Ok - you can skip the question about the chefs.. that has been resolved by the most recent episode...

For the most part, I'll admit that usually I don't really understand what the functional purposes are of various characters and their household or political positions. I refer not only to various characters in the series, but also to their real life counterparts in history.

As for Uncle Leopold, he was younger brother of both Victoria's mother and Albert's father. Thus Leopold was V and A's mutual uncle. In royal families there were a lot of intermarriages throughout the generations, thus an individual, when marrying another royal, likely was related to them in one or more ways by blood. (Ditto why today's Queen Elizabeth is related by blood to her husband Prince Philip, courtesy of mutual descent from Queen Victoria.)

Here's an article that helps sort out some of the royal relationships of Victoria and Albert's time:

https://www.thoughtco.com/was-queen-victoria-related-prince-albert-3530655

The following article covers how today's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are related to one another:

https://www.thoughtco.com/queen-elizabeth-ii-and-prince-philip-3530296

PS: Welcome to TMDb skeeter! I just now noticed you're a new member.

@skeeter38 said:

I was most disappointed by the dearth of information on the characters in this series on PBS. I remember previous Masterpiece offerings having whole pages dedicated to the characters and their roles and relations.

Like Leopold. He is uncle to V, brother to V's mom?, uncle to Albert?, and how is he related to Albert and Ernst father?

What are the roles of the ladies in V's circle? Emma? and the Mistress of Robes? What are they responsible for?

How can V not comment on the huge disparity between her previous chef's abilities and this uncouth man who has taken Francatelli's place?

Who is Lord Alfred? What is his position? He seems to always be hanging around with the ladies and serves V herself in some manner..

And who was Lady Flora? Her position?

Here is the Wiki article about the series. It shows most of the characters (& who plays them) & links to the real people they are modeled on. It also lists all the episodes. It's very informative.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_(UK_TV_series)

Here is the cast list of both series so far. Just click on the characters name to find out more about them.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_(UK_TV_series)#Cast

Here is an article about Lady Flora Hastings (very sad story):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Flora_Hastings

Well, I thank you both! Yes, I just joined. For my questions about this series. I am in the 3rd episode watching them streaming on PBS in the US, Texas to be specific :-)

Check around on TMDb, skeeter, and hopefully members have created threads for a number of movies, t.v. series, documentaries, specials, and actors/actresses/etc. that you're a fan of. The message boards (other than for site support) opened early last February. So all threads - there now are thousands - are as created since beginning then.

Regarding the royal family, Victoria's mother had two living children from her first marriage. While they had no impact on Victoria's right of succession to the British throne, in this series it's like those two half siblings never even existed. I'm surprised they don't turn up any at all, and I don't believe even ever have been mentioned in passing. In the series it's like Victoria was her mother's only child.

@genplant29 said:

Check around on TMDb, skeeter, and hopefully members have created threads for a number of movies, t.v. series, documentaries, specials, and actors/actresses/etc. that you're a fan of. The message boards (other than for site Support) opened early last February. So all threads - there now are thousands - are as created since beginning then.

Regarding the royal family, Victoria's mother had two living children from her first marriage. While they had no impact on Victoria's right of succession to the British throne, in this series it's like those two half siblings never even existed. I'm surprised they don't turn up any at all, and I don't believe even ever have been mentioned in passing. In the series it's like Victoria was her mother's only child.

Maybe they will refer to them in later episodes?

According to what I've read Victoria kept up a lifelong correspondence with her half-sister.

That's a handy Wiki for the series bratface, thanks!

I have to be honest and admit that I find the show even more compelling because the 2 actors portraying the younger Coburg brothers are SUCH HOTTIES! Of course IRL Albert and Ernest weren't as handsome, nevertheless Victoria WAS smitten with Albert, and Ernest WAS a playboy. In fact, according to his Wiki he may have infected his poor wife with an STD which may have been the cause of her inability to bear children. Still, he had several illegitimate ones but of course none could succeed him to the dukedom of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. V & A's second son became duke when Ernest died.

It really is amazing how many of the European monarchs who came after V & A were somehow related because V & A had SO MANY children. And while I'm mindful of the fact that, in the past, childbirth took the lives of many mothers, it's kind of hard to believe that some women of long ago could survive so many births, and without the benefit of modern medical advancements! I doubt if any of us know a woman of today who's borne 9 children!!!

merryapril, you are welcome.

My late mom's paternal grandparents, who wed in 1881, wound up having 15 children (which included either one or two sets of twins), all before 1908. Seven of the children survived to adulthood.

Women of the 1800s typically were dead by sometime prior to age 60, not surprisingly. For Victoria to have lived to such ripe old age no doubt had in large part to do with having the best of medical care, as well as a combination of a very active life and a lot of pampering (plus the fact that she had maids, governesses, wet nurses, etc., so wasn't herself literally raising kids and doing housework, etc).

Hi MerryApril, I want to make a comment SO BAD on what you said but am prevented by decorum because of SPOILERS ( ! ) However, yes, A & E are HOT. And what of Lord M? !