Victoria and Albert – the video!

Associated media

Independent charity Historic Royal Palaces is kick-starting the countdown to the re-opening of Kensington Palace, and major new exhibition Victoria Revealed, on 26 March 2012 by telling the greatest royal love story – as never seen before.

Inventive, animated short films by Chiara Ambrosio tell the story of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s era-defining romance

● Voiceover by Julia Rayner (The Pianist, Extras)

● Released online in five daily episodes starting from Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2012

Everyone is invited to share the trials and tribulations of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s era-defining romance in five short daily episodes, released online starting on Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2012. The film will portray the royal lovers’ story - from their births three months apart (aided by the same midwife!) to their wedding ceremony – using excerpts from Queen Victoria's personal diaries and Albert’s letters.

Commissioned by Historic Royal Palaces, the films have been created and directed by acclaimed filmmaker and animator Chiara Ambrosio with voiceover by Julia Rayner (The Pianist, Extras) in collaboration with animators Veselina Dashinova and Fiammetta Horvat, composer James Hesford and sound artist Mark Peter Wright.

The bold, unusual and experimental film combines stop-motion puppetry, drawn animation, shadow puppetry, cut-out/collage animation, specially composed music and sound effects and features a voice-over narration based on Queen Victoria’s own words.

In using Queen Victoria’s remarkably candid personal journals to tell the story, the animation reflects the approach taken in the exhibition 'Victoria Revealed': new permanent displays opening at Kensington Palace on 26 March 2012. It also features several of the pivotal moments in her life that took place at Kensington Palace, including her birth, her unhappy childhood under the so-called ‘Kensington System’, and her first meeting with Albert on the palace’s Stone Stairs.