Albert finds a reason to stop pouting
Friends, royals, animal lovers, meet Mr. Bumps.
Good to see marriage hasnt made him any less peevish.
Hes a sweet old man with his own sense of style, but hes very possessive of this birthright.
Credit: ITV
Victoria loves being inconvenient to stodgy old guys.
I think this is your victory, not mine, the prince tells his giddy wife.
Albert, just admit that you like pouting.
And then, finally, his fight comes to him.
Delegates are coming from around the world, including less enlightened nations like America.
(You know what?
And so politics continues to be a real joy.
(I have seen the cartoons where I am drawn as a sausage.)
Anson gently points out that her disguise is not impenetrable.
But is Anson up to something?
Albert told him earlier that he knew seeing Victorias face would calm his nerves.
Does Anson want him to fall, or am I reading too much into an innocent gesture?
Without Victoria in the audience, Albert gets off to a rough start.
But as soon as he gets over that hill and pronounces it correctly, hes off and running.
As rousing as Alberts speech is, he isnt my favorite person in attendance at this convention.
That would be Jonas Barrett, an American former slave played with dignity by Cornell John.
As he waits in the wings to meet the prince, Barrett gets a primer on English manners.
Should I tell him he can call me Jonas if he wants?
SPILL THE TEA, BARRETT.
He must be sanding down so much of his story to make it more palatable.
I didnt mind the hardships, Barrett says, because I knew I was on the way to freedom.
Back at the palace, Albert has more family drama to attend to.
if not for the fact that Harriet already has a husband.
He reminds his brother that even their father doesnt go around seducing married women.
No, Ernest replies, but I dont think Papa has ever been in love, either.
Thats fine by Albert, but Victoria isnt ready to possibly die in childbirth quite yet.
(Im aching for their lack of proper womens health education.)
The only way to avoid conception is abstinence, he says.
Is that what you want, Victoria?
Bring on those kids; thats what Victoria always says.
Are we supposed to like him now?
Because sugary treats do not make up for stalking.
