S01E01 The Boy
After only a year of marriage, Queen Victoria has not only given birth to a daughter but learns that she is again pregnant. The Queen takes her role seriously and is fully engaged in matters...
Edward the Seventh
S01E12: The Peacemaker
The King grows increasingly frustrated with his limited role as a constitutional monarch. His attempt at engineering a grand alliance with Germany is successful at one level but ultimately rejected by the Government who still see his His Majesty as someone not to be taken seriously. Still searching for some way to make an impact, the King announces he will soon go on a Grand Tour of several European nations including Britain's historical enemy, France. His arrival in France is marked by boos and catcalls, but he soon charms them and leaves to great cheers. His nephew Willie, the German Emperor, continues to visit but has become pompous to the point that the King can barely stand being in the same room as him. After the failure of the Grand Alliance, Germany begins to expand its army and navy.
Overview
Edward the Seventh is a 1975 television drama series, made by ATV in 13 episodes.
Based on the biography of Edward VII by Philip Magnus, it starred Timothy West as the elder Edward VII and Simon Gipps-Kent and Charles Sturridge as Edward in his youth, Annette Crosbie as Queen Victoria, Deborah Grant and Helen Ryan as Queen Alexandra, Robert Hardy as the Prince Consort, Alison Leggatt as the Duchess of Kent, and Felicity Kendal as Princess Vicky. It was directed by John Gorrie, who wrote episodes 7-10 with David Butler writing the remainder of the series.
The series also featured John Gielgud as Benjamin Disraeli, Michael Hordern as William Ewart Gladstone, Harry Andrews as young Edward's tutor Colonel Bruce, Jane Lapotaire as Empress Marie of Russia, Christopher Neame as Kaiser Wilhelm II and, in one of his earliest roles, Charles Dance as Edward's eldest son Eddy, who died at the age of 28. Gielgud previously played Disraeli in the 1941 film The Prime Minister.
The actresses playing Edward's mistresses include Moira Redmond as Alice Keppel and Carolyn Seymour as Daisy Greville. Francesca Annis was featured in two episodes as Lillie Langtry which led to Butler writing a full series about Mrs Langtry's life for Annis to star in, Lillie.
Episodes
S01E02 An Experiment in Education
The young Prince Albert, called Bertie by members of the family, is not having a particularly happy childhood. The elder Prince Albert has very definite views about his son's education including the need for non-stop...
S01E03 The New World
After a successful tour of President Buchanan's America, young Prince Bertie returns home to find that his parents do not see it as a personal success rather one that can be attributed to the monarchy...
S01E04 Alix
Prince Bertie continues his military training but he is taken to deceiving his superiors and sneaking off with his friends to the music halls. His parents continue their search to find Bertie a suitable wife....
S01E05 A Hundred Thousand Welcomes
With Queen Victoria in mourning, the Cabinet is concerned that her withdrawal from public duties will have a negative impact on her people. As a result, Bertie assumes many of the public duties of the...
S01E06 The Invisible Queen
Bertie's family continues to grow but Princess Alix is not strong and suffers from general ill health including a bout with rheumatic fever. Politics continues to cause a rift in the family with Princess Alix...
S01E07 Dearest Prince
The Queen continues to refuse all attempts at giving her eldest son any responsibility in matters of State. After a very successful visit to Coventry, the new Prime Minister, Mr. Disraeli, looks for something appropriate...
S01E08 The Royal Quadrille
Bertie visits Denmark along with the Russian Czar and the King of Greece. He also visits his sister Vicky and her husband Fritz, the Crown Prince of Prussia. Vicky is concerned about her son William...
S01E09 Scandal
Bertie faces scandal on two fronts. He agrees to assist Lady Brooke to retrieve a letter she wrote to her one-time lover, Lord Charles Beresford. She is now terrified that Lady Beresford will take some...
S01E10 The Years of Waiting
Britain finds itself at war in South Africa when British colonists attack the Transvaal government. But Queen Victoria still refuses to let Bertie have any role in matters of State, so he reluctantly spends his...
S01E11 King at Last
After a nearly 60 year wait, Bertie becomes King upon the death of his mother Queen Victoria. There is much speculation as to whether he is up to the job. The King's nephew, the German...
S01E12 The Peacemaker
The King grows increasingly frustrated with his limited role as a constitutional monarch. His attempt at engineering a grand alliance with Germany is successful at one level but ultimately rejected by the Government who still...
S01E13 Good Old Teddy
The King enters his final years in general ill health. He smokes too much and has put on too much weight. Britain concludes the triple alliance, concluding a pact with France and Russia but are...
Cast
Annette Crosbie
Queen Victoria
Timothy West
Edward VII
Christopher Neame
Kaiser Wilhelm II
Michael Hordern
Robert Hardy
Helen Ryan
Queen Alexandra
Felicity Kendal
Princess Vicky
