Victoria and Abdul © Focus Features
Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Olivia Williams, Michael Gambon, Eddie Izzard, Tim Pigott-Smith, Adeel Akhtar
Production Company: BBC Films, Working Title Films
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham
Victoria and Abdul © Focus Features
The BBC’s newest biopic feature, Victoria and Abdul (2017), tells the story of the unlikely friendship between Queen Victoria and her servant Abdul Karim. The film is based on the book ‘Victoria &Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest Confidant’ by Shrabani Basu.
Directed by Stephen Frears (Dangerous Liaisons, Philomena), the film stars Judi Dench (Pride & Prejudice (2005), Red Joan (2019)) as Queen Victoria and Ali Fazal (Death on the Nile, Kandahar) as Abdul Karim. The supporting cast includes Olivia Williams (The Nevers (2021), The Halcyon (2017)) as Lady Churchill, Michael Gambon (King of Thieves (2018), Churchill’s Secret (2016)) as Lord Salisbury, Eddie Izzard (Ocean’s Thirteen, Across the Universe) as Bertie, Prince of Wales, Tim Pigott-Smith (V for Vendetta, Quantum of Solace) as Sir Henry Ponsonby and Adeel Akhtar (Back to Life (2019-2021), Four Lions) as Mohammed.
The production filmed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham on The HMS Gannet and the quayside adjacent to the ship.
With over 100 Georgian and Victorian buildings, spread over 80 acres, The Historic Dockyard Chatham is one of Kent’s most popular filming locations. Some of the productions that have filmed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham include, Call the Midwife (2012-present), Downton Abbey (2013) and Les Misérables (2013)
Victoria and Abdul (2017) was released in cinemas on Friday 15th September 2017.
For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.
