Ladies in Waiting

S1 E2: As Melbourne’s popularity in the house wanes, the Tories eagerly await their imminent triumph. Most impatient of all is Victoria’s wicked uncle CUMBERLAND, who views Melbourne’s pending defeat as a chance to prey on Victoria’s vulnerability and establish a co-regency with the Duchess of Kent and Conroy. Predictably, Victoria is devastated when Melbourne regretfully announces he is stepping down, even more bewildered that she must ask a complete stranger, SIR ROBERT PEEL, to form a government. The Duchess tries to console her, reminding her that she can rely on her and Conroy, but the very mention of her mother’s wicked advisor only reminds Victoria of how alone she is. Skerrett sympathises with Victoria from afar, but she has problems of her own – the head chef FRANCATELLI seems to know more than he should about her previous life... Desperate, Victoria implores Melbourne to return as her Prime Minister and is stumped when he rejects her – Peel is the rightful candidate. Unable to accept this, Victoria concocts a plan that humiliates Peel, leaving him no choice but to refuse to form government, paving the way for Melbourne to return... But Melbourne is outraged rather than impressed by her manipulative behaviour, and what’s more, Cumberland and Conroy plot to make this “erratic” conduct grounds for a regency… Will Victoria get what she wants?