Vicbourne
| Pairing | |
|---|---|
| Pairing: | Vicbourne |
| Alternative name(s): | Victoria/Lord M |
| Gender category: | M/F |
| Fandom: | Victoria (TV series first broadcast 2016) |
| Canonical?: | Affection only, otherwise non-canonical |
| Prevalence: | Common within fandom |
| Archives: | AO3, FFnet |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Vicbourne is the fandom pairing of Queen Victoria with her first Prime Minister Lord Melbourne. It developed from the 2016 British drama series ‘Victoria’ in which Victoria was portrayed by Jenna Coleman and Lord Melbourne (called Lord M) by Rufus Sewell.
Canon
TV Canon
In the first series, Victoria, as a young queen, develops strong feelings for her charismatic and handsome Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne. He mentors her, builds her confidence, and they share the occasional intimate moment such as a dance which intensifies Victoria’s feelings. She declares herself to Lord M in what is effectively a proposal but he declines despite struggling with his own feelings for her. She is at first bereft but then meets and falls in love with Prince Albert, soon marrying him. Lord M retains strong feelings for Victoria, which is implied as love but never said explicitly, but steps back to allow her to live her life.
In the second series, Lord M returns briefly again to guide and offer advice to Victoria. By this stage he is old and frail and dies during the course of the series. Victoria’s affection for him remains.
Historical Canon
Queen Victoria was indeed close to Lord Melbourne, particularly in the first years of her reign before her marriage, and she most likely had what would be termed a crush on him. He in turn considered her a great friend and when she grew apart from him in later life, he was greatly saddened.
Fandom
Fan Fiction
Lord M made a big impact on the viewing public from the first episode of the first series, and fans immediately started to ship him and Victoria. Their dynamic fits well into the older man/younger woman, mentor/mentee, intriguing power dynamic, unrequited sexual tension tropes. Fan fiction started to appear almost immediately.
Most fics explore a relationship between them while she is queen and before she has met Albert. Most fics take as a starting point the unresolved sexual tension between them very present in the first few episodes of the first series.
Other popular genres include transferring them to a modern setting, often making him her professor or having one or the other of them the other’s boss.
Albert is often dismissed as an inadequate husband and lover and Victoria rejects him for Lord M or he dies soon after marriage.
The real Lord M supposedly had a taste of BDSM and, although no mention of this occurs in the TV series, fanfic explores it, notably in the lengthy fic, "Revelation" by Laurielove.
Fics can also include supernatural elements, including time travel or turning one or both characters into vampires or shape shifters.
Fan Art
Much original art, photo manips and edits appeared quickly as the series grew in popularity. Some of the art accompanies fics.
Graphic novel
The graphic artist Abz Harding has created a graphic story which plays on Lord M's affinity with rooks and casts him as half corvid, struggling with his condition and urges.
Fan Videos
Fan videos emerged quickly during the first series and there are many popular edits which attracted many views.
Fan Communities
There are several fan communities for Vicbourne fans. One of the largest is the For the Love of Vicbourne Facebook page, which, during the height of Vicbourne's popularity, promoted fics, art and discussion about the pairing, both in canon and fandom. It also hosted a Q and A session with the writer of Victoria, Daisy Goodwin.
Recurring Themes and Imagery
Rooks
When Victoria comes to Lord M's house, Brocket Hall, to propose to him in Series 1 Episode 3, he is sitting amongst the rooks and refers to them, expressing an affinity with them. Rooks often feature in fan fics, often representing Lord M himself, and in art work, most notably in Abz Harding's graphic novel.
Orchids
In the series, Lord M cultivates orchids and loves spending time in his glasshouses. At one point in Series 1, he gives Victoria an orchid to wear. Orchids are used often in fics and art, often as a starting point for gifts between Lord M and Victoria or as a representation of the fragile beauty of their relationship.