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  • 1976-09-03T23:00:00Z on BBC One
  • 50m
  • 12h 30m (15 episodes)
  • United Kingdom
  • English
  • Drama
Set in London between 1900 and 1925, the story follows Louisa Leyton/Trotter, the eponymous "Duchess", who works her way up from servant to renowned cook to proprietress of the upper-class Bentinck Hotel in Duke Street, St. James's.

15 episodes

Series Premiere

1976-09-03T23:00:00Z

1x01 A Present Sovereign

Series Premiere

1x01 A Present Sovereign

  • 1976-09-03T23:00:00Z50m

A feisty, determined, kind hearted young woman embarks on her career 'to be the best cook in England,' when she's employed in the London home of a well connected aristocrat.

1976-09-10T23:00:00Z

1x02 Honour and Obey

1x02 Honour and Obey

  • 1976-09-10T23:00:00Z50m

Hardly flattered and severely compromised, Louisa has caught the eye of the Prince of Wales and is pressed into marrying Augustus Trotter.

1976-09-17T23:00:00Z

1x03 A Nice Class of Premises

1x03 A Nice Class of Premises

  • 1976-09-17T23:00:00Z50m

All bets are off when HRH becomes His Majesty, King Edward VII and Louisa and Augustus must plan what lies ahead for them.

1976-09-24T23:00:00Z

1x04 The Bargain

1x04 The Bargain

  • 1976-09-24T23:00:00Z50m

Heavily in debt, Louisa is on a juggernaut that lands in her in the hospital, after she collapses from exhaustion. But, that handsome devil and consoling angel, Charlie Tyrrell, devises a plan to save her hotel.

1976-10-01T23:00:00Z

1x05 A Bed of Roses

1x05 A Bed of Roses

  • 1976-10-01T23:00:00Z50m

With Charlie Tyrell now in residence as the first guest, the hotel is now officially open to the public. Louisa has set a high standard for herself and is relying on word of mouth among the right kind of people to bring in the clientèle. Charlie invites an attractive, but married, woman for dinner in his rooms only to have her leave when she realizes she is the only guest. He invites Louisa to join him and unexpectedly, they soon are lovers. When Charlie must leave for America, Louisa is heartbroken but she also is pregnant. At the appropriate time, she leaves the hotel with Mary in charge to go and give birth. Soon Charlie is back and completely unaware of what has been going on, tracks her down. He also has a proposition on how to care for their child

1976-10-08T23:00:00Z

1x06 For Love or Money

1x06 For Love or Money

  • 1976-10-08T23:00:00Z50m

A con artist, posing as a Baron, dupes a greedy American guest and seduces a lonely young bride, as a vigilant and intrigued Louisa monitors his every move.

1976-10-15T23:00:00Z

1x07 A Lady of Virtue

1x07 A Lady of Virtue

  • 1976-10-15T23:00:00Z50m

A Liberal politician convinces a colleague that he can seduce a married lady of impeccable virtue.

1976-10-22T23:00:00Z

1x08 Trouble and Strife

1x08 Trouble and Strife

  • 1976-10-22T23:00:00Z50m

A woman from Starr's past, down on her luck, begs him to use his influence to obtain a job for her at the Bentinck.

1976-10-30T00:00:00Z

1x09 The Outsiders

1x09 The Outsiders

  • 1976-10-30T00:00:00Z50m

When a kindly, but modest man asks for a room at the Bentinck Hotel, he is given the short shrift. However when Louisa and Charlie find out the reason for his visit, he is treated like a visiting dignitary.

1976-11-06T00:00:00Z

1x10 Lottie's Boy

1x10 Lottie's Boy

  • 1976-11-06T00:00:00Z50m

A handsome young guest creates a rift between Mary and Louisa and persuades the Major to invest the remainder of his inheritance in a very risky venture.

1976-11-13T00:00:00Z

1x11 No Letters, No Lawyers

1x11 No Letters, No Lawyers

  • 1976-11-13T00:00:00Z50m

A wily journalist poses as a temporary porter and gathers information on Louisa that could destroy her personal and professional life.

1976-11-20T00:00:00Z

1x12 A Matter of Honour

1x12 A Matter of Honour

  • 1976-11-20T00:00:00Z50m

Charlie is shocked to learn that one of his closest friends, Lord Elleston, arranged for his horse to lose at Ascot.

1976-11-27T00:00:00Z

1x13 One Night's Grace

1x13 One Night's Grace

  • 1976-11-27T00:00:00Z50m

All are intrigued when an attractive young lady asks to see Lord Haslemere -- who is she, what does she want, and more to the point, what is she after?

1976-12-04T00:00:00Z

1x14 Plain Sailing

1x14 Plain Sailing

  • 1976-12-04T00:00:00Z50m

Louisa turns the air blue, but hardly a sedate navy, when she buys a summer resort adjacent to a posh private club at Cowes.

Season Finale

1976-12-11T00:00:00Z

1x15 A Test of Love

Season Finale

1x15 A Test of Love

  • 1976-12-11T00:00:00Z50m

With the death of His Majesty, King Edward VII, an era ends for Britain and for Louisa Trotter. Pressing forward, however, Charlie Tyrell (Lord Haslemere) has proposed to lovely Margaret Rosslyn and the newlyweds leave the Bentinck to live in a suitable house and start a family.

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