Original subtitles

I don't like your face, Bertie.

I do not think it is the kind of face...

..that should be seen in society.

That button should not be undone.

I did not create you Duke of York for you to have buttons undone.

S-Sorry, Father.

People who walk around with their buttons undone are cads.

Your duty is to set an example.

One of the ways you can do this is by doing up your buttons.

Y-Yes, Father.

Bertie, we shall be late.

Bertie.

Shoulders.

That...girl you were dancing with...

Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, sir.

Daughter of the Earl of Strathmore.

I might want you to introduce me to her.

There's a bit of a queue at the moment, sir.

May I have this dance, please?

Weren't you in the Navy during the war?

Yes. I spent most of my time rolling around the deck in agony.

Heavens! Were you wounded?

Stomach ulcer, actually.

There were times when I thought a wound would have been preferable.

I was a nurse.

We turned Glamis into a kind of hospital.

Those poor young men.

And now here we are, all having fun, as if it never happened.

What was it that French chap said? "Never talk about it.

Always think about it."

An extraordinary thing has just happened.

Did I tread on your foot?

I didn't stammer!

I d-didn't stammer once.

GUNSHOTS

I think you may have winged a beater, sir. What?

Oh, God!

Are you sure?

We'd better let him have a fiver, sir.

Elizabeth.

I think I may have peppered one of your beaters. Oh, Lord.

Honestly, Bertie!

I think my son is rather keen on the Strathmore girl.

I formed that impression, too.

We could do worse than marry Bertie to a member of the aristocracy.

Some of them are quite respectable.

Well, yourself, for example.

Has it ever been done?

Isn't royal blood supposed to be a unique asset?

Surely,

she'd be the first commoner to marry into the Royal Family since...

..Anne Boleyn.

Well, that didn't work out, did it?

I understood that until he had her beheaded,

the whole thing was a resounding success.

That should make us level.

You're quite competitive underneath all that, aren't you?

Of course. That's why I like shooting with you.

No competition!

Well, really!

MEGAPHONE: 'The result of the Princess Mary Silver Cup...'

The working man needs to work.

If you can't offer the Welsh miners work...

We should offer them champagne.

There's a strong danger the miners will be tempted by Bolshevism.

Isn't Lenin the most appalling little man?

What do you think of Bolshevism, Bertie?

I try not to think about it, actually.

My brother has a very strong social conscience.

He's devised a sort of camp, where he takes boys from the slums,

puts them with boys from wealthier families, and they all...

What do they do exactly, Bertie?

Well, they...

you know, play games and...

Have fun. Yes...Yes, that's it.

Anyway, take Glasgow, for instance...

I can't sort of put it into words like him.

Don't you think he's marvellous?

Of course he is. He's your brother.

And he doesn't mind being noticed,

which must have its uses if you're going to be a king.

I hate being noticed.

I shall ignore you, then. No, no.

Don't do that, please.

You seem troubled, sir.

I'm in love with a girl.

I'm absolutely, completely and utterly in love with her.

And I want to marry her.

And I'm at my wits' end to know what to do about it.

Well, you could try asking her, sir.

That's not really possible, I'm afraid. If you're me...

if you're a member of the Royal Family,

you're not supposed to ask people to marry you. Why ever not?

Father would never allow it. In case they turned you down.

That would never do, do you see?

We sent an emissary... to see how the land lay.

And what happened?

She told him to bugger off.

And I really do not know what I should do.

I'm so in love with her, you see.

I think you should ask her yourself, sir.

Fighting talk, Davidson.

My wife turned me down three times before she said yes.

I had to keep asking and asking, and eventually she sort of gave in.

Extraordinary people, women.

You can't expect a high-spirited girl to say yes to an emissary.

This is 1922.

Not in Buckingham Palace, it isn't.

Have you seen Bertie?

He drops in.

I think in the hope of seeing you.

Oh, dear.

He's terribly sweet, Elizabeth.

I think he's much the nicest of the brothers.

Yes, he is.

But do I want to be the King's daughter-in-law?

Wouldn't it be rather like winning Cruft's?

You wave rather well.

And...he's only Duke of York.

You don't have to wear a crown or anything.

Elizabeth.

I've asked you to marry me.

You haven't asked me.

You've simply put out feelers...

like an insect.

What...

bzzz...bzzz?

Bertie, we can't communicate through third parties for our whole lives.

We'll end up writing notes to each other, passing them down the table.

That would never do. You couldn't read my handwriting.

Oh, Bertie.

I'm asking you to marry me, Elizabeth.

Just...don't imagine I'm going to ask you again.

You can be quite decisive when you want to be, can't you?

Of course I'll marry you.

Yee-o!

(WHOOPS)

You'll have to stop behaving like that. What are you doing?

It's from Under The Spreading Chestnut Tree.

My boys and I do it at camp.

We go...

(WHOOPS) Ridiculous! You're quite ridiculous!

Yes, I am. I'm ridiculous.

And serious.

And decisive.

And indecisive.

And frightfully humble.

And terribly, terribly proud.

Hath not the Prince arms?

Hath not the Prince eyes?

Doth not the violet smell as sweet to him as it does to you?

I don't think that's how it goes, but you do speak it beautifully.

When I'm with you, I do speak beautifully.

Oh, Bertie.

Elizabeth.

Where have you been, David?

I've been abroad, Father.

Abroad is bloody.

Why have you been abroad?

Listening to jazz?

Drinking cocktails?

Where will it end?

The train you're lending me for the wedding, ma'am,

is one of the most beautiful things I've seen. It belonged to...

somebody.

Not Anne of Cleves,

but someone along those lines.

Was it that fat woman from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, my dear?

My feeling, sir, is that the wedding of these two

young people, the Duke and Duchess of York,

should be filmed, if that is thought appropriate,

but not allowed to be recorded over the wireless.

People might listen to it in...

inappropriate places.

What exactly do you mean by that?

Public houses, for example.

They might also not remove their hats at solemn moments.

Why this obsession with ritual?

Monarchy is ritual...boy.

That's why.

Doing things in the prescribed manner.

You've read your Bagehot.

Monarchy is magical.

And you can't let daylight in upon a magic.

Little by little, the newspaper boys,

the wireless boys, will be flashing their cameras

and poking their microphones under your noses.

One morning, you'll wake up and there won't be any magic.

There won't be any monarchy, either.

(CLEARS THROAT)

This is a serious matter, David.

There was an unfortunate photograph of you in the newspapers recently,

wearing what they referred to as "bell-bottoms".

It won't do.

We thought Bertie might wear his RAF dress uniform.

Thoroughly appropriate, my dear.

We must withdraw, Elizabeth, and make plans.

There's no fun talking about weddings when there are men present.

Marriage, my boy.

Take a leaf out of Bertie's book.

Don't stand around drinking cocktails,

looking like a wet weekend.

Get married.

Happy where you are, Bertie? And where am I?

In the middle, of course.

Seriously, though...

a first-class performance.

You...quite superb.

Audible. Very, very audible.

Hear you in China.

First-class groom. And so happy, Bertie.

What? Happy.

Your son. He looked wonderfully happy that he was getting married.

Oh. Oh, yes.

Yes.

You'd better take your picture now,

instead of lurking around inside that bag.

Otherwise we'll go off the boil.

Try not to look as if this is the Battle of Jutland.

He's taking it now.

'A foggy day greets the Duke and Duchess as they arrive at Wembley

for the final day of the British Empire Exhibition.

The stadium is full to its utmost capacity.

The crowd gives the Duke a welcome as he inspects the guard of honour.'

# Alcoholic Blues

Turn down the music.

Your brother is about to make a fool of himself.

Not to be missed.

Turn it down!

I'm sure Bertie will do very well!

'The couple have delighted everyone on their public engagements

since the triumph of the wedding.

This truly magnificent stadium has played host to...'

STATIC INTERFERENCE

COMMENTATOR: 'The sentiments will surely echo

the feelings in the hearts of many...'

Just wait till he starts to speak.

You mark my words.

COMMENTATOR: 'Now here is His Royal Highness.

All of us here today

for the...

(STAMMERS)

..British Empire Exhibition...

..are only too aware that...

..great nations...

..have much to learn... from each other.

They...

..can profit... by each other's example...

..and set the standards...

and...

..courses...

of mutual...

He was put in splints as a child to cure his knock-knees.

I do believe I can hear them knocking.

I promise you, he's terribly good.

He's a speech therapist.

I absolutely refuse to see some quack.

The last one was insane.

I stammer because it m...

Makes you more attractive?

I refuse to see any more quacks.

Quack.

Quack-quack-quack quack...

Quack-quack-quack...

He won't stick pins in you.

I really draw the line at talking about potty training.

I'm sure he won't raise the subject unless you do.

Lionel Logue, sir. Mr Logue.

I never discuss potty training.

How do you get through the day?

What I want you to start by doing... is lying on the floor.

In case it's treason to stand while a Royal Family member is lying down,

I'll be happy to join you.

I think we should all lie on the floor,

and just pray that no reporters have binoculars trained

on the windows of Mr Logue's consulting rooms.

Now what?

Now we're on the same level, please put your hands on your diaphragm.

Good Lord, I don't think I could find mine!

Now what?

We breathe.

You do breathe, do you?

(GIGGLES)

This is an original form of treatment, Mr Logue.

Do you charge people for your advice?

We breathe...

like this.

Good Lord!

Fascinating!

Come on, Bertie, breathe.

Like this...

Isn't she lovely? Mmm.

Mary...

I'm hopeless with babies. I never know what comes out where.

Good morning, Elizabeth.

How are we today?

She's been a little fractious.

She's seen her grandfather, and she's saying to herself,

"Can that old fool be King of England?

Is this possible?"

Or maybe...

she's caught a glimpse of her uncle.

Enough to disillusion the most optimistic infant.

Do hold her. She's so good for you.

David.

Congratulations to both of you on your daughter.

She's quite lovely. Thank you.

I'm sure it's what he thinks I should be doing.

I don't think I shall ever have children.

The idea of him grimacing at them puts me off. But someday, David,

I suppose...

Well, I mean, the family...

Ah, the line of succession, you mean?

Why is that all anyone ever talks about? Is one a prize bull?

She's beginning to wake up.

Thank you.

There we go.

I hear you are going to address the working class in Birmingham.

I trust you'll tell them...

that they should stop trying to run the country

and leave that job to people who are more qualified to do so.

Such as yourself, presumably?

I have no pretensions of being able to run anything.

But I do know a few fellows who can.

I'm a very ordinary sort of chap...

..as are you, David.

The difference between us

is that you seem to be unaware of this very important fact.

Don't make an ass of yourself...

talking to the workers.

They're not as stupid as they look.

I sometimes think that you have no faith in my political principles.

You think right.

You have no political principles.

Bertie may be defeated by three or four consonants.

But at least he shows some traces of...

character.

ARCHBISHOP: Dearly beloved.

Shall we begin the ceremony?

Extraordinary. It's really rather good.

Well done, David!

What do you think, Thelma?

Marvellous, darling. It's my own composition.

I'm thinking of calling it Fort Belvedere,

because it was composed here in Fort Belvedere.

Man must leave something of himself in the world.

Dear me!

Ooh. I always think it's so clever to have bagpipes as one's show-off,

because no-one has any idea whether you're playing them well...or badly.

Bravo!

Thank you. Thank you so much.

You're too kind.

I just got sent these... from America.

Apparently, they're unbreakable.

Shall we see if they really are?

Right!

I love to see brothers who get on.

Will they always be this close, do you think?

Oh, I think so.

David will become King and become serious suddenly,

like Henry V.

Then Bertie can look up to him even more.

And he'll put me away like Falstaff.

Darling, don't look so upset.

I'm married to someone else already.

At least, I was last time I looked.

Yes! THELMA: Well done!

Something about Father. The King is not well...

again.

They keep implying he might die. I can't believe that, can you?

You know, it's funny. I feel absolutely nothing at all.

It's a matter of indifference to me whether our father is well or ill.

You know, I really couldn't give a damn.

Do you really have to go? I'm afraid so.

We have two little girls to take care of. They have to be in bed.

So do we.

You just fear the sanctity of family life will be corrupted if you stay!

Do you see us as the good children? And Thelma and myself as wicked.

Evil, David. Evil.

Oh, David, we're not too late, are we?

No.

David, this is Mrs Wallis Simpson.

I've asked her to look after you while I'm away.

An intolerable burden to lay on someone,

Thelma.

Goodbye, darling David.

Goodbye, Thelma.

Don't neglect us, will you?

You know how Bertie loves to see you. Goodbye, David.

Thelma, many thanks.

Bye.

You know why I've called you here.

This American woman... this married American woman.

Mrs er...

..Simpson.

We've been hearing things.

What things?

That she stays with you at the Fort...

overnight.

Doubtless, her husband is a loyal British subject,

despite marrying an American.

But I'm sure his loyalty to the Crown has its limits.

Your mother...

..heard a rumour

that this woman was selling tickets for a royal function.

The Queen, do you see,

is worried that Mrs Simpson might expect to be received by her.

Is this relationship a clean one?

I swear to you on my honour, sir...

that it is.

Nothing improper has taken place between us.

She's simply a wonderful woman...

whose company makes me very happy.

If that is your word of honour,

I am prepared to ask her and her husband

to the Jubilee Ball...and to Ascot.

But if you are lying to me, boy,

the lie will poison more things in our family than you can imagine.

I'm telling the truth.

"..I don't want to be a rabbit any more."

And that is where we must end.

Can't you finish the story?

I have to go, my dears, but in case you can't be left in suspense,

he marries the girl rabbit, and they live happily ever after.

I...have to meet Wallis at Emerald Cunard's at eight,

or I shall be shot.

And she and Mr Simpson are invited to Ascot, I hear.

Yes. Father had heard ridiculous rumours about our relationship.

And you told him what, exactly?

I told the King what he wanted to hear.

He told Father he wasn't living with her.

He lied.

She aids and abets that lie.

She takes care not to sign the visitors' book at the Fort.

She takes money and jewels from him.

She's a...

She won't last.

They never do.

This one's different.

None of the others have made me feel like this.

Am I too late?

What on earth is he doing here?

He was a good friend of Father's... and he's Archbishop of Canterbury.

Soon he'll be standing on the coffin making a speech.

The King's life is moving peacefully towards its close.

(SOBBING)

I hadn't thought he would be so distressed.

He is frightened.

The King is dead.

Long live the King.

I...

I hope I will...

make good...as...he made good.

It's 11:55.

That's 12:25 by Sandringham time.

When did this ridiculous notion

of keeping the clocks here half an hour fast originate?

Why on earth do we do it?

My father may have won his private war with the 20th century.

I have no quarrel with modernity.

As Your Majesty pleases.

Perhaps we should move on to the design of the new postage stamp.

David?

I think I should be depicted smoking a small cheroot.

Postage stamps are quite a serious business, David.

You really are turning into Father.

Just before we move on to postage stamps,

there is a question I should like to raise with His Majesty

about the order of service for the coronation next spring.

His Majesty has not been attending divine service or taking communion.

There have been comments, notably from the Bishop of Birmingham...

Huh!

..to that effect.

Before you start on me, dear chap,

I think you should do something about that lunatic.

The man's a Communist. Your Majesty!

Do I appoint bishops...or do you?

Margaret! Lillibet!

Daddy!

Come here.

They are to go to a swimming pool, I hear. A public swimming pool.

We shall need more towels.

No jumping on people's heads.

Jump on people's heads! Don't care!

Don't Care was made to care, Don't Care was hung.

Don't Care was put in a pot and boiled till she was done.

I knew a girl who put her legs round her daddy's neck and she died.

Alah, for goodness' sake.

Well, you two had better behave yourselves.

Have a good swim.

Hello, darling.

Simpson wishes a word.

On behalf of the staff at Sandringham, sir,

I'd like to thank you for all you've done, sir.

I understand Sam and the other groom have definitely got to go.

I don't like it any more than you do, and I am doing what I can.

But if my brother wishes it...

Indeed, sir. We are all aware of the importance of economy.

Though in certain instances, His Majesty has been extremely generous.

I understand from Stevens, the butler at Fort Belvedere,

that His Majesty sent almost the entire contents

of the peach greenhouse to Mrs Simpson.

Not my wife, you understand, but...

..the married American lady.

The gardener had to be taken out in hysterics.

Thank you for telling us this, Simpson.

Do give our regards to Mrs Simpson.

Your wife, not the...married American lady.

Most kind, ma'am.

This issue is becoming rather serious.

Courtiers are terrible gossips.

But...

I understand...

..the American lady lectures him terribly at the dinner table.

Yes, thank you, Simpson.

This is all her influence.

Lying isn't enough.

Now she has to get her knife into the servants

and dismiss people who've been part of our family for years!

And she prevents me from seeing him!

And...I feel I'm losing him.

And I...

can't seem to...

You're not losing him, darling.

(SPLUTTERS)

Bertie, you're not losing him. You won't lose him.

You can't lose him.

I won't let it happen.

He's your brother.

Give me your pulse.

One...two...

three...four...five...

One...two...

three...four...five...

..but I would like to.

(CHUCKLES)

And you are...?

Sir Samuel Hoare, First Lord of the Admiralty.

Were you Second Lord first? Did you work your way up?

Frightfully amusing.

Of course, the Sea Lords have never quite recovered from Nelson.

Ooh, Nelson... That name is so familiar, and I don't know why.

Now, tell me, Sir Samuel...

I'm only an American, and I don't understand these things.

Has Hitler invaded the Rhineland? Isn't it his, anyway?

Herr Hitler is a ghastly little man!

David rather likes him.

Isn't he doing great things for the German railway system?

So, Mr Simpson is not here?

I fear not, ma'am.

I also understand the guest list is to be printed in the Court Circular.

Making it seem as if we condone the occasion.

Mrs Simpson is invited everywhere, ma'am.

So we notice. Mr Churchill is making full use of the opportunity.

Madam, all forms of address, rhetorical as well as geographical,

are at the mercy of fashion.

Fascinating. I told His Majesty...

whenever speaking in public,

always arrange your notes.

Please don't concern yourself with it, ma'am.

Most of us feel Winston is merely a second-rate wireless personality.

Soft hands. Straight back and through. Let the club do the work.

You're not going to make a scene at Balmoral tonight, are you?

I don't think she could hold up her end of it.

But we have to make our position clear,

even at the risk of alienating David.

He won't talk to me about her.

You are going to make a scene.

I won't be horrible to David, and he's the one we care about.

And she's the one he cares about.

Leave David to me. I'm good at elder brothers. I have hundreds.

Oh!

WALLIS: The Duchess of York showed her famous charm, and all was well.

She is very Balmoral, don't you think?

She really goes with the design of this place.

If "design" isn't too ambitious a word for this particular interior.

I do loathe Balmoral.

Who decorated it, anyway?

That tartan... Oh, it's got to go.

Along with most of the staff.

You can't get them out of kilts!

No, no, no. We must be nice to the Duchess, though.

She's a good person.

(AS ELIZABETH) Do be true to yourself, Bertie.

And do be true to England!

(GIGGLING)

David and I like to call her the Dowdy Duchess. She's incredibly...

BERTIE: David.

Hello.

We came to dine with the King.

Our own press have shown astonishing restraint.

These are only Americans.

But the implications for the Empire are ominous.

Some of these may have been read by Canadians.

So far from God and so close to America.

Oh, no, I'm afraid I stopped reading newspapers

when I became an object of interest to them.

They get everything wrong.

David's not going to marry this woman.

We've had to rather lay it on the line.

He won't cut himself off from his family.

I fear the King may do just that.

I understand Mr Simpson's divorce is set for 27th October.

What happens...

if he insists on marrying her?

If a king goes against the advice of his ministers...

You mean that he might be...

..forced off the throne?

Mr Baldwin is immovable on the issue.

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

But this is the most wonderful woman in the world, Bertie.

The most wonderful woman in the world.

Baldwin has underestimated me if he thinks I will give her up.

He threatened me with my Cabinet.

I s-s-suppose he thinks it's his C-C-...

I may have to go, Bertie. I may have to resign the throne.

I may have to step down. ..his Cabinet.

What?

David, we don't want you to go.

Or there is a morganatic marriage.

I marry Wallis, but she doesn't attend functions...

PHONE RINGS

Darling.

It's Wallis. Would you like me to...

She's concerned. They're treating her appallingly.

Yes, I'm here...

my darling.

Yeah...

Darling...

Darling...we can get everything.

All right?

Queen, Empress of India... the whole bag of tricks.

Yes, I know I can, darling.

With you, I'm confident I can.

Bertie's here.

Yes.

All right, darling.

Goodbye.

But I...

just wanted you to know that, if it comes to it,

I might have to go.

"My poor Beauty," he said one day.

"My good horse.

You saved your mistress's life, Beauty.

Yes.

You saved her life."

John told my master he never saw a horse go so fast

in his life.

Can't I stay up any longer?

I'm afraid not.

Mummy and I have to...

Talk about Uncle David.

I know. How can he stop being King?

Time for bed, Lillibet.

She's fast asleep.

There we go.

I'll be down directly.

I can't do this, Elizabeth.

I can't step into his shoes.

I simply can't and I won't.

I'm sure it won't come to that.

But we have to consider what to do if it does.

The horrible loneliness of it.

The speeches...

the people looking at your every move.

The crown. God help us!

He'll understand what you're feeling, I'm sure he will, and...

I'm sure that when it comes to it, he won't desert you...

nor the rest of his subjects.

RADIO COMMENTATOR: 'This melancholy crisis is reaching its climax.

All the tension now focuses on the King's brother,

His Royal Highness the Duke of York, heir presumptive to the throne.

We can only assume he has been summoned

to hear the outcome of His Majesty's deliberations.'

The Cabinet have decided he must be absent from England for a year.

Are they frightened he might try and upstage you?

God alone knows.

I shall create him Duke of Windsor, a royal dukedom, so he'll have HRH.

What about her?

I can't bear to think about her.

He says he has no money.

I shall give him an allowance of £25,000.

He seemed pleased enough with that.

It was all very civilised, I suppose.

It sounds absolutely horrible.

Horrible for you.

David seemed to sail through it.

And now?

Now...

..he abdicates.

Simple as that.

Mother?

Monckton has...

has drawn up this...

thing.

What is it?

It's an instrument of abdication.

Has there ever been such a thing?

I think this is the first one, Mother.

You'd better read it to me, Bertie.

"I, Edward VIII of Great Britain, Ireland,

and the British dominions beyond the seas,

King, Emperor of India, do hereby declare

my irrevocable determination to renounce the throne...

for myself and for my descendants,

and my desire that effect should be given

to this instrument of abdication...

..immediately."

To give up all that...

..for a woman of no importance.

To turn his back on all of us...

..for a greedy, thoughtless,

scheming...

..cold-hearted...

b...b...

How can he bow down to me as King?

How can I receive his homage?

How will I ever...

be able to...

..do the damned...job?

VOICE OF DAVID: 'But you must believe me when I tell you

that I have found it impossible

to carry the heavy burden of responsibility

and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish to do

without the help and support of the woman I love.

My brother,

with long training in the public affairs of this country,

and with his fine qualities, is well qualified to take my place.

And he has one matchless blessing,

enjoyed by so many of you, and not bestowed on me -

a happy home with his wife and children.

And now we all have a new King.

I wish him, and you his people,

happiness and prosperity with all my heart.

God bless you all.

God save the King.'

So...

you're King?

It rather looks as if I am.

Will we have to move?

Will you not be Duke of York any more?

I'm afraid not.

I'm first in line of succession. So am I.

No, you're not.

You're second. I'm second, then.

Second isn't bad, really, is it?

No.

Well...

I suppose we'd better get on with it.

I raise and bless the crown, and then, sir,

after the blessing, you rise.

I don't think I do.

You're standing on my cloak.

Oh!

What on earth is that in aid of?

Smaller Bible for Norwich.

Would you excuse me a moment, sir?

I really think, Norwich, that we can't have that.

I'm terrified I'll put this thing on the wrong way round.

I did tell them to put a little piece of red cloth

to show which is the front and which the back.

It seems to have come off. Golly.

Edward the Confessor's crown.

The crown of England.

I suppose it'll change you.

They all seem to think I'm the kind of chap who does what he's told.

You know me better than that.

Sometimes I do what I'm told,

and sometimes I don't.

COMMENTATOR: 'At last we catch a glimpse of the King and Queen

through the glass of the golden state coach as it passes by.

We can make out the monarch and his consort in their medieval attire.

Bells peal forth, as they have done for over 300 years

as a monarch approaches the Abbey for his coronation.

And the King now prepares to make his most reverent vows.

ARCHBISHOP: 'Do you solemnly promise and swear

to govern the peoples of Great Britain, Ireland, Canada,

Australia, New Zealand and the Union of South Africa,

of your possessions and the other territories

to them belonging or pertaining,

and of your Empire of India,

according to their laws and customs?'

BERTIE: 'I solemnly promise so to do.'

No hesitation there.

I can't imagine how he thought he could fill your shoes.

Or wear my crown... as the saying goes.

Testing, testing. One, two. Is that all right?

One minute 45 seconds to go. I have to say...

the Battle of Jutland was infinitely preferable to this.

If we had recorded it, sir,

the BBC would have been deceiving the British people.

One minute and 27 seconds. This one's a piece of cake,

I promise you.

Mr Logue and I took out the problem areas.

(MIMICS LOGUE) Only harmless consonants

have been left at the beginnings of words!

Logue is a terrible man. He tried to alter the coronation service,

in order to ac-c-commodate my st...

..ridiculous inability to pronounce certain words.

I said if he gets stuck, he should yodel!

(LAUGHS) Better go in with the Queen, sir.

You go into the studio when the National Anthem begins.

That takes exactly 50 seconds,

and we have timed your walk to the microphone at precisely 50 seconds.

You chaps leave nothing to chance.

Shall we go, then, Bertie?

# God Save The King

Will he do it, Wood?

Why are you all so down on the bloke?

Give him a break, can't you?

Don't you think he's superb?

He tries. That's what I like about him.

And for a king, he's remarkably pleasant.

He doesn't carry on like a Royal.

Although it is his role to do precisely that, Mr Logue.

Or is it Dr Logue?

MUSIC FINISHES

CRACKLING

The music has stopped. Where is he? Has he run off, like his brother?

The National Anthem appears to have shrunk.

It is...with a very full heart...

that I speak to you tonight.

Never before has a newly crowned king

been able to talk... to all his peoples

in their own homes...on the day

of his coronation.

The Queen...

and I... will always keep in our hearts

the inspiration of this day.

I have, in your hearing,

dedicated myself, with the Queen at my side,

in words of the deepest solemnity.

We will, God helping us,

faithfully discharge...our trust.

ENGINEER: We're off air now.

WOOD: Well done, sir.

(SIGHS)

CROWDS SHOUTING OUTSIDE

They're shouting for you! They want you again.

Will I do, do you think? Oh, I think you'll do very well.

Do you hear what they're saying? "We want the King! We want the King!"

Well, the King wants his dinner.

The Duke of Windsor is on the telephone, sir.

From Austria, sir. Again, sir.

I thought I said to tell him to call at another time.

Ten tomorrow, didn't I say?

I told him that, sir. And what did David say?

He expressed incredulity that His Majesty could not speak to him.

What on earth does he think Bertie does all day?

Make it clear to him that he has things to do.

Being King is rather hard work. Tell him that.

On which subject, sir, there are three more boxes to sign.

And you have to look at these papers.

The Chancellor is not very happy about the £25,000 for your brother.

Is Mr Chamberlain proposing David takes a job?

I think he's influenced by the fact that your brother

was less than honest when he described the state of his finances.

You're telling me my brother lied to me?

I have no secrets from the Queen.

I'm afraid he did, sir.

The Duke of Windsor told you he had nothing.

It seems he's accumulated a fortune of around a million pounds, sir.

And I do not think Parliament will look kindly

on a pension of £25,000 a year from the civil list.

Well, he...he can't have it, then, can he?

There was also the question of what to call...er...

Mrs Simpson?

Yes...or the Duchess of Windsor, as she will be, when...

David makes an honest woman of her? They're not married yet.

But they will be.

And I understand your brother wants HRH for her.

Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Windsor.

I do not think the King is very happy with that.

Giving her HRH.

Suppose this marriage doesn't last...

and it very well may not.

Suppose this woman marries again.

It seems to be something she makes quite a habit of doing, doesn't it?

Does her new chap, Mr Bert Bloggins, then acquire royal status from her?

Wouldn't this turn royal rank into a kind of contagious disease?

"His Royal Highness, Mr Bert Bloggins. All...b-bow down."

If to be a king is to have meaning, then the title must be sacred,

carrying with it duties, responsibilities and...

limitations of an awesome kind.

That is what the abdication was about,

and I will not have it cheapened!

Let him know that.

I'll try, sir.

NEWSREEL: 'Das deutsche Volk...

LASCELLES: "The German people welcomed the Duke

and the Duchess of Windsor, here to study Reich conditions,

under the welcome of Reichsminister Robert Ley."

He's the hideously ugly one on the left.

He's a drunkard who was brought up in a Cologne brothel,

and now persecutes Jews and anyone else who disagrees with him.

"Hearty welcome, Royal Britons,

to a new, prosperous Germany."

I was under the impression it was the King who made state visits.

And the Queen.

Don't forget the Queen.

MILITARY MUSIC

How could he do this to Bertie?

Ohhh!

Extraordinary. LASCELLES: Oh, that vile gesture!

ELIZABETH: Good God.

JAUNTY MUSIC

'For the first time in America, a British king on a royal visit.

We like the King and Queen even more

after seeing them take the hurdles of our hospitality.

Some have said King George and Queen Elizabeth

are trying to drag us into a world war.

We didn't see any sign of that.

Just a royal couple on the friendliest of terms

with our President and his First Lady.'

Thank you all so much!

It was pretty painless, really.

And we're off the hook.

I think we both know that very soon we shall be involved...

in a life-or-death struggle with Herr Hitler.

And you are our...

first line of defence.

I can't say how touched and flattered I am you asked us.

And...

Munich.

Munich was a mistake.

Yes. What a pity you couldn't command Mr Chamberlain

to stay away from Herr Hitler.

I can't command. You know I can't command.

I'm George VI, not Henry VIII,

though at times I wish I bloody well was Henry VIII!

But I'm not. I'm a constitutional monarch.

I advise, appeal, counsel,

warn, recommend, suggest, persuade,

intimate, plead, wheedle,

and generally crawl around on my hands and knees!

Your Majesty is a veritable thesaurus!

It's what I do.

Nobody wants war.

But if the Germans bomb London... America will come in.

I think I can promise you that.

I wish my ministers would talk to me the way you do.

Well, perhaps they are...

restrained by the hereditary nature of your office...

which, of course, I'm not.

President to King.

It's much more fun than Congress.

And I take it I have your permission to communicate your thoughts,

in confidence, of course, to my government.

Never write down the words of a politician,

young man.

Time changes all our intentions.

Of course.

Read it back again, my darling.

"For the second time in the lives of most of us...

..we are at war."

I can't believe it's happening again.

I really can't.

When my brother died, in the Great War...

..I...

"Over and over again, we have tried

to find a peaceful way out of the differences

between ourselves and those who are now our enemies.

But it has been in vain."

I'll say.

You'll never believe this, sir.

We can't find the form of words we used

last time we declared war on Germany.

JAUNTY MUSIC

'War has been declared, but our Forces are mobilised,

ready to resist the Nazi aggressor.

No-one wants to go down this path again, but Britain is ready

to dig in for the fight, and our children play their part

on the road to victory.

Godspeed, and you'll soon be back home.'

Mr Churchill.

I'm sorry to see that Mr Chamberlain lost the confidence of the House.

These are difficult times, sir.

The Nazi invasion

of Holland and the Low Countries,

which commenced at 3am this morning on a broad front,

proceeding with the ruthless brutality

already witnessed in Czechoslovakia and Poland.

Indeed. I...read the papers.

I suppose you don't know why I've sent for you.

Sir...I simply couldn't imagine why.

I want you to form a government.

I will most certainly do so... if you ask me, sir.

Preferably without Lord Beaverbrook.

Nothing to do with his support for Wallis.

And, as your Sovereign,

I'm aware that my function is only to advise, to counsel and to warn.

Indeed, sir.

So...I'm advising you.

Thank you, sir.

I take what you say with great seriousness.

All who serve you bear a tremendous debt of gratitude

for your high sense of duty to your family,

and the manner in which you shouldered this immense burden.

The immense burden in this case being you!

(CHUCKLES)

The Beaver is still making trouble with David.

But you're going to hire him anyway, aren't you?

TELEPHONE RINGS

Royal Page's Office, Buckingham Palace.

Who is speaking, please?

I'm sorry, this line isn't very good. You are...?

You are the Queen of the Netherlands?

Right. I'm sure you are.

Now, look. It is five in the morning. I am not in the mood for...

You ARE the Queen of the Netherlands?

I must apologise, ma'am.

Right.

Right.

I'll go and get him, ma'am.

Sir? What is it?

Sir, we have the Queen of the Netherlands on the telephone.

She says it's urgent.

I'll be right with you.

What does she want?

She wants you to send some aircraft, sir, for the defence of Holland.

She sounds in some...distress, sir.

Have we got any aircraft to spare?

Isn't that your department, rather than mine?

TELEPHONE RINGS

Simpson?

I'll get it.

Yes?

Oh, hello again. What news?

You got on board a British destroyer?

Well, if it's been ordered back to England,

I can't order it back to Holland.

It's Queen Wilhelmina. She seems to be at Harwich.

Oh?

It rather looks as if you'd better come and stay with us.

Oh.

She hasn't got any luggage.

Hasn't got anything to wear. Doesn't even have a hat.

We'll buy her a hat.

Get a train from there to Liverpool Street. I'll come and pick you up.

Yes. Yes. Yes, do that. Goodbye.

She isn't very happy about it. She feels she should be with her people.

She's absolutely right, Bertie.

But if she were to be captured, the Germans would make capital out of it.

So, where would you propose to go, if you were going to be captured?

I do not propose to go anywhere. I do not propose to be captured.

As monarchs, we are symbols.

Never more so than in time of war.

Which is why the children must stay here.

Someone had the absurd notion of sending them to Canada.

I've never heard anything so ridiculous in my life.

You like my new hat? It's a good hat, no?

Where are the little Princesses?

We sent them to Windsor, but they're not leaving the country.

Your hat is superb.

I am interested to see the Palace defences.

The Germans sent parachutists in to try to capture my person

for propaganda purposes.

They failed.

Apparently, I just press...ah...

one of these buttons here...

..and men leap out of the shrubbery.

Well, eventually.

GUNSHOT

It's only me. I do not intend to be captured alive.

Oh, fingers.

You know, I nearly clipped Lord Halifax the other day!

Oh, darling!

Bertie, you're the only man I've yet encountered

whose temper was improved by France's fall.

Oh, we're much better on our own, without those foreigners.

Oh, present company excepted, of course.

No, Britain will muddle through. You'll see.

Are you going to shoot again?

Ears.

There you are. If there's a German parachutist around,

he's in for a nasty shock.

But they will come, my dears.

And when they do... it is frightening.

NEWSREEL: 'London and our great cities

have shown steadfast courage during shelling and incendiaries.

Each dawn brings fresh stories of heroism and miraculous escapes.

According to Goebbels, the people's morale is broken.

Well, just look at them.'

Thank you.

They've gone quiet. Mm.

We lost 34 planes. The Nazis lost 182, 53 almost certainly destroyed.

We're not dead yet.

I think they're losing the taste for daylight raids.

They don't come back in one piece.

But it's a funny kind of quiet.

Mm.

Was that something?

Is that an aeroplane, do you think?

Just so long as it's one of ours.

I don't think it is, sir. It's a bloody Hun,

coming in over the Mall. What an infernal...!

AIRCRAFT ENGINES

Run!

Quick, darling! Quick.

Run, Tommy!

Hold on. EXPLOSION

Hold tight. AIR-RAID SIREN

Sounds like a direct hit.

GLASS SMASHING

Quick! Quick!

In here. Come on, Tommy.

Are you all right?

It's a direct attack on the Palace.

Some pilot! Knew his way around.

I do have a relative in the German Air Force.

The Duke of Saxe-Coburg's boy.

He was at Father's funeral, wasn't he?

Maybe David gave him a ground plan!

(LAUGHS) CRASHING

Damn close thing. We could all have been killed.

How do I look?

Dressed for a garden party.

(LAUGHS) It was Hartnell's idea. Keep them smiling.

Bright colours.

CHEERING

Britain can take it.

CHEERING

Thank you.

How do you do? Welcome.

Thank you.

Shall we?

Morning. Morning.

Good morning.

Good morning. Is your house still standing?

Awful sight.

Good morning. Good morning.

Terrible sight.

Thank God for a good king! CHEERING

Th-Thank God for a good people.

We heard you was bombed. I'm afraid we were.

Are you all right, then? I seem to be all here, young man!

Who do we have here? That's Rachel.

CAMERA CLICKS

We do feel for you. We do feel for you. God bless you.

Little one, I have to go. Bye-bye. Bye-bye.

Thank you.

CHEERING

You put on your best clothes, then?

You'd put on your best clothes, if you came to see ME! (LAUGHS)

Three cheers for Her Majesty the Queen! Hip, hip!

Hooray! Hip, hip!

Hooray! Hip, hip!

Hooray!

They talk about morale.

All these people have lost their homes. Look at them.

I think they're wonderful.

"My dear President Roosevelt,

It is some time since I last wrote to you..."

And you still haven't received a reply, any more than have I.

I only wrote to his wife.

I fail to see how politeness would have compromised her.

Politics.

You know, I wish you wouldn't work so hard,

drink so much, or smoke so much, or...

Care so much?

You must do what you have to do, but I am allowed to worry about you.

If only he'd answer.

We're on the edge of losing the whole damn shoot.

Do you know, I sometimes wonder whether...

the endless grinning at everyone who might be of use to this country

is really any good whatsoever.

The only thing the American President will understand is a large bomb...

personally delivered to the White House lawn by Adolf himself.

Or one of his friends.

EXPLOSIONS

ROOSEVELT: 'Yesterday, December 7th 1941,

a date that will live in infamy,

the United States was suddenly and deliberately attacked

by naval and air forces

of the Empire of Japan.'

NEWSREEL: 'With America now on our side,

each day sees more and more of their gallant troops

arriving on our shores. So, we say:

Welcome, boys. Glad to have you on board.'

Someone has painted a black line round the bath.

Now, why would they do that?

To show how much water you're allowed. Good Lord!

And how much are you allowed? Up to the line.

A reasonably substantial person would hardly be covered at all.

I shudder to think what your grandfather would have made of it.

Oh, well.

I suppose we must do these things.

We've been advised in the country to give lifts to servicemen.

I picked up an American. He was delightful.

But I don't believe he knew who I was.

Thank you.

Fish cakes, ma'am.

I'm told they're most nutritious.

They remind me of something I'd rather forget.

Now I rather wish

they'd been what they look like, rather than what they actually are.

(LAUGHS)

Fish cakes.

Well, I think there is some cold ham...somewhere.

Is there cold ham, Simpson?

A small quantity of ham may be available, ma'am.

I can't stop for ham. In fact, I can't stop for fish cakes.

Got to work. Sorry. Can't stop at all.

Work.

Bertie's been working so hard.

Mm, he is.

You can't stop them.

You want to stop them, but you can't stop them.

And you must not stop them. It's their duty.

Yes.

I'll have a word with him after dinner.

Working, then?

Yes, Mother.

Late.

Well after midnight.

Almost one.

Yes, Mother.

Well...

..it must be done.

Night.

NEWSREEL: 'In North Africa, the war continues.

Under their leader General Montgomery,

the British 8th Army defeated Rommel, capturing 30,000 prisoners,

350 tanks and 400 guns.'

PRINCESS ELIZABETH: It's Montgomery.

Is he the Alamein one? He is. Do you know what they say?

He's the greatest commander since Nelson.

His men love him.

Here he comes.

Sir, this is the most tremendous honour.

Congratulations. Frightfully pleased to see you.

Would you like me to inspect your daughter, ma'am?

Oh, yes, later! Absolutely.

(LAUGHS)

Tell us how you did it. Rommel was supposed to be unbeatable.

Ah, well. May I use the cutlery, ma'am?

Feel free.

So...we were here.

They were there.

And then I moved round here.

Then we slogged at them for a couple of hours,

came round here, after which we had the most terrific party.

Biff, bang, bang. 100 per cent binge. Lots of chaps being killed.

I've only one criticism. Are you sure about the hat?

Oh, my beret is tremendous for morale.

The 8th Army depends upon my beret, sir!

Anyway, after that,

I had them penned in. You see?

And then I forced him towards the sea, like so.

Alan Brooke was worried you were after his job.

I'm worried you're after MINE.

No, I'm just a simple soldier, sir.

Anyway, after we'd totally surrounded their army...

I've a dog called Rommel, by the way.

..I smashed in.

Like so.

(CHUCKLES)

Thousands of men died.

Good, brave men.

8th Army.

I'm their Monty, you see.

ROUSING MUSIC

NEWSREEL: 'V-E Day. We've been waiting for six years,

and now London celebrates.

From Piccadilly Circus to Trafalgar Square,

and right down the Mall, they'll sing and cheer.

But the biggest crowds are at the Palace,

where the King and Queen and Princesses

share the celebrations with Mr Churchill.'

(CHANTING) We want the King! We want the King! We want the King!

CHEERING

Today... we give thanks to Almighty God...

for a great...

..d-deliverance.

Speaking from our Empire's oldest capital city,

war-battered, but never for one moment daunted or...d-dismayed...

Is Daddy all right? He's not well.

He's very tired.

He's been...working very, very hard.

BERTIE: ..to join with me

in an act of thanks...

..g-giving.

Germany, the enemy who drove all Europe into war...

..has been finally...overcome.

Well, here he comes.

Your new Prime Minister.

Will I ever get used to Mr Attlee? The Labour Party did.

(CHUCKLES)

Poor old Winston.

When the world no longer makes sense...it means you're getting old.

Your children start to get married.

You're unable to read small print.

They give you a State funeral.

(BOTH LAUGH)

But Philip needs your permission before he marries your best girl.

No father likes to lose a daughter. She is really very young, you know.

Yes, she is, though certain people are very keen that it should happen.

Indeed. I noticed something of the kind.

Dickie Mountbatten practically went down on one knee on his behalf!

It seems unbelievable. Only yesterday she was my little girl.

Now...now somebody wants to take her away from us.

And here's Mr Attlee, who in some ways has a similar agenda.

I suppose we'd better let him in. He comes at my invitation.

Good luck.

Well...

Well...

Did you know...

Sir? I still have that pipe. The one you liked.

Is that so?

With the self-cleaning device.

Good Lord! And the bowl on the same level?

Yes, exactly.

Now...

..it seems you want to nationalise everything.

Yes, sir.

And the gas employees are on strike?

Indeed, sir.

You and I could easily go on strike.

You could send me no papers, or I could refuse to sign them.

But we don't, do we?

No, sir.

The King must open a hospital.

The King must open a hospital,

although there are times when he'd rather be in one.

All right?

You've got to look your best.

We won. We queue.

But however long the queues, we keep smiling, don't we?

I think it might be quite fun.

And you're not to say you'd rather be in a hospital.

Hospitals are awful places.

People die in them.

Kings have to go on for ever and ever.

But if they don't...they have princesses to replace them.

CHEERING

Thank you so much.

Marvellous hospital. Keep up the good work.

Goodbye.

You're not waving. Arm hurts.

I'm waving. I'm doing extra waving.

I'm doing at least two waves to a second.

At this rate, I shall have done 38 waves from a standing start!

You see that man over there with the glasses? This is for him.

I don't think I quite understand the National Health Service.

It's so that people who don't have the money

don't have to pay for treatment.

So...if a chap wants a pair of false teeth, they just give them to him?

It'll be free shoes next.

Wave. Look cheerful.

Think about...free spectacles.

Try to see the bright side of the Transport and General Workers' Union.

Wave.

"It is with great pleasure that we announce the betrothal

of our dearly beloved daughter, Princess Elizabeth,

to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten RN, son of Prince Andrew of Greece."

Not "Prince Andrew Schleswig- Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg?"

(CHUCKLES)

No, sir. Just "of Greece"?

Yes, ma'am. Good.

"To this union the King has gladly given his consent..."

After we forced him to the floor

and beat him about the head with the leg of a chair!

(BERTIE GROANS) Are you all right?

Oh, I'll be fine.

You know, you lost weight on that South African tour.

(WHEEZING AND COUGHING)

Yeah, all that...waving.

I'm fine.

PRINCESS ELIZABETH: People have been so generous.

BERTIE: The King of Swaziland.

How exquisite.

Oh, what on earth is this? Is this one of your wedding presents?

Nylon stockings. I've been given 237 pairs.

No, no. This.

It's a gift from Mahatma Gandhi.

Well, it's absolutely disgusting.

It's his loincloth, or whatever it is he wears.

It's a piece of cloth he wove on his own spinning wheel,

at Uncle Dickie's suggestion.

Gandhi is a remarkable man.

I don't care what he is. His loincloth is disgusting.

And we're not asking David?

No.

He didn't do badly in the Bahamas. Didn't start any wars or anything.

Mind you, she came pretty close to it!

Maybe we should have asked him. Would it be the end of the world?

And if he wanted to bring her?

She'd never be received.

No.

I just feel a little sorry for him, living in Paris with nothing to do.

With a house the size of the British Embassy,

and dining in style each night.

It wouldn't make sense of the past.

We have done what we have done, and we must stand by it.

'My darling Lillibet,

I was so proud of you and thrilled at having you so close to me

on our long walk in Westminster Abbey.

But when I handed you over, I knew I had lost something very precious.

I am so glad you wrote and told Mummy

that you think the long wait before your engagement was for the best.

I was rather afraid you had thought I was being hard-hearted about it.

Our family, us four, the Royal Family,

must remain together, with additions at suitable moments.

I have watched you grow up all these years with pride,

under the skilful direction of Mummy,

who, as you know, is the most marvellous person in the world.'

LAUGHTER

Thanks.

Well...we meet again.

Eventually.

Your time seems fully occupied. Yes. You don't look well.

Well, as you may remember...

the role of king is an onerous one.

Oh? I never found it so.

Perhaps because you never bothered to carry out many of its duties.

Such as marrying a woman who was acceptable to Mr Baldwin?

I never thought romance could be dictated to one by politicians.

Or stayed in the job long enough to be qualified to talk about it.

You know what I've come to ask.

To ask us to recognise your wife.

And I think you know what my answer will be.

Oh, you have grown so hard, Bertie. Hard the way they are hard.

You've chanted their lines so long, you believe you wrote them.

I don't think you ever understood what you did

when you walked away from the throne,

or what our position would have to be when you did so.

What do you do in Paris, David?

What have you done since the Bahamas?

I have tried to work for my country, and been blocked by you.

No, that's not right. I've been blocked by your wife and my mother.

A couple of ice-veined bitches.

Can I explain this again?

You and I are not as other men.

Our lives are circumscribed by the office we both have borne.

An office whose existence is at the very heart

of what English democracy and liberty mean.

We serve our people and Parliament, not the other way around,

and if the Cabinet and the dominions of this great nation of ours

should choose to tell you you may not marry Mrs Simpson,

then who are we to oppose them?

Who is to say who is suitable to be a Queen?

Is divorce a disqualification? Have we not seen royal divorce,

and will we not see more?

Or are Americans somehow naturally evil?

Oh, admit it, Bertie.

The issue was Wallis...

and the fact that that...common little wife of yours disliked her.

If you...had any inkling...

of what it is that my wife m-m...

means, what it is that she means to me...

what it is that love...

and d-duty...duty...and l-love...

what they mean, then you...you...

Feeling better, are we?

The interview is over.

(BERTIE COUGHS AND SPLUTTERS)

(PANTING)

The er...bulletin issued on the 18th, ma'am, reads:

"During the King's recent illness, examinations were carried out,

including radiology

and bronchoscopy.

These investigations now show structural changes to the lung."

And we are not to say that the tumour is malignant?

Or to let him know that?

No, ma'am.

I would like a frank and honest assessment

of how long you think His Majesty is likely to live.

A guess, then.

You won't be hung, drawn and quartered if you get it wrong.

How long has he got?

How long have I got with him?

Sir?

ELIZABETH: 'It is very difficult to realise the King has left us.

He was so much better, and so full of plans for the future.

He was so young to die,

and was becoming so wise in kingship.

As our daughter takes up his task,

it is impossible to tell what duties and difficulties lie in wait

for the future of this, our ancient English monarchy.

But it is impossible to deny

that by his example of courage, modesty and decency,

George VI leaves her a throne more securely established

than at any time in this dark and divided century.

LASCELLES: And the Duke of Windsor will be attending the funeral?

Indeed.

Our understanding is that the Duchess will not be in attendance.

No.

Don't let me keep you, Tommy.

You have things to do.

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