I sold off part of the Crown freehold but retained part of

8784-459: The great north doors of the Picture Gallery. As Nash had envisaged, all the large, double-mirrored doors stand open, reflecting the numerous crystal chandeliers and sconces , creating a deliberate optical illusion of space and light. Smaller ceremonies such as the reception of new ambassadors take place in the "1844 Room". Here too, the King holds small lunch parties, and often meetings of the Privy Council . Larger lunch parties often take place in

8906-450: The ground, she requested a lady-in-waiting to shorten her own skirt first to gauge the King's reaction. King George V disapproved, so the Queen kept her hemline unfashionably low. Following his accession in 1936, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth allowed the hemline of daytime skirts to rise. Today, there is no official dress code. Most men invited to Buckingham Palace in the daytime choose to wear service uniform or lounge suits ;

9028-555: The home of Their Majesties ... When this war is over the common danger which King George and Queen Elizabeth have shared with their people will be a cherished memory and an inspiration through the years. It was at this time the Queen famously declared: "I'm glad we have been bombed. Now I can look the East End in the face". On 15 September 1940, known as Battle of Britain Day , an RAF pilot, Ray Holmes of No. 504 Squadron , rammed

9150-608: The installation of solar panels on the roof, has been estimated to cost £369 million and was approved by the prime minister in November 2016. It will be funded by a temporary increase in the Sovereign Grant paid from the income of the Crown Estate and is intended to extend the building's working life by at least 50 years. In 2017, the House of Commons backed funding for the project by 464 votes to 56. Buckingham Palace

9272-521: The monarch at Buckingham Palace. They are allocated an extensive suite of rooms known as the Belgian Suite, situated at the foot of the Minister's Staircase, on the ground floor of the west-facing Garden Wing. Some of the rooms are named and decorated for particular visitors, such as the 1844 Room, decorated in that year for the state visit of Nicholas I of Russia , and the 1855 Room, in honour of

9394-570: The monarch's main residence, Buckingham Palace . Other scenes filmed at Hampton Court Palace , Arundel Castle in West Sussex , Wilton House near Salisbury , Balls Park and Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire . Week four of shooting was especially intensive, as filming was done at a different site each day, including Osterley Park , Old Royal Naval College , Ham House , Novello Theatre and Hampton Court. Fellowes strove to make

9516-487: The mulberry garden. Unbeknown to Goring, in 1640 the document "failed to pass the Great Seal before Charles I fled London, which it needed to do for legal execution". It was this critical omission that would help the British royal family regain the freehold under George III . When the improvident Goring defaulted on his rents, Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington was able to purchase the lease of Goring House and he

9638-447: The name "Buckingham Palace" was used from at least 1791. After his accession to the throne in 1820, George IV continued the renovation, intending to create a small, comfortable home. However, in 1826, while the work was in progress, the King decided to modify the house into a palace with the help of his architect John Nash . The façade was designed with George IV's preference for French neoclassical architecture in mind. The cost of

9760-429: The northwest pavilion, designed by Nash as a conservatory, was converted into a swimming pool. During the Second World War , which broke out in 1939, the palace was bombed nine times. The most serious and publicised incident destroyed the palace chapel in 1940. One bomb fell in the palace quadrangle while George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the future Queen Mother) were in the palace, and many windows were blown in and

9882-440: The overriding aims of the film, which was to be hopeful and tell people that these amazing love stories really can happen, it's not just a fairy tale." EMI Music released the film soundtrack. It received a nomination for the 2010 Ivor Novello Award for Best Original Score. The soundtrack includes the following tracks: Momentum Pictures handled distribution of The Young Victoria in the United Kingdom. The film's world premiere

10004-553: The pair of marble Empire style chimneypieces by Benjamin Vulliamy , dating from 1810, in the ground floor Bow Room, the huge low room at the centre of the garden façade. Queen Mary was also responsible for the decoration of the Blue Drawing Room. This room, 69 feet (21 metres) long, previously known as the South Drawing Room, has a ceiling designed by Nash, coffered with huge gilt console brackets. In 1938,

10126-426: The palace or its grounds since 1914, including Michael Fagan , who broke into the palace twice in 1982 and entered Queen Elizabeth II's bedroom on the second occasion on 9 July. At the time, news media reported that he had a long conversation with her while she waited for security officers to arrive, but in a 2012 interview with The Independent , Fagan said she ran out of the room, and no conversation took place. It

10248-408: The palace was seldom used, even neglected. In 1864, a note was found pinned to the fence, saying: "These commanding premises to be let or sold, in consequence of the late occupant's declining business." Eventually, public opinion persuaded the Queen to return to London, though even then she preferred to live elsewhere whenever possible. Court functions were still held at Windsor Castle, presided over by

10370-416: The palace. The turbulence draws Victoria closer to Albert through their letters and she invites him back to Britain. Protocol prevents him from proposing marriage, so she asks him. Their short honeymoon is loving, but Albert soon grows frustrated at his powerlessness. Queen Adelaide advises Victoria to allow him to assume more duties. He then reorganises the royal household and dismisses Conroy for mishandling

10492-435: The part. Vallée explained, "We couldn't find a 58-year-old actor who was sexy and good-looking enough. Paul was a more than good enough actor to age from the inside, and he plays him as a great politician and a great seducer." Early in the casting process the crew wanted to cast Miranda Richardson as the Duchess of Kent, and believed she had such great chemistry with Blunt that it became "genuinely uncomfortable watching them in

10614-408: The power dynamics around Victoria, but concluded "I spent an hour and three-quarters waiting for this film to start. Where was the tang and the zing and the oomph of Fellowes's cracking script for Robert Altman 's Gosford Park ?" Emily Blunt received various nominations for her role. At the 63rd British Academy Film Awards , The Young Victoria won the BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design and

10736-808: The prime minister. Every year, some 50,000 invited guests are entertained at garden parties, receptions, audiences and banquets. Three garden parties are held in the summer, usually in July. The forecourt of Buckingham Palace is used for the Changing of the Guard , a major ceremony and tourist attraction (daily from April to July; every other day in other months). The front of the palace measures 355 feet (108 m) across, by 390 feet (120 m) deep, by 80 feet (24 m) high and contains over 830,000 square feet (77,000 m ) of floorspace. There are 775 rooms, including 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, 78 bathrooms, 52 principal bedrooms and 19 state rooms . It also has

10858-403: The prince did put his body before the queen as protection, and that showing Prince Albert having been grazed by the bullet in the film was added to best show his bravery and devotion as he tried to stop Queen Victoria from being shot. Another departure from history comes during Victoria's coronation scene. Contrary to what is shown in the film, Albert (who was not yet betrothed) was not present at

10980-423: The property tycoon Hugh Audley by the great heiress Mary Davies. Possibly the first house erected within the site was that of William Blake, around 1624. The next owner was George Goring, 1st Earl of Norwich , who from 1633 extended Blake's house, which came to be known as Goring House, and developed much of today's garden, then known as Goring Great Garden. He did not, however, obtain the freehold interest in

11102-477: The public at the King's Gallery , near the Royal Mews . The purpose-built gallery opened in 1962 and displays a changing selection of items from the collection. It occupies the site of the chapel that was destroyed in the Second World War. The palace was designated a Grade I listed building in 1970. Its state rooms have been open to the public during August and September and on some dates throughout

11224-442: The queen since her marriage to Prince Andrew, Duke of York , a great-great-great-grandson of Victoria and Albert, and had written two books about her with the help of an historian. The Victoria-Albert relationship in particular drew her into the queen's history, as she believed there were parallels between their marriage and her own with Prince Andrew, as they both "fought for their love" in the midst of public scrutiny. A friend set up

11346-534: The reign of George V when, in 1913, Aston Webb redesigned Blore's 1850 East Front to resemble in part Giacomo Leoni 's Lyme Park in Cheshire. This new refaced principal façade (of Portland stone ) was designed to be the backdrop to the Victoria Memorial , a large memorial statue of Queen Victoria created by sculptor Thomas Brock , erected outside the main gates on a surround constructed by architect Aston Webb. George V, who had succeeded Edward VII in 1910, had

11468-595: The relevant time period or contain factually accurate representations of the time period. Works that focus on accurately portraying specific historical events or persons are instead known as docudrama , such as The Report . Where a person's life is central to the story, such a work is known as biographical drama , with notable examples being films such as Alexander , Frida , House of Saddam , Lincoln , Lust for Life , Raging Bull , Stalin , and Oppenheimer . Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace ( UK : / ˈ b ʌ k ɪ ŋ ə m / )

11590-415: The renovations grew dramatically, and by 1829 the extravagance of Nash's designs resulted in his removal as the architect. On the death of George IV in 1830, his younger brother William IV hired Edward Blore to finish the work. William never moved into the palace, preferring Clarence House , which had been built to his specifications and which had been his London home while he was heir presumptive. After

11712-417: The role, and learned the prince's particular characteristics, such as the way he rode a horse, walked, and played the piano. He worked with a voice coach and German instructor to perfect his accent, with the intention of "put[ting] in as much German as possible, because Victoria and Albert did speak German to each other." Paul Bettany was cast as Lord Melbourne despite being roughly twenty years too young for

11834-476: The script free of anachronisms , to the point where he became upset when actor Jim Broadbent ad-libbed and told the Duke of Wellington to "Enjoy the meal" during a dinner scene, a phrase not proper for the time period. The writer commented, "Everything I have put into it is based entirely on fact. It just happens to be a story that not many people are familiar with." Fellowes has remarked that while he would not alter

11956-430: The site and opened to the public in 1962 to exhibit works of art from the Royal Collection . The original early-19th-century interior designs, many of which survive, include widespread use of brightly coloured scagliola and blue and pink lapis , on the advice of Charles Long . King Edward VII oversaw a partial redecoration in a Belle Époque cream and gold colour scheme. Many smaller reception rooms are furnished in

12078-479: The site of the future palace formed part of the Manor of Ebury (also called Eia ). The marshy ground was watered by the river Tyburn , which still flows below the courtyard and south wing of the palace. Where the river was fordable (at Cow Ford), the village of Eye Cross grew. Ownership of the site changed hands many times; owners included Edward the Confessor and Edith of Wessex in late Saxon times, and, after

12200-549: The site on which he established a four-acre (1.6 ha) mulberry garden for the production of silk . (This is at the north-west corner of today's palace.) Clement Walker in Anarchia Anglicana (1649) refers to "new-erected sodoms and spintries at the Mulberry Garden at S. James's"; this suggests it may have been a place of debauchery. Eventually, in the late 17th century, the freehold was inherited from

12322-472: The sombre Queen habitually dressed in mourning black, while Buckingham Palace remained shuttered for most of the year. In 1901, the new king, Edward VII , began redecorating the palace. He and his wife, Queen Alexandra , had always been at the forefront of London high society, and their friends, known as "the Marlborough House Set", were considered to be the most eminent and fashionable of

12444-528: The state apartments are the less grand semi-state apartments. Opening from the Marble Hall, these rooms are used for less formal entertaining, such as luncheon parties and private audiences . At the centre of this floor is the Bow Room, through which thousands of guests pass annually to the monarch's garden parties . When paying a state visit to Britain, foreign heads of state are usually entertained by

12566-535: The structure began in 1762. In 1775, an Act of Parliament settled the property on Queen Charlotte, in exchange for her rights to nearby Old Somerset House , and 14 of her 15 children were born there. Some furnishings were transferred from Carlton House and others had been bought in France after the French Revolution of 1789. While St James's Palace remained the official and ceremonial royal residence,

12688-421: The suite briefly became the private apartments of the palace when Edward VIII occupied them. The original early-19th-century interior designs, many of which still survive, included widespread use of brightly coloured scagliola and blue and pink lapis , on the advice of Charles Long. Edward VII oversaw a partial redecoration in a Belle Époque cream and gold colour scheme. Between 1847 and 1850, when Blore

12810-484: The visit of Napoleon III of France. The former is a sitting room that also serves as an audience room and is often used for personal investitures. Narrow corridors link the rooms of the suite; one of them is given extra height and perspective by saucer domes designed by Nash in the style of Soane. A second corridor in the suite has Gothic-influenced cross-over vaulting . The suite was named after Leopold I of Belgium , uncle of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. In 1936,

12932-411: The whole company were aghast. The Duchess of Kent said not a word. Immediately after they rose and retired, and a terrible scene ensued; the Duchess announced her immediate departure and ordered her carriage, but a sort of reconciliation was patched up, and she was prevailed upon to stay till the next day." William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne , who was prime minister when Victoria came to the throne and

13054-628: The year since 1993. The money raised in entry fees was originally put towards the rebuilding of Windsor Castle after the 1992 fire devastated many of its staterooms. In the year to 31 March 2017, 580,000 people visited the palace, and 154,000 visited the gallery. In 2004, the palace attempted to claim money from the community energy fund to heat Buckingham Palace, but the claim was rejected due to fear of public backlash. The palace used to racially segregate staff. In 1968, Charles Tryon, 2nd Baron Tryon , acting as treasurer to Queen Elizabeth II , sought to exempt Buckingham Palace from full application of

13176-425: Was Peter Bradshaw , film critic for The Guardian , who gave the film two out of five stars. While initially looking forward to Blunt's performance, he believed the "black-belt minx" actress was "never really allowed to let rip. All that coiled feline sensuality stay[ed] coiled." He thought the queen's relationship with Prince Albert "very, very unsexy," as their devotion "makes for a boring film." Bradshaw did praise

13298-476: Was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 on a site that had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was acquired by George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte and became known as The Queen's House. During the 19th century it was enlarged by architects John Nash and Edward Blore , who constructed three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace became

13420-614: Was also the London residence and office of the Duke of York until 2023. Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh continue to have a private apartment in the palace for use when they are in London. The palace also houses their offices , as well as those of the Princess Royal and Princess Alexandra , and is the workplace of more than 800 people. Charles III lives at Clarence House while restoration work continues, although he conducts official business at Buckingham Palace, including weekly meetings with

13542-543: Was building the new east wing, the Brighton Pavilion was once again plundered of its fittings. As a result, many of the rooms in the new wing have a distinctly oriental atmosphere. The red and blue Chinese Luncheon Room is made up of parts of the Brighton Banqueting and Music Rooms with a large oriental chimneypiece designed by Robert Jones and sculpted by Richard Westmacott . It was formerly in

13664-432: Was eventually sold by Buckingham's illegitimate son, Charles Sheffield , in 1761 to George III for £21,000. Sheffield's leasehold on the mulberry garden site, the freehold of which was still owned by the royal family, was due to expire in 1774. Under the new royal ownership, the building was originally intended as a private retreat for Queen Charlotte , and was accordingly known as The Queen's House. Remodelling of

13786-476: Was frequently the scene of lavish costume balls and musical entertainments. The most celebrated contemporary musicians entertained there; for example Felix Mendelssohn is known to have played there on three occasions, and Johann Strauss II and his orchestra played there when in England. Widowed in 1861, the grief-stricken Queen withdrew from public life and left Buckingham Palace to live at Windsor Castle , Balmoral Castle and Osborne House . For many years

13908-570: Was held on 5 February 2009 at the 59th Berlin International Film Festival while its UK premiere was held in London 's Leicester Square on 3 March, though the film was shown in the small market town of Bridport , Dorset two days before this on 1 March 2009 in the Electric Palace Theatre, of which Julian Fellowes is a patron. The film was released in British cinemas on 6 March 2009. On its opening week in

14030-420: Was immediately hired by him and Scorsese. Fellowes chose not to end the film with Albert's death because he was wary of copying "the horror of biopics," where there is simply an important event after important event. Believing it had been done before and that the audience was already familiar with that part of Victoria's history, he thought it would be better suited for a television series or for another film. For

14152-428: Was last used for the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla . Also housed in the mews are the coach horses used at royal ceremonial processions as well as many of the cars used by the royal family. The Mall , a ceremonial approach route to the palace, was designed by Aston Webb and completed in 1911 as part of a grand memorial to Queen Victoria. It extends from Admiralty Arch , across St James's Park to

14274-474: Was occupying it when it burned down in 1674, following which he constructed Arlington House on the site – the location of the southern wing of today's palace – the next year. In 1698, John Sheffield acquired the lease. He later became the first Duke of Buckingham and Normanby . Buckingham House was built for Sheffield in 1703 to the design of William Winde . The style chosen was of a large, three-floored central block with two smaller flanking service wings. It

14396-536: Was paid for by the sale of Brighton Pavilion in 1850. The large East Front, facing The Mall , is today the "public face" of Buckingham Palace and contains the balcony from which the royal family acknowledge the crowds on momentous occasions and after the annual Trooping the Colour . The ballroom wing and a further suite of state rooms were also built in this period, designed by Nash's student James Pennethorne . Before Prince Albert's death, in addition to royal ceremonies, investitures and presentations Buckingham Palace

14518-590: Was remarkable and such a challenge. This young girl, who was so feisty and emotional and strong-willed, was very fascinating to me... In my life and in the job I've chosen to do, you have to perform all the time. And I thought Victoria was a bit of an actress." After winning the part, Blunt was allowed access to Windsor Castle , where she viewed Victoria's paintings, letters, diaries, and music composed by Albert himself. Determined not to use any big Hollywood names, King looked at many European actors before settling on British actor Rupert Friend . They were aware of him from

14640-430: Was selected as the director of photography. Fellowes enlisted his friend Alastair Bruce 's help with the coronation ceremony's historical authenticity, which led to Bruce's employment as the film's historical consultant, his first film credit. "I was blown away by how remarkable she was and she seemed like a very modern character, a very 21st century sort of woman. It appealed that it was an opportunity to play someone who

14762-486: Was the centre of British celebrations. The King, the Queen, Princess Elizabeth (the future queen) and Princess Margaret appeared on the balcony, with the palace's blacked-out windows behind them, to cheers from a vast crowd in The Mall. The damaged palace was carefully restored after the war by John Mowlem & Co. Many of the palace's contents are part of the Royal Collection ; they can, on occasion, be viewed by

14884-471: Was very in love for the first time, and she was in a job where she felt way over her head. So I said to Graham, 'She's rebellious. She's a survivor.' I didn't want to approach her as the English rose, but as a young girl who was fighting." They awarded Blunt the role after viewing her entire filmography as well as her Golden Globes acceptance speech for Gideon's Daughter . Blunt noted, "I thought [Victoria]

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