All language subtitles for The Crown - S03E05 - Coup

[radio] ...to Prime Minister Harold Wilson
and his government today,

as pressure on the pound...

Good afternoon, Mr. King.

-[TV] The damage had been done...
-Afternoon, Mr. King.

Britain's trade gap is
a staggering £107 million.

It's the worst figure on record.

The government said that these figures
were distorted and meaningless.

-[phones ringing]
-[typewritters typing]

Good afternoon, Mr. King.

Good afternoon, Mr. King.

Good afternoon, Mr. King.

Where is it?

Here. Tomorrow's front page, sir.

-Not strong enough.
-It's the strongest headline

the Daily Mirror's ever written
about a Labour leader.

"Bowed head, guilty conscience"?
I don't know what it's saying.

Now I know what it's saying.

[lighter clicks]

It's a sad day when the Daily Mirror,
a Labour-supporting newspaper,

turns against a Labour leader like this.

We've done some thinking

and come up with an idea
for how to deflect any further criticism.

[Wilson] Yeah, go on.

Lord Mountbatten.

What's he got to do with anything?

[Thomson] I'm sure we all agree
that he's a symbol of a bygone era,

of privilege and inequality,
empire and extravagance.

-Not to mention a pompous bloody arse.
-[Wilson] Go on.

[Thomson] As Chief of the Defence Staff,

he's refusing to make
the defense cuts we need,

cuts which you promised
in your election manifesto.

One might even tolerate it
if he weren't so...

-Vain or crooked or power-mad.
-[Thomson] Quite.

What are you proposing?

That we kick him out.

But at least he's busy,
and inside the tent.

You know, people like Mountbatten,
meddlers, for want of a kinder word,

energetic, well-connected meddlers,

it's better that they're inside the tent
pissing out

than outside the tent pissing in.

But he belongs to another time, Harold.

Kicking him out makes economic sense
and shows we're tough.

And who knows?
It might just buy us some good headlines.

Yes, I could do with some good headlines.

[soldier] General salute!

Present... arms!

[boots stamp]

[footsteps approach]

[Wilson] As Chief of the Defence Staff,

you will be aware
that the Treasury has been conducting

a wide-ranging review
of defense spending--

And before you go any further,

the cuts you propose would leave us
hopelessly vulnerable and weak,

especially east of Suez.

Now, are our enemies cutting back
on military spending?

No, they're increasing fivefold, tenfold.

[Wilson] And the conclusion of the review
is that we'd like to make a few changes.

One of which is to your post
of Chief of the Defence Staff.

What?

Are you kicking me out?

Well, no, sir, I'm thanking you

on behalf of the government,
on behalf of the armed forces,

on behalf of the whole country
for your many years of remarkable service.

You are.

You're kicking me out.

[guffaws]

Well, there we are! [chuckles]

Well... [chuckles]

[sighs] There we are.

[King] It's absurd.

That a man
of Lord Mountbatten's achievements,

Supreme Allied Commander
for South East Asia,

one of the chief architects
of the invasion of occupied Europe,

which, incidentally, won us the war,

should be told by a man
who's achieved what?

Nothing.

Broken his promises, crippled the economy,
run this great country into the ground.

...that he, Mountbatten,
is surplus to requirements?

It's not absurd.

-It's obscene.
-[door closes]

But where one door closes,

another opens.

"There is special providence
in such a fall.

If it be now, 'tis not to come;
if it be not to come, it will be now;

if it be not now, yet it will come.

The readiness is all."

What am I going to do, Barratt?

[Barratt] You'll bounce back, sir.

Before long,
you'll have a hundred projects.

Cake, sir.

-[man] Hip-hip!
-[staff] Hooray!

♪ Should auld acquaintance be forgot ♪

♪ And never brought to mind ♪

♪ Should auld acquaintance be forgot ♪

♪ And days of auld lang syne ♪

♪ For auld lang syne, my dear ♪

♪ For auld lang syne ♪

♪ We'll take a cup of kindness yet ♪

♪ For auld lang syne ♪

♪ We two have run about the hills ♪

♪ And pulled the daisies fine ♪

♪ But we've wandered many a weary foot ♪

♪ Since auld lang syne ♪

[bird caws]

[groans] Thank you.

[chuckles]

Hey.

Welcome home, sir.

[distant thunder]

Yes, of course.

I think that should be fine.

I don't think we need to worry
about the stairs.

Pens down, Your Majesty.

Ten minutes to Newmarket.

[Elizabeth] Thank you, Cecil. How is he?

As good as new again.

[Elizabeth] And do you really think
he's recovered from his injury?

[Cecil] I do, ma'am.

Gelded, fired, well rested.

We won't have him
breaking down on us again.

Any chance of seeing him
on the gallops today?

Oh, no, ma'am.
It's too wet and muddy out there.

It's been a lot like this.

Hardly been able to train him at all.

Well, we can't do anything
about the weather.

[commentator]
Now we come to the most anticipated race

of this year's Royal Ascot meeting,
the Queen Alexandra Stakes.

This is Britain's longest flat race,

where stamina is of the essence,

and the favorite is,
of course, number nine,

Her Majesty's own horse, Apprentice.

And they're off with number six, Panic,
taking an early lead,

followed by number one, Valentine's Day,

with number two, Olympic Boy,
breathing down their necks.

They're on the pace now
as they make their start.

Behind them at number ten,
Omphialus, is far off the leaders,

but number nine, Apprentice,
tails behind in fifth place.

A disappointing start for last year's
Yorkshire Cup champion.

And Panic is still ahead, but behind him,
Apprentice is gaining ground,

seeing off a challenge from number seven,
Philemon, and pulling into fourth.

Your Majesty.

-Your Majesty.
-Dickie, darling. Chin up, buttercup.

[commentator]
Apprentice really has the look of eagles.

-Apprentice turns up the pressure...
-Come on!

...on Olympic Boy
as he moves into third place.

And in what is a fantastic recovery
from a slow start,

Apprentice is now level with number two,
Olympic Boy, as they race uphill.

As they come up to the final turn,
Panic leads by a length and a half

but Apprentice is coming through
with a challenge.

Now it's the home straight.

Apprentice is charging down
the near side, digging deep.

Nearly, nearly, nearly...

-No, he hasn't got it.
-No, Apprentice is starting to struggle.

Panic is holding on,
he's holding his lead,

and Apprentice is falling behind
as Valentine's Day pulls back into second.

Olympic Boy coming up from the rear,
and it's a busy finish,

but number six, Panic, finishes first,

and closely followed
by number two Olympic Boy, and...

What are we doing wrong, Porchey?

We used to be at the top.
Now we barely compete.

It's... possible that the system
set up by your late father

is now a little...

Obsolete?

And might need, uh...

Kicking out? Throwing on the dust heap?

If you want to keep up
with the Aga Khans of this world,

I would suggest you follow their lead.

And do what?

Travel round the world and catch up
with all the latest developments.

I can't just do that.

In case you hadn't noticed,
I have a job to do.

It would only be France, not Timbuktu.

There are experienced people who are able
to deputize for you in your absence.

[Wilson] As you know,

this government is committed
to maintaining sterling

at $2.80 to the pound.

But with every economic blow,

the oil embargo,
the balance of payments deficit,

and the Dockers' Union strike,

it's proving harder and harder
to maintain.

And I'm afraid that now we have
no alternative but to devalue the pound.

Oh.

[Wilson] And I need hardly say
it is a matter of overwhelming regret

for me personally.

And a humiliation for the government.

It feels like a bad time to say that
I won't be here for our meeting next week.

Perhaps the next two weeks.

But Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother,
will step in as counsellor of state.

Uh... Oh.

[Elizabeth]
A role she's executed many times.

[bell rings]

Your Majesty.

[door opens]

[door closes]

[Wilson] Good evening.

A few days ago, the Cabinet took its
unanimous decision to devalue the pound.

I can now tell you

why we have taken this action,

and, more importantly,
what it will mean for you.

From now on, the pound abroad
will be worth 14% or so less

in terms of other currencies.

Now, this doesn't mean, of course,

that the pound here in Britain

in your pocket or your purse
or your bank has been devalued.

What it does mean is that the goods
we buy from abroad will be dearer.

So, for many goods,
it will be cheaper to buy British.

Now, this devaluation
has been a hard decision,

and some of its consequences
will be hard for a time.

[chuckles]

[Wilson] For three years,
this government has fought,

as it was our duty to fight,

the burden of the deficit
that the previous government left us with.

But now is not the time
to attribute blame.

Now is our chance to break free
from that straitjacket,

to seize this opportunity
with both hands.

This is a proud nation.
We're out on our own now.

Now we must choose to put Britain first.

[sighs]

[Mountbatten] Tonight,
we veterans of the Burma campaign

are gathered here
to renew old comradeships

and to remember fallen brothers

at Yenangyaung and Rangoon.

We remember how it was fought.

The old way, the honorable way.

[audience murmurs]

Body to body, bayonet to bayonet.

[scattered applause]

And that swift,
exhilarating sweep of victory

that carried us over the Irrawaddy
and into Mandalay.

And there we met the Japanese army,

and we tore it apart.

[cheering]

Yes, gentlemen,

we military men will always have
our past glories to look back on.

But what of this new generation?

These young men and women for whom
some of the best of us gave our lives.

[man] Hear, hear.

[Mountbatten] Decline,

irrelevance,
and the devaluation of pound sterling.

That is the sunless future
that faces them.

For them, the white heat of revolution
is not a forging heat.

It is a melting heat.

It melts the silver of our battle honors

and reduces to cinders the very foundation
of our economy, our currency.

-[man 1] Yes.
-[man 2] Hear, hear.

[Mountbatten] So...

if the only glories available
to this nation are its past glories,

then let us cherish them now.

[audience] Hear, hear.

"Come you back, you British soldier,
come you back..."

Who will join me?

[audience murmurs]

"Ship me somewhere east of Suez,

where the best is like the worst,

Where there are no Ten Commandments

and a man can raise a thirst,

For the temple bells are calling,

and it's there that I would be

By the old Moulmein Pagoda,

looking lazy at the sea.

[audience joins in]
On the road to Mandalay,

Where the old flotilla lay,

with our sick beneath the awnings

when we went to Mandalay.

O' the road to Mandalay,

Where the flying-fishes play,

And the dawn comes up like thunder

out of China 'crost the Bay."

[cheering]

What do you think?

Very good.

-Lord Mountbatten?
-Excuse me.

Cecil King.

I hoped to talk to you, sir,

to express my sympathy at the way
you've been treated by the government.

A shameful piece of
political grandstanding and opportunism.

You're very kind.

[King] Well, this country needs great men
more than ever

to restore confidence, inspire us,

and perhaps even lead us out of the mire.

Well, it's been made very clear to me
that my leadership days are over.

[King] Oh, well, my colleagues
and I don't believe that, sir.

Not for a minute.

As a matter of fact,

we'd be delighted if you would have lunch
with us at Threadneedle Street one day.

Bank of England?

We've been working on a proposal,
which we'd very much like to put to you.

Hmm.

Sir.

-[chickens cluck]
-[girls speak French]

[horn blares]

-Hello.
-[in French] Your Majesty.

Welcome to Haras du Quesnay.

[in French] Thank you, Mr. Head.

But there is no need for such formality.

In the world of breeding,
it is you who are king.

[chuckles] You are very kind, ma'am,
and very indulgent.

I suspect you are flattering me.

-[in English] Hello, Alec.
-Henry.

[in French] Shall we? Good morning.

[in English] And, of course,
it was Malin Comme un Singe

who came out of Lady Danjar,
a magnificent stayer.

Oh! And his grandsire, White Settler.

Oh, that's right.
We had tremendous success with him.

Yes, I remember him. A wonderful sprinter.

-Are these your stud books?
-[man] Indeed, ma'am.

And I think you will find
some very familiar names in there.

Yes, I bet I will.

If I'm not mistaken...

-this one.
-Oh, gosh, yes.

My grandfather's, one of his favorites.

-What would you say? Six months?
-[Porchey] Mm, yes, I'd say so.

Nice temperament,
warm-blooded, not too skittish.

-Indeed. Look at her hocks.
-Oh, yes.

Very well proportioned,
excellent line to the back.

[Porchey] Yes.

May I?

[Elizabeth] It was extraordinary.

Not just their facilities,
their entire attitude to breeding,

but the fact they keep their foals
and their yearlings so close...

[Porchey] Merci.

...while we send ours off
to graze in Ireland.

Tell me honestly. Is it over?

Have we slipped too far behind?

Not yet, ma'am.

But if you want to keep up,

you, uh, you do need
to act decisively now.

It'd mean rethinking the operation
from top to toe, changing the personnel,

-changing the approach.
-Yes.

And currently there is a drain of the best
British racehorses to America.

You have to ask yourself... why?

You don't think I should go there, too?

Obviously, from a racing perspective,
it will be ideal.

Just for a day or two, but, uh...
won't you be needed at home?

Well, they've always got Mummy.

Me being away is good for her.

She hates feeling old and superannuated
and surplus to requirements.

I'm sure she's relishing
being the big chief again.

[both chuckle]

Hmm.

-Thank you.
-Sir.

-Mr. King.
-Lord Mountbatten.

[King] The Great Britain of our childhood
is dying before us.

The country is bankrupt,
our national security is in tatters,

our allies are in despair.

And on our current trajectory, by 1970,

we will be a vassal state.

A pariah.

I don't know about you, sir,

but I'd sooner die than stand idly by
and watch this happen.

And to that end,

my associates and I
have come up with a plan

to put the country back on track.

Which is?

Replacing the Prime Minister

and installing a new emergency government.

-What?
-And in his place,

we would need to install
an inspirational figurehead.

Someone who could unite the nation,
command its respect.

Someone who had stepped
into a national leadership role before.

Now, there are some obvious candidates,

but, frankly,
none would be as good as you, sir.

No, no, no, this is quite unthinkable.

At this point, I should close my ears.

[clears throat]

Despite my own very profound reservations
regarding our prime minister,

what you're talking about
is effectively a coup.

And I can have nothing whatsoever
to do with it.

[King] In peacetime, it's true,

an intervention like this
would be unconstitutional.

But we believe
this is no longer peacetime,

and the circumstances are unprecedented
and quite exceptional.

Gerald.

[Gerald]
In order to hijack control of the economy,

Wilson and his socialist colleagues
have devised a plan,

Plan Brutus,

which would strip the Bank of England
of all its powers,

freeze the sterling balances
of foreign governments,

and enforce crash cuts
in defense spending.

[Benn] The bankers cannot be allowed
to run the show.

The Bank of England has known

about gold pouring out of the country
since Monday

-and has done nothing to stop it.
-What is our response?

[Thomson]
The imposition of exchange controls,

crash cuts in defense expenditure,

and the compulsory acquisition
of all privately held overseas securities.

Show of hands.

[lawyer]
It is an effective declaration of war

on freedom, democracy, and capitalism.

[King] We must act now.

Not just to save Britain, but the world.

We are proposing a radical revolution

led by bankers, businessmen,
and the armed forces.

Professionals who can save us
from amateurism,

incompetence, and Russian infiltration.

And as our interim leader,

we can think of
no one better than you, sir.

[inhales then exhales deeply]

This is all very interesting.

[taps fingers]

May I suggest that we meet again...

in 48 hours?

Sir.

[presenter] With the pound down and
the rest later, I suppose that sums it up.

Devaluation and a gigantic loan
that we'll all have to pay back.

Britain now finds itself

looking at a complete reversal
of government policy

after three years
of devaluation and denial.

[crowd]
Wilson must go! Wilson must go!

[presenter] Outside 10 Downing Street,
protesters gathered

as the reality
of what a devalued pound...

Welcome to the Commonwealth of Kentucky,
Your Majesty.

-Thank you, Mr. Hancock.
-Please, call me Bull.

Sorry we don't have
better weather for you.

It's quite all right.
We like a good watering.

-Bull Hancock.
-Pleasure to meet you.

[presenter] Your shopping basket
will hold less for the same money.

A whole lot of imported foodstuffs
will cost more,

around threepence a pound more for beef.

-This the one?
-Excellent.

[presenter]
On Monday, after the announcement,

the Stock Exchange was empty.

There was no trading.

But outside in Throgmorton Street,
brokers and jobbers crowded together

to try and sort out
what the drop in the pound...

[Hancock] Morning, boys.

-Morning, sir.
-Morning, Mr. Hancock.

[Hancock] They're testing for minerals.
Sulfur, calcium.

Correct nutrition is vital, ma'am,

when it comes to the bone strength
and bone formation

-in the foals we're raising.
-Yes, sir.

-[Hancock] Tommy's one of the best.
-[Tommy] Thank you, sir.

-Does Tommy ever come to England?
-Oh, no, no, no.

Oh.

[presenter] Paris woke up to find
that France was on the brink of civil war.

Would the rebel generals in Algeria
send paratroopers?

Defense measures
were quickly put into operation.

Orly Airport was closed
to flights in and out.

Nobody in the capital knew
the rebels' intentions,

but plastic bomb outrages
here and elsewhere

showed that pro-rebel sympathizers
were on the prowl.

They struck
at the Gare de Lyon railway terminus

and at the Austerlitz station,

not with any serious effect,
but it was...

[Hancock] These are veterinary students
we've invited to spend time at the farm.

They learn reproductive management,
neonatal and foal management,

herd health management.

What we're aiming for
is better integration

between our practices here at the stud

and the clinical research
being conducted in the wider world.

-[Elizabeth] Remind me of the year.
-[Porchey] 1967. Why?

'Cause having seen what I've just seen,
one might think it 2067.

In terms of technology,
and their management of the pasture,

and their willingness
to embrace new ideas,

the Americans aren't just on a different
level, they're on a different planet.

And their racing manager,
wasn't he impressive?

When you think about Cecil
by comparison...

-Yes, he is getting on now.
-Hmm, 150.

Well, not quite that, but certainly 80.
Dear old Cecil.

The Ben-Hur of Newmarket.

[both chuckle]

He had such success with your father.

And grandfather.
You know he was wounded at the Somme?

Yes. So, it's probably time
for someone a little bit younger.

The question is, who is there?

What about... Gordon Richards?

He's with the Weinstocks.
They'd never let him go.

-Or... David McCall?
-Hmm.

He's good.

But can you honestly see him fitting in?

-No.
-Try that.

Oh.

Mmm.

Would you ever consider it?

-Me?
-Why not?

You're brilliant,
and you know the family inside out.

Well, I'm honored.

-But I'm also very ambitious, so...
-Hmm.

I could never accept unless I felt sure

we had every chance of success
at the highest level.

And in terms of our research,

there's still one thing
that we really need to see.

-What?
-Their training facilities.

If we're going to gain the edge,

there's still a lot to learn
from the Americans.

Porchey, how much longer
is that going to take?

Well...

[chuckles]

-[Porchey] Do you want to try this?
-Yes, please.

[Mountbatten] Gentlemen.

In the past decade alone,
there have, by my reckoning,

been 73 coups in 46 different countries
around the world,

and the success of some of these
might encourage us.

In Ghana two years ago,

President Nkrumah
was ousted with just 500 men.

And in 1961 in South Korea,

Major General Park Chung-hee
seized power with 3,500 men.

And in 1964 in Gabon,

just 150 men were able
to arrest President M'ba

and thus gain control
over the levers of state power.

And, of course,
it was with just one legion

that Caesar crossed the Rubicon.

And perhaps we would not seek
to follow his fate.

Sic semper tyrannis, gentlemen.

[chuckling]

And what all successful insurgencies
have in common

are five key elements.

Control of the media,
control of the economy,

and the capture of administrative targets,

for which you need the fourth element,
the loyalty of the military.

Now, in Ghana and Gabon,

this can be achieved
with a handful of battalions,

but here in the United Kingdom...

we would need to secure Parliament,

Whitehall,

the Ministry of Defence,
and the Cabinet Office.

The Prime Minister
will be arrested, of course,

along with other politicians still loyal.

We would have to shut down
the airports, air traffic control.

Same with the train stations.

Curfews will be put in place,
martial law declared.

And I haven't even mentioned the police.

It would take tens of thousands
of unquestioningly loyal servicemen,

and even in my heyday,
I could never command that.

Which brings me to the fifth element.

Legitimacy.

Now, our government draws its strength

from long-established institutions
that support it.

The courts, body of common law,
the constitution.

For any action against the state
to succeed,

you'd have to overthrow these as well.

But in a highly evolved democracy
such as ours,

their authority is sacrosanct.

Which is why, gentlemen,
a coup d'état in the United Kingdom...

doesn't stand a chance.

Unless...

Unless...?

[Mountbatten] Unless we had the support
of the one person not yet mentioned.

Do you see the temperament?

[Mountbatten] The Crown has at
its disposal unique constitutional powers

which could still make
something like this possible.

In 1834, William IV used them

to dismiss his government
in the face of opposition from the House.

And in 1920,
the Emergency Powers Act was passed,

which gave the sovereign power
in certain circumstances

to declare
a state of emergency by proclamation.

Meaning our Queen
could dissolve Parliament

and appoint a new government,
and a prime minister as well.

She's also Commander-in-Chief
of the Armed Forces.

They swear allegiance to her
and not to Parliament,

so could count on their support
to see it through.

She is our Caesar.

[music plays over dialogue]

[King] And you think
she might entertain this idea?

The circumstances
are certainly compelling.

Now, I've made a list here
of exactly how compelling.

And as her second cousin,
I am in an ideal position to ask.

-Not hungry?
-No.

Somehow today has managed to be
one of the most enjoyable days of my life.

And at the same time,
one of the most depressing.

[knocking at door]

Telephone call for you, ma'am.
Lord Mountbatten.

I'll call him back.

[door closes]

If I tell you something,
do you promise it will stay between us?

Of course.

This is how I'd like to spend all my time.

[chuckles]

Owning horses,
breeding horses, racing horses.

It's what makes me truly happy.

And I actually think
it's what I was born to do,

until the other thing came along...

that someone else was born to do,
that they elected not to do,

which meant that first my father,
and then I,

had to do a job we were never meant to do.

Well, you've managed to make it look like

the other thing is the only thing
you were ever meant to do.

Hmm. You're kind.

But it isn't.

And on days like today...

in places like this,
in company like this...

you get a glimpse
of what it all might have been like.

The unlived life...

and how much happier
it might have made me.

-[knocking at door]
-Not now!

Oh, dear. Did I just snap?

-Slightly.
-I shall have to grovel now.

-No, it's all right. He'll understand.
-[knocking at door]

-[Charteris] I'm so sorry, Your Majesty.
-Yes, all right, I'm coming.

Honestly, only Dickie.

[door opens]

Yes, thank you, Martin. I'll talk to him.

[sighs]

[Charteris] Your Majesty.

You are persistent.
Is it really so important?

Yes, Your Majesty.

Prime Minister?

Ma'am, I have reason to believe

there is currently a full-blown plot
developing against me

and the democratically elected
Labour government

that governs in your name

being led
by a senior member of your family.

Who?

Lord Mountbatten.

And that he, in cahoots with Cecil King,

the chairman
of the Mirror Group newspapers,

has been attempting
to overthrow this government.

Now, I feel compelled
to remind Your Majesty

that tolerance of the royal family
is hanging by a thread as it is.

And throughout my time in office,

I have done my level best to protect you.

But if members of the royal family

were to interfere with
the political business of the day,

I would be left with no option

but to side with the republican elements
of my Cabinet,

which I have successfully controlled
until now...

and take steps.

Leave it with me, Prime Minister.

Your Majesty. [hangs up]

[door opens]

Drink up, Porchey.

We're going home.

[reporters shout questions]

Lord Mountbatten, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

You asked to see me.

I did.

[Mountbatten]
Well, great minds think alike.

As it happens,
I was planning to drop by myself...

on a matter of great importance.

I'm getting a feeling
that I've not had since Dieppe,

that I'm walking into a trap.

I'd like to think you had
that sinking feeling

on another occasion recently,

when going to see your friends
at the Bank of England.

Is it even true?

Yes, I did go to lunch
at the Bank of England

to meet and listen to people

who are horrified
by what's happening to the country.

A horror I hope you share.

Perhaps.

But conspiring with them
is not the solution.

[Mountbatten]
It is the beginning of a solution.

Why are you doing this?
Why would you protect a man like Wilson?

I am protecting the Prime Minister.

I am protecting the constitution.

I am protecting democracy.

But if the man at the heart
of that democracy threatens to destroy it,

are we supposed to just stand by
and do nothing?

Yes.

Doing nothing is exactly what we do,
and bide our time,

and wait for the people that voted him in
to vote him out again,

if indeed that is what they decide to do.

Mm-hmm.

[clears throat]

I'm sure you find it near impossible
to do nothing

and to not have the role
and responsibilities you've always had.

You were born to be busy and to lead.

But you still have
a huge role to play in this family.

A father figure to my husband.

An uncle and a guide to me.

A king to make in Charles,
not to mention a brother to your sister.

When was the last time
you even visited her?

Cheered her up?

That would be a greater service
to the Crown

than leading unconstitutional coups.

Hmm.

[clock ticks]

[coughing]

[door closes]

[footsteps approach]

Nice of you to find the time.

Hmm! These days, I've nothing but time.

And too little time.

[sighs]

Hmm.

The four of us.

-What?
-The four of us.

Look at us now.

Only two left.

You're left, not me.

I'm on the way out.

Nonsense.

There came a moment
around the time I turned 70...

when it dawned on me
that I was no longer a participant,

rather a spectator.

I've discovered that for myself.

Then it's just a matter of waiting

and not getting in the way.

-[coughs]
-[lighter clicks]

[lighter clicks]

I hear you have been getting in the way.

-[coughs]
-Who told you that?

-There are no secrets in this place!
-Hmm.

Did you get a dressing down
from our doughty Queen?

-Yes, I did.
-[guffaws]

Oh, what's so funny?

Well, that's funny.

The little girl admonishing
the grand old Admiral of the Fleet.

Well, I'm glad it amuses you.

Because the situation
this country is facing

is anything but amusing.

Oh...

Who cares? Honestly.

One of the few joys
of being as old as we both are

is that it's not our problem.

It's not really our country, either.

What are you talking about?

Of course it's our country.

We Battenbergs have no country.

Our family might have kings
and queens in its ranks,

but we're mongrels, too.

Part-German, part-Greek,
part-nowhere at all.

Well, this is my country.

It gave me a home, it gave me a name,

and in return, I've given it my life.

And to see it like this breaks my heart.

You must sleep.

Sister.

Princess Alice of Nowhere at All.

[footsteps approach]

You.

-Don't sound so surprised.
-[Philip] I am. It's been so long.

So, how was France and America?

Educational.

Oh. The trip was supposed to be a week.
You were gone almost a month.

[Elizabeth] Yes.

With Porchey?

Yes.

Was that fun?

We went on racing business.
It was a fact-finding expedition.

Right.

[Elizabeth]
If you have something to say, say it now.

Otherwise, if you don't mind, I'm busy.

I've heard you've appointed him
as your racing manager.

-I have.
-Which means he'll be around all the time.

Yes, with any luck.

-Good for you.
-Good for all of us.

I... heard about Dickie.

-A coup.
-Yes. Can you believe it?

It must be hard getting old.

Yes.

I'll be up in a minute.

Oh, will you?

Yes, I thought so.

Unless you'd rather I wasn't.

I'll see you in a minute.