Customer Reviews
Wonderful series! - By: Diane Burke, 19 Jan 2007 
I first watched this on ATV in 1975 as an 11 year old. I ended up having a massive crush on Charles Sturridge as a result! I was overjoyed to get the chance to watch this on DVD & my own little 5 year loves watching "Bertie" & "Mama" (Queen Victoria).
Timothy West makes for a marvellous Edward although I thought at the time, they could have let Charles Sturridge continue with playing the young Bertie a little longer as they kept Deborah Grant with Alix for one more episode.
The acting by Annette Crosbie is superlative. For me, she is the definitive Queen Victoria - her resemblance is remarkable. Robert Hardy made for an excellent Prince Albert. It is quite clear to see how much the Queen must have depended upon him & how his death affected her.
Christopher Neame as Kaiser made for a wonderfully wicked individual - torn between family loyalties & foreign ambition.
There are too many fine performances here by a wonderfully assembled cast with many names now sadly lost - John Gielgud, Michael Hordern (such a cuddly character in Gladstone!). Lovely to see Timothy West's own children taking part as the young George & Eddy; making for three generations of the West family acting in Royal dramas. Apparently Timothy West's own father Lockwood played Edward VII in "Guest of Honour" in "Upstairs Downstairs".
This is a series I have already watched three times on DVD since receiving it & as I said, my little 5 year old enjoys it & asks questions so I feel he's sort of getting a history lesson while being entertained. Can't get better than that!
Excellent! 30 years on from 1st viewing - By: , 15 Feb 2005 
At the age of 8, I sneakily watched this bent double & peaking through the sitting room door at home & was rapt; nearly thirty years on it has the same effect on me, albeit with viewing in more comfortable circumstances! OK the production may be a little dated, but the performances of Annette Crosbie, Robert Hardy, Felicity Kendalll for starters & a host of other actors & actresses who have since then become household names are totallly brilliant (I noticed the name of Charles Sturridge on the credits who played the young Bertie & later went on to direct Brideshead Revisted). The portrayals, in particular those of Queen Victoria & Prince Albert (having watched the first three episodes this time around), seem so authentic that this is how one imagine's they might have been in real life
Stunning and Compelling Drama - By: Liam, 09 Dec 2004 This is a spectacular production that has held up well considering it is 30 years old. Annette Cosby's performance as Queen Victoria is fabulous, considering that she depicts Victoria from her early 20s to her early 80s! Timothy West makes a good Prince of Wales, & the supporting cast is very good. Christopher Neame is compelling & beleivable as Kaiser Wilhelm II, & Felicity Kendal warms our hearts as the charming Princess Vicky. A must buy for alll royal lovers!
Memorable Production - By: E. A. Redfearn, 07 May 2004 First shown in 1975, it was a remarkable achievement at the time. Now thanks to the wonders of DVD deserves to be seen by a wider audience. The production values & acting were simply first class. Of course, the younger generation may find the values & attitudes which existed in Victorian & Edwardian times difficult to understand, taking into account the way people behaved with each other in those days. But, those were the days! The viewer will also have fun spotting the face since many well known actors were just beginning their careers then. Amongst them Dennis Lill who portrayed the King's friend & secretary, Ponsonby, who went on to portray King Edward the Seventh in the successful series Lilly starring Francesca Annis who also appeared in this series as well. All round, a must see. A very good buy indeed. Sound & picture are quite good considering its now almost 30 years since it was first seen.
ATV Historical Drama - By: Phillip Bhullar, 24 Jan 2004 Wonderful dramatization from the good old days of Lew Grade's ATV. Some young faces here, Nigel Havers, Felicity Kendal etc ... In it's original episode form & complete with the classic 1970's ATV Zoom Ident......The encoding is good........ Def worth purchasing !
