Melbourne warns Victoria that Parliament will not be happy about her marrying a German prince, a prediction that proves all too accurate when the Privy Council refuse to grant Albert a royal title. The prince fears for his future in England, while Victoria succumbs to paranoia, becoming convinced that he only intends to marry her for the financial independence he will gain.

The queen becomes pregnant, and declares that Albert will become head of state in the event of her death. The developments outrage members of the Tory party, who fear a German prince holding sway over the nation and make arrangements to disrupt his visit to the industrial north. The consort finds an unlikely ally in Sir Robert Peel, who seeks royal approval for the rapidly developing railway. At first, Victoria does not approve, but soon changes her mind when she experiences Peel's creation for herself.