Episode 3 gets off to a smashing tease start, with Disraeli's impassioned speech supporting Baron de Rothschild when he is mocked by an anti-semitic parliament when asking to take the oath on an Old Testament bible.
Dizzy is thriving with the sturdy support of his wife Mary Anne. He's still subjected to criticism within his party after 23 years of service as a Conservative. A bright spot - he and Mary Anne to spend a week at Windsor Castle with the queen. His hairline receding, Disraeli still has a lively career in the Commons after Mary Anne hits it off well with both the Queen and her young daughter.
Fate intervenes and Prince Albert comes down with typhoid, and even though he's in the opposition the Queen is now supportive of him after the Prince's death. Dizzy gets to meet Bismarck at a party and they have quite a frank discussion. Later, Disraeli devises a strategy to defeat his Liberal counterpart Glastone at last and meets with success, taking voer as prime minister, much to Queen Victoria's delight.
Disraeli's triumph in Parliament is unfortunately accompanied by Mary Anne beoming ill. Gladstone later takes over once again (to the Queen's dismay). Victoria offers him a peerage, but she declines. Determined to stay in the House of Commons and carry on battling with Gladstone. Instead Mary Anne is raised to the position of a vicountess.
After a period of living in the country with Mary Anne, Dizzy returns to London to go up against the Liberals once more, winnig the arument over Gladtone on the issue of Ireland's future.
Mary Peach gives a moving performance, here matched by Mcshane's oratory and rock-solid support, and the episode ends on a perfectly realized bittersweet note.
Dizzy is thriving with the sturdy support of his wife Mary Anne. He's still subjected to criticism within his party after 23 years of service as a Conservative. A bright spot - he and Mary Anne to spend a week at Windsor Castle with the queen. His hairline receding, Disraeli still has a lively career in the Commons after Mary Anne hits it off well with both the Queen and her young daughter.
Fate intervenes and Prince Albert comes down with typhoid, and even though he's in the opposition the Queen is now supportive of him after the Prince's death. Dizzy gets to meet Bismarck at a party and they have quite a frank discussion. Later, Disraeli devises a strategy to defeat his Liberal counterpart Glastone at last and meets with success, taking voer as prime minister, much to Queen Victoria's delight.
Disraeli's triumph in Parliament is unfortunately accompanied by Mary Anne beoming ill. Gladstone later takes over once again (to the Queen's dismay). Victoria offers him a peerage, but she declines. Determined to stay in the House of Commons and carry on battling with Gladstone. Instead Mary Anne is raised to the position of a vicountess.
After a period of living in the country with Mary Anne, Dizzy returns to London to go up against the Liberals once more, winnig the arument over Gladtone on the issue of Ireland's future.
Mary Peach gives a moving performance, here matched by Mcshane's oratory and rock-solid support, and the episode ends on a perfectly realized bittersweet note.