I went to see Young Victoria, and a jolly good show it is, too. If you're in the mood for a a fun, frock-coat romantic comedy, this delivers.
The performances are strong across the board, particularly Emily Blunt (Victoria) and Rupert Friend (Albert). The score is outstanding.
Albert was later instrumental in preventing a war between Great Britain and the US. During the Civil War, the british steamer Trent was taking two Confederate diplomats to europe when it was boarded by the US Navy on the high seas, and the Confederates siezed. Naturally, spirits ran high in London, and the government was about to send the Royal Navy to sieze the prisoners back, when Albert intervened. Working behind the scenes, he sent a series of letters to Abraham Lincoln which convinced the president that he had his hands full with General Robert E. Lee.
Lincoln ordered the diplomats released, and the two countries have never approached open conflict again.
I hadn't heard that story. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteThere have been a couple of alternative history novels using that event as the turning point. Harry Harrison wrote one and I Robert Conroy another. Of course in the books Britain went to war. Both were good reads
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