The Onedin Line

Episode 1

A Royal Return

Letty has died from diphtheria caught from nursing sick orphans and Elizabeth has returned from Turkey to manage urgent Fraser business. Sarah is on a Cook's tour of the world, Samuel now has his own ships, bought from the trust fund William left his son Robert. He divorces Charlotte and is awarded custody of the children but agrees to repay the money in the little boy's account. Having suggested to Elizabeth that the Onedin and Frazer lines merge, James takes Prince Alexander, exiled by the Russian Tsar, to reclaim the throne of Bulgaria. There is an assassination attempt aboard ship, and even when the ship reaches Bulgaria, the prince's return is far from triumphant.