Victoria & Abdul tells the extraordinary true story of Queen Victoria’s relationship with Abdul Karim, her Muslim manservant, who travelled from India to present a ceremonial medal as part of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee but within months became her personal teacher of Urdu and dedicated spiritual advisor. The unprecedented and unlikely friendship caused meltdown within the royal household, the ensuing battle royale pitting the Queen against the court and her entire family.

Through the prism of a highly unusual love story, Lee Hall’s Victoria & Abdul, based on the book by Shrabani Basu, explores race, religion, power and the farce of empire through the prism of a highly unusual love story.