Sarah Ferguson Interview, The Young Victorian

MoviesOnline sat down with the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, to talk about her new film, “The Young Victoria,” which she co-produced with Graham King, Martin Scorsese and Tim Headington. “The Young Victoria” chronicles Queen Victoria’s ascension to the throne, focusing on the early turbulent years of her reign and her legendary romance and marriage to Prince Albert.

The film was shot on location in England and directed by the critically-acclaimed French-Canadian Jean-Marc Vallee from a script by Academy Award winning Julian Fellowes (“Gosford Park”). It features a distinguished ensemble of actors that includes Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent, Mark Strong and Thomas Kretschmann.

As the author of two historical books about the life of Queen Victoria, the Duchess has long believed that the story of the Queen’s early life would make for a powerful motion picture. She has realized that dream, having conceived the initial premise upon which the film “The Young Victoria” is based.

The Duchess of York is a fabulous person and we really appreciated her time. Here’s what she had to tell us about her involvement in producing “The Young Victoria”:

Q: We heard you pitched the idea to the producer.  Can you talk about that process?

SF: Fifteen years ago, I decided to make a movie of Victoria’s love life -- her wonderful love together with Albert.  I took it to Hollywood and the script that was given to me was more like Victoria’s Secret than Victoria. (laughs)  I tore it up because you have to be true to history.  This is the greatest untold love story of all time, and it’s true.  You can’t make it up or make it more juicy.  It is juicy.  It’s the most beautiful story ever.  So 5 years ago, I decided to go back to my friend Tim Headington, and say to Tim, “Tim, I need to do this.”  I just felt it in my heart.  I had to.  Something was driving me and it was so important to me that I fought hard for the world to see Victoria as I read in the diaries and what I loved.  Tim Headington introduced to me to Graham King and Graham King said, “I’ll make the movie.”  That was the greatest moment of my life and I said, “Well, I’ve never done anything.”  To be a producer in the Hollywood sense is different to what I’m bringing to the table, which is all the historical facts and my friends who opened up their palaces and castles.  Amazing, just the whole…. my producing on this is the true story.

Q: Why are you so passionate about Victoria and her story?

SF: My greatest love at school was history.  My greatest period of love was Victoria.  Then I married into the royal family, and everywhere you go, like I went to Balmoral Castle where you know Victoria built the castle for Albert, and I’d just got married and I was about to sit down in a chair, which looked [like] a nice little chair in the corner, and everyone went, “Don’t sit in that chair!” I went, “Why, why?”  “No, no, because that’s Victoria’s chair!”  “Oh, okay fine.”  Then I went that way, “Don’t go that way!” “Okay.”  It was like everywhere was Victoria, and I think that she was the most incredible empress.  I can’t describe really my sense of passion except that I love romance and this is one of the greatest untold true stories of history, of romance, of love and I will go on to do more now.

Q: A lot of times there’s an assumption that marriages within the royal family are arranged for political purposes, but in this case, Victoria and Albert truly loved each other.  Is there a lot of information about her early life that is that readily available?

SF: Yes, yes there is and the childhood years of Victoria, and there’s the diaries she wrote.  Before Victoria died, Beatrice was asked to edit the diaries and it’s really sad because a lot was taken out which, for me, would have absorbed me.  But since working with Victoria, I’ve just gotten strength from her.  I think anything’s possible.  She gives me courage and everyday when I think life’s quite hard or life has been harder for the royal family or it’s difficult, I always think of her and how she managed.

Q: When you said, you’ll go on now to do more, what do you mean?

SF: Well, when I left the cinema last night, Graham King said, “Meet me next week for 2 hours and let’s talk about the next film.” So, I will come out with a new historical, love story which no one will know about.

Q: Any other hints about that?

SF: No, (laughs) well, I don’t know.  It could be the sequel. I’ll do Albert and his 21 years and what he did for Britain and how he’s changed Britain.  I think that it’s very important for young people to learn from history, whether it be Victoria or Montgomery or Patton or Mandela or the present Queen. I think it’s so important to keep opening up everybody’s eyes to great examples of strategy and structure coming from leadership and being a good leader.

Q: When you saw the movie, how did it compare to what you imagined in your mind five years ago, when you first started pitching your project?

SF: Well I never pitched it.  It was only Graham.  I just talked to him.  My pitch was to him and it was Graham, and I didn’t want it to go anywhere else.  It had to be exactly right, and if it in any way portrayed the Royal Family in a bad light, I couldn’t have done it.  It was too important for me and to my children that I uphold exactly, respectfully, and with dignity what Her Majesty stands for, and the monarchy and the sense of monarchy.  So yes, this film has completely, in fact, more so, risen to a place I never could dream of.

Q: How so?

SF: Because it’s historically correct.  The way Jean-Marc Vallee directed it has honored Victoria and has not undermined her in any way, nor him (Prince Albert), and I feel that Julian Fellowes is quite an extraordinary writer, and I think [also] Graham, Rupert and Emily.  You know, to be honest with you, I’m so bowled over by this. I can’t quite explain how proud I am of what an amazing film [this is], a little acorn, the oak trees made by greatness.  The people who’ve made this are great people.  They are truly great, and I’ve also been amazed by Hollywood and what it takes to make a movie.  I mean, it’s just such hard work and people don’t really understand that.  I’m lucky enough to be behind the scenes, to have seen just the hard work and the love that they put into it.  I mean, Graham believed in this movie all along and he’s coming right. It is a miracle really.

Q: Does it help when people like Graham King and Martin Scorsese, who both have a respect and appreciation for history, are involved on a project like this?

SF: Martin Scorsese is one of the most humble men ever and one of the most extraordinary icons of America.  He made a promise.  He was not going to let down Victoria.  I felt safe, you know.  You feel safe with icons like that, and when Graham said, “I’m going to ask Marty,” I went, “Marty who?” because I thought, there’s no way [it’s] that Marty.  Who’s Marty?  And he went “Martin Scorsese.” I went, “What!? How can you possibly?”  It’s surreal.  How can you possibly put me as a producer with [him], you know.  It’s just very different.  It’s just extraordinary.  I really don’t know how it’s all come about.  Here I am sitting here.  I cannot.  Last night I sat with Graham for a minute and I just said, “Thank you, thank you,” and I said, “It’s really extraordinary,” and he said, “It is once in a lifetime, isn’t it?” And it is. I’ve made another dream come [true].

Q: What was your reaction when you heard Emily Blunt was going to play Victoria?

SF: Do you know this story? You must know this story? I walked on the set and I went, “Hi Victoria, I mean Emily!” (laughs) I did, I did.  It was completely ridiculous.  She was so in the part and everything was so beautiful and I’m being a romantic.  And in this world of make believe, I got carried away with the magic of being on set and seeing.  Actually, I think it was even more extraordinary because Victoria – Emily -- was on the mobile telephone (laughs).  For someone like me, I’ve always dreamt I would want to meet Victoria.  I want to meet her.  I want to talk to her.  I would love to ask her if she’s happy.  I know she is.  I know she is.  I mean, she mourned him so badly, that it’s lovely that we’re reliving her life for her.

Q: There’s an amazing scene at the end where Victoria is seen laying out Albert’s clothes for him, which was a nightly ritual she performed for many years after he died.

SF: No, I think I couldn’t bare that pain, you know, when she had her racking headaches, terrible headaches.  And, after he died, she couldn’t cope.  She could not cope.  So, no one was allowed to come into the room because the rustle of the dress caused her such [pain].  She was so fragile, and she used to have to go, if she did go out, which she never went out for at least many months, but then eventually her daughter, Alice, managed to get her out.  But the wheels had to be covered so there was no noise for her, because I think there was just no possible way she could imagine life without him, and indeed, she got Vicky to marry in black.  And nothing, not even the little Beatrice, her daughter age 7, could console her.  In fact, it made it worse for her and I suppose there were 9 children in 21 years and he did have total rheumatism during that time.  You know, he was often very grumpy, but for her, he could never do anything wrong.

“The Young Victoria” opens in theaters on December 18th.