Ep 8. The White Elephant

Queen Victoria's reign is in full swing in this period drama, Victoria. In season 3 episode 8, titled The White Elephant, the queen finds herself with a peculiar problem - an unlikely gift. She is presented with a rare and exotic white elephant from the King of Siam, and Victoria has no idea what to do with it. The episode revolves around the queen and her court members trying to gracefully deal with the unexpected gift with all its social and diplomatic implications.

While the arrival of the white elephant is an exotic and unique event, it raises issues of protocol and etiquette which cause headaches for the royal household. The elephant may be a magnificent creature, but its size and temperament are certainly not fit for palace life. At the same time, it is a gift from a foreign monarch and must be treated with respect and gratitude. The viewer gets a glimpse into the difficulties the queen's secretary and advisors face when dealing with the matter of the gift, which turns out to have layers of political and diplomatic implications.

The show beautifully captures the intricate web of relationships and motives that exist in any royal household or court setting. The white elephant becomes the talk of the town, and all of London's high society wants to have a glimpse of this rare creature. Even the queen's children are excited to see the animal and learn more about it. Amid all of this curious excitement and attention, Victoria must balance the exotic gift's significance with the practical matters of keeping an elephant in a palace, including taking care of its dietary needs and providing enough space to accommodate it.

While the elephant is the central plot, there is also plenty of drama in court. Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, is faced with new business problems in the form of his disastrous investment in the Suez Canal. At the same time, Victoria's relationship with her eldest son Albert, who is the heir to the throne, is under strain. The young Prince of Wales, who will later become King Edward VII, is continuing to be a source of concern for his parents. He is often found partying in London and becoming entangled in financial issues that could jeopardize his future role as king.

Throughout the episode, the queen struggles to maintain a balance between her public and personal lives. With her country's success, there is an increased demand for public appearances, but Victoria also begins to feel overwhelmed by her royal duties and longs for personal moments of privacy and quiet time. The episode highlights the emotional cost of being a queen and the different roles that Victoria must play as a monarch, wife, and mother.

All in all, The White Elephant is an excellent episode that showcases Victoria's complexity as a monarch and struggles to stay grounded amidst pressures both at home and abroad. The show's excellent acting, costumes, and set design immerses you into the historical era and the life of the royal family. Regardless of whether you are an avid history buff or a casual viewer, this episode is an entertaining and thought-provoking look into the intricacies of monarchical life.