All hail the Duchess of Buccleuch, MVP of Victoria season 2

The addition of Diana Rigg’s crotchety yet compassionate Mistress of the Robes has been the highlight of Victoria’s sophomore season.

Poor Queen Victoria doesn’t have much in the way of female role models. She looks up to Elizabeth I — another female monarch who knew a thing or two about ruling a country from a young age — but in terms of real-life connections, Victoria only has her mother and her surrogate mother, Lehzen. She doesn’t get along with the former, and the latter’s habit of inserting herself into Victoria’s marital issues recently came back to bite her.

But at least Victoria has the Duchess of Buccleuch, right?

Introduced at the beginning of this season, the Duchess (Diana Rigg), also known as the Mistress of the Robes, initially seems to serve no other purpose than comic relief. In fact, the Queen only brings her to court to appease the Prime Minister, and even he’s none too fond of the Duchess. “She was on your list,” Victoria reminds Peel. “At the very bottom,” he replies.

Once the Duchess arrives at the palace, she immediately establishes herself as a thorn in Victoria’s side. She’s like the judgmental grandmother who can’t stop telling you how young women actually knew how to behave in her day. Did you know that it’s inappropriate for pregnant women to “gallivant” at dances? I didn’t either, until the Duchess came on the scene.

However, as this season has progressed, the Duchess has proven herself to be kind of an awesome grandmother to Victoria. She still can be ignorant and annoying, but she’s much more than the batty old lady she came across as in the season premiere. In “The Sins of the Father,” the Duchess is the only person who recognizes Victoria’s postpartum depression for what it is — and she’s the only one willing to broach the subject. “You’re not the only woman who has felt herself in low spirits after the birth of a child. I experienced something similar after the birth of my daughter,” the Duchess reveals. It’s a touching moment: the Duchess not only provides comfort, she upends our expectations by not criticizing Victoria. She could’ve played into the cranky, elderly woman stereotype but instead she displays some real empathy.

A few episodes later in “The Luxury of Conscience,” the Duchess once again shows she’s more perceptive than anyone in Victoria gives her credit for. When she hears Drummond has been killed, she wastes no time in informing Lord Alfred. “I may be old but I’m not blind. I know what he meant to you,” the Duchess informs Alfred after offering him a drink. That’s right, she’s the only person who picked up on the romantic relationship between the two young men. (Well, Wilhelmina is also aware, but that’s just because she saw them kissing in Scotland.)

In her interactions with both Victoria and Alfred, the Duchess is compassionate, kind, and most importantly, she knows what’s up. Despite the generational differences, the Mistress of the Robes is quite adept at relating to her younger friends. Plus, like any Cool Grandma worth her salt, the Duchess knows when to gently steer Victoria and Alfred in the right direction during their crises.

In the Queen’s case, the Duchess observes, “I know how hard it was for you to go out today. But I also know that tomorrow it will be easier.” Translation: “You’re hurting and it’s ok that you’re hurting. However, you can’t hide from your life forever: it’s time to move forward.” To a newly bereaved Alfred she says, “Now, I suggest you go to your room and compose yourself. And remember at the funeral the chief mourners will be his mother and his fiancée.” Translation: “I know your heart is broken and I’m so, so sorry. But the world we live in might not understand so you need to protect yourself.”

In the past I’ve been critical of Victoria‘s tendency to use Downton Abbey as a blueprint for its storylines (hello, downstairs drama). However, the inclusion of the Duchess of Buccleuch is a master stroke that takes its cues and builds upon Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess. Like Downton‘s Violet, the Duchess’ heated proclamations run the gamut from amusing (French food is gross!) to offensive (why is a black person playing Othello?). Like Violet, the Duchess is often laughed at by her fellow characters. Unlike the Dowager Countess, however, the Duchess is in tune with the world around her. She’s prickly, insightful, old-fashioned, and wise all at the same time.

She’s the standout character of Victoria season 2.

Next: Victoria went full Outlander and it was glorious

Victoria’s season 2 finale airs this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on PBS.