‘The Young Victoria’ beautiful but lacking emotion

Jean-Marc Vallee’s history lesson concentrates on the year prior to Victoria’s coronation when the young queen (Emily Blunt) is at the mercy of her mother, the Duchess of Kent (Miranda Richardson) and scheming advisor Sir John Conroy (Mark Strong).

Ambitious Whig Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne (Paul Bettany) cleverly persuades Victoria to install him as private secretary in order to control affairs at Buckingham Palace. He exploits the position to fill the royal quarters with allies, and keep the princess at arm’s length from rivals.

Everyone, it seems, wants to manipulate Victoria for their own ends, all apart from Albert (Rupert Friend), who defies protocol to assist the monarch-to-be in outwitting the schemers.

Vallee’s film has a similar look and feel to ‘The Duchess’, boasting gorgeous sets and costumes and a haunting orchestral score.

However, the pomp and pageantry tend to obscure the emotion, despite the best efforts of Blunt and Friend to stoke the flames of their characters’ attraction.

Star Rating: 3/5.