Prince Albert arrives in England for the first time, and he and Victoria take an instant dislike to each other in an awkward first encounter. Below stairs, Albert's valet clashes with the royal servants, while Skerrett is visited by a girl in need of money.

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.