The rather daring portrait of Victoria commissioned by her and revealed in this episode "Comfort and Joy" was an actual painting. The portrait painted in 1843 by the artist Winterhalter was however not a Christmas present for Albert but a present for his 24th birthday. Queen Victoria called it her "secret picture" since it was so risque for that time for a royalty to be painted with her hair down and a bared neck. Prince Albert considered it his favorite picture of Victoria and kept it in his private writing room in Windsor Castle to his dying day. The painting itself was actually considered so racy that it was not revealed to the public until 1977 - more than 130 years after it was painted. You can see the original painting at the website for the Royal Collection Trust, if you search for Franz Xaver Winterhalter, Queen Victoria painting signed and dated 1843. (RCIN 406010)
Sara Forbes Bonetta (1843-1880), birth name Aina, was a West African Egbado princess who was orphaned at age five due to intertribal warfare. She was captured and intended to be a human sacrifice, but was rescued by Captain Forbes of the Royal Navy. Queen Victoria called her Sally, and treated her as a goddaughter.
On 9 Feb 1841, one day before their first wedding anniversary, Victoria and Albert went for a walk, and Albert decided to ice skate on a frozen pond. The ice cracked, Albert fell in, and Victoria pulled him out of the water and to safety.
The £100,000 that "Mrs Skerrett" inherits c.1848 is worth just over US $2 million in 2023 funds.
Lord Alfred Paget (1816-1888) married Cecilia Wyndham in 1847, and had 14 children over the next 21 years. Oddly, at least six were born in March.