The monarch's diaries and letters reveal how her husband Prince Albert's sudden death left her unable to carry out royal duties, escaping instead to Balmoral to grieve in private. Eventually, the near-death of her eldest son Bertie brought her back into the spotlight and royal life, and a the British Empire expanded, Victoria developed a growing interest in one of the most exotic corners of her empire - India.

The first episode focuses on her struggles to balance her responsibilities as a monarch and mother to nine children. The birth of her first child, the first time in history for a ruling British monarch, was attended by several key figures, including the prime minister. The programme also explores her misgivings about parenthood and the construction of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.