Preview of The Young Victoria + a conversation with screenwriter Julian Fellowes March 5, 2009

Imagined by us all as a frumpy, black-cloaked and harsh ruler, The Young Victoria takes a closer look at history and finds Queen Victoria as a young, flirtatious, and deeply romantic woman very much caught between her heart and power struggles within the monarchy. Set in the period from 1836, the year before Victoria ascended the throne, to 1840, the year she married Prince Albert, this is a glorious piece with impeccable pedigree: it's produced by Graham King and Martin Scorsese on one side, giving it an absolute stamp of cinematic quality, while on the other is Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, who originally pitched the story and also produced so ensuring the film has the necessary royal authenticity.

Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada), is excellent as the young queen, alongside Rupert Friend (Pride and Prejudice) as Albert, while a flawless supporting cast including Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent, Mark Strong and Thomas Kretschmann bring the dramatic events of court to life.
It's hard to imagine a screenwriter who would have suited this story more - The Young Victoria is another triumph for Academy Award-winning writer Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park, Vanity Fair ) who puts his unmistakable stamp into a witty, smart screenplay which moves between royal power struggle to romance.
We're delighted that immediately after the screening, Julian Fellowes will join us for an entertaining conversation about tackling royalty with a contemporary audience in mind and overturning long-held historical perceptions.