Returning to the role of Queen Victoria for the third season, Jenna Coleman explains what makes the journey so fulfilling.
Where is the Queen of England now and what challenges lie ahead of her?
Series three opens with pregnant Victoria expecting her child number six on the eve of the French Revolution. There is a definite sense that time has passed as the children are older. Victoria is wiser and her relationship with Albert is in a very different space. Victoria faces question of whether or not her role is disposable because the King of France turns up on her doorstep in rags, having been overthrown and she questions whether this could happen to her. This is all she has known and all she expects to know so that forces her to look in the mirror and examine her relationship with her people and what that truly means to her.
The core difference between Victoria and Albert is that the latter is more methodical whereas Victoria is emotionally-led. Ultimately, she just wants to be supported and adored by her subjects. She always wrote about it. On the day of her coronation, she wrote about the crowds and how loudly they were cheering at The Great Exhibition. She wrote about the joy on people’s faces and the tears in their eyes. Being loved, more than she would like to admit, is incredibly important to her.
What irks Victoria? Is it the arrival of agent provocateur, Lord Palmerston?
She hates him. Palmerston was a law unto himself. He managed things in a very different way and perhaps didn’t give her the deference that she felt she deserved.
There is a battle between them for people’s affections and Victoria isn’t used to competition in that area. However, she slowly realises that they are more similar than she thought and she begins to become rather fond of him. He is always somewhere between being invited over for tea and being thrown out — you never know which side of the fence she sat with him.
What is the relationship that Queen Victoria has with the new character, Feodora, who is her half-sister and a masterful schemer?
There is a lot of unspoken resentment and history between these two. Victoria resents Feodora for leaving her when she went off and got married, Feodora resents Victoria for having the attention and focus because she was the heir. It’s a difficult relationship. They also have a shared experience at Kensington, which bonds them, so there is a constant push and pull of love and resentment between them.
They haven’t seen each other for years and instinctively Victoria doesn’t trust Feodora. She knows there is something going on but the extent to which Feodora is being an Iago figure comes to light later on. Feodora cleverly weaves her way through the family, putting a wedge between Victoria and Albert, who are most distant during this series. They are a few years into their marriage now and have many children, so there are new pressures and strains. They operate completely differently and have always been yin and yang but they seem to have fallen out of balance with each other.
What is it like to work with so many children?
It is a form of utterly amazing and completely chaotic mayhem. You just have to call action and see what happens. Kids really do say the funniest things and it is the unpredictability on the set which is hilarious, especially when you throw in a few dogs, horses and a couple of politicians. I can’t imagine the palace now not inhabited by hoards of children.
What was the biggest challenge that you faced during the filming?
In a scene, Queen Victoria takes a dip in the water whilst wearing her bathing suit, which is a lot like pajamas that are made from hemp. It was absolutely freezing and unfortunately we had to film this twice because the weather was so awful. The Queen is meant to be taking a leisurely dip but the waves were making it seem treacherous.
Why is the role of Queen Victoria so exciting and enjoyable to return to?
I love her lack of filter, her frankness and honesty. I love the fact that if she likes someone she is incredibly loyal and if she doesn’t, she will let that person know. In terms of playing her, when she is in a bad mood or is tired, she is very reactionary and temperate so she has always been known and written about as having a temper.
They used to write about her having a ‘combustible’, which I love. Victoria didn’t have to answer to anybody and so could really get angry within her own house. She would feel mortified after having one of these ‘combustibles’ and would cry and apologise to Albert but she ping pongs through emotions rapidly. As she gets older, she can be controlled even less, so it is fun to age with her.
(The season 1 and 2 of the show are live on SonyLIV.)