TBT: Edward the King (1975): Episode 1

I’ve long wanted to watch the British miniseries, Edward the King (1975) (aka Edward the Seventh). When I was in my 20s, I went through a spate of reading biographies of King Edward VII‘s mistresses, as they were all fabulous, glamorous late Victorian women. And the costumes have always looked great! However, the fact that it’s a British TV series from the 1970s always put me off — I knew it would be Bad Videography Time(TM). Well, I was right, but I did find a high-res version of the series on YouTube, so I figured it was time to take one for the team!

Little did I know I’d REALLY be taking one for the team, because episode one starts with Edward/Bertie’s conception — well, with Queen Victoria realizing she’s pregnant (and being VERY GRUMPY about it to boot). Luckily Bertie is actually born at some point, but nonetheless, most of this episode focus on Victoria (Annette Crosbie) and Albert (Robert Hardy) rocking All Death of Fashion, All the Time. But I struggled through because eventually we’ll get to the bustle era, right? RIGHT??!!

The costumes for this series were designed by three designers: Ann Hollowood (Disraeli: Portrait of a Romantic, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Merlin) and Sue Le Cash, who worked on The Muppet Show, which is pretty damn cool; Christine Wilson is also credited.

Let’s do a costume-focused recap of this first episode!

I hope you’re not here for the boys, because 1) they exist and 2) they are wearing clothes. Everyone is prepping for a ball:

Victoria is Very Cranky, but at least her hair has some vestiges of the 1830s and so is semi-interesting! She’s wearing a blue and white ballgown, while Baroness Lehzen (Patience Collier: Countess Dracula, Fiddler on the Roof, The French Lieutenant’s Woman) goes dusty pink with wide-around-the-ears hair (seems more 1850s to me?). It comes out eventually that Victoria is pregnant; she’s pissed, but Albert is THRILLED. They’ve already got one daughter, FYI – Princess Vicky.

I admit that the ruffly lace/ribbons/flowers headdresses are objectively pretty, but they age everyone SO badly:

Victoria’s mom, the Duchess of Kent (Alison Leggatt: Far From the Madding Crowd), is in yellow with lots of bling:

Baron von Stockmar has a perfectly Victorian hairstyle. True story, I was once hired to style a wig for an actor playing Prince Albert that essentially looked this this. I kept saying “Are you SURE?? You’re going to look like a housewife c. 1973!” And indeed he did!

Albert has managed to talk Victoria into being okay with being pregnant. There’s lots of tension about Albert not being able to play a role in government or even make decisions about his children. It’s interesting to watch a man deal with the limitations usually placed on women! I like this lighter print and decorative sleeve:

The lady in charge of the nursery incurs Albert’s wrath. She is wearing a beautiful lace cap with lappets that ages her beyond her years and a dress made from a couch:

Victoria gets her own couch dress:

Oh god it comes with an evening version:

But it’s even worse when her pregnancy is more advanced and she wears the skirt with a maternity jacket!

I swear to god, Robert Hardy looks like he’s wearing mascara that smudged:

Victoria has the baby — it’s a boy! Everyone is stoked!

Bertie, Prince of Wales, is christened. Victoria and Albert bring out the royal robes:

The Duchess of Kent gets one dress apparently, but Lehzen gets to mix it up:

At the afterparty, everyone is in ballgowns, which at least don’t resemble upholstery, and Victoria gets to bling out. There’s a LOT happening with Lord Melbourne, Victoria’s first and favorite prime minister, having to be replaced.

Victoria and Albert have a HUGE row about how the children are being cared for:

Lehzen packs her bags as she’s going back to Germany — Albert has won. She’s got a nice fan-front dress in a dumpy color, and DO NOT TELL ME she is not wearing winged eyeliner because she IS.

We go to Scotland, of course we must wear plaid for the occasion! This might be the same black jacket as worn above?

More tensions around Albert’s role. I like Victoria’s block-printed cotton, but dear god the Droopy Dog hairstyle!

Albert dotes on Princess Vicky and gives Bertie boring educational toys, presaging poor Bertie’s future:

And that’s it for episode one! We’ll be back with loooots more very soon.

Have you watched Edward the King? What was your feeling about the costumes of Bertie’s early years?