To Play the King

Remember that frightfully nice man

who talked about ''the classless society''?

He had to go, of course, in the end.

Everything changes.

God save the King!

God save the King!

A new king.

A new age - of hope and peace and spiritual growth.

Et cetera.

And I'm still here.

For my sins.

Daddy!

Francis?

A little debris from the past, that's all.

The past is past, Francis. It's done.

Yes.

- She was so long in the air, Elizabeth. - I know.

Everything you've done was for your country's good.

You know that. Everything.

I admire and believe in you without reserve.

- You know that too. - Thank you.

Perhaps things have been

a bit too easy for you these last few months.

- You've had time to brood. - I feel...becalmed, Elizabeth.

I'm secure. In place. I've done all I set out to do.

Do more. Go further.

Go all the way. Surprise yourself.

I think that what you need is something

or someone to provide you with a new challenge,

to stimulate you intellectually.

- Bring out the best in you. - Or the worst.

- Let me think about it. - Something or someone.

Let me think about it.

The King?

The King!

Good day, sir.

I must confess, I feel a certain residual frisson.

A king is a king, after all.

The sherry's usually excellent too. I do hope that won't change.

One hears these rumours about chamomile tea.

- Mr. Urquhart, good morning. - I hope Sir Edgar isn't indisposed.

- Sir Edgar is taking early retirement. - Yes, of course, to be sure.

You must be the famous Miss Carmichael.

That's right.

- How do you do? - I've looked forward to meeting you.

And, uh...what is your job description?

Assistant press secretary, working to David Mycroft.

I see.

Excuse me.

The Prime Minister, Sir.

Mr. Urquhart. Welcome.

Your Majesty.

- Come and sit down, Mr. Urquhart. - Thank you. Sir.

You've had more practice at this than I have.

Perhaps, Sir.

I'm sure you've had the benefit

of your mother's exceptional experience and counsel.

She said you listened courteously and then did exactly as you pleased.

- Is that how it was? - Oh, that's very good, Sir.

Her Majesty always enjoyed a joke at my expense.

She understood the constraints that bind us.

We can none of us do exactly as we please.

And that's probably a very good thing. I'm sure it is in my own case.

Mr. Urquhart, I want these meetings to be real...meetings of minds.

But of course, Sir.

- We must be absolutely frank and open. - I absolutely agree with you, Sir.

Then what are your government's priorities in the medium term,

the next three years?

Consolidation, Sir.

I believe it's very important to hold firm to those policies

which have enabled us to move into the prosperity we now enjoy.

- Well, some of us enjoy it. - Yes.

Some of us have always enjoyed it, I suppose.

And now, happily, most of our people do.

But not all.

Believe me, Sir. I share your feelings.

It's deeply distressing for me,

personally distressing, to know that

any of our people are homeless, however few.

To know that any of our people should feel themselves undervalued.

Yes, yes.

It's a terrible temptation

to throw money at these problems now, borrowed money,

and reap the consequences in a few years' time.

I know it's painful but I believe we must be patient.

- You're a clever man, Mr. Urquhart. - You're too kind, Sir.

I'd rather be remembered... as a wise man than a clever one.

But I think that sound man is the highest praise I can expect.

I'd want to be remembered as a good man. Do you find that absurd?

Not at all, Sir. And I'm sure you will be.

- Thanks, Alistair. - Thank you.

- Morning, Alistair. - Hello, David.

- I'm so sorry. Are they at it already? - They are.

I am sorry.

Bit of a crise at home. How's Sir?

- Anybody brief him? - I did. Sir promised to be good.

It's not a game, Chloe.

No, I know. I did work from your notes.

And I said everything you would have said.

It is OK, really.

I'm not simply talking about aesthetics.

This Victoria Street redevelopment is a golden opportunity to be imaginative.

Why should it be another shoebox of offices?

Well, why indeed?

Why not something for the community?

I've read about this Centre Plan scheme to revive the inner cities.

- Environment Minister. Excellent chap. - Yes.

What I thought was that Victoria Street

could be a sort of pilot for Centre Plan

with some recreational and cultural element,

something to take pride in.

Beautiful and useful. Do you see? And in the very heart of London. It's...

Well, it's...it's just a thought.

But a very exciting one, Sir. I shall take it up tomorrow

with the Secretary of State.

Thank you. I'd be most grateful.

Let's try to achieve something, for God's sake!

I'm hurrying, but I've waited a long time for this

and I want to get on with things.

I do feel greatly encouraged by this conversation.

David! Do you know David Mycroft, my chief of staff?

David and I were up at Cambridge together.

Chloe I think you've met.

- She briefs me on minority interests. - Really? All the minorities?

Some I embody. For the others I use empathy.

I see.

I think we've made a jolly good start. Thank you.

No manners in the ordinary sense. No small talk, no sense of irony.

Tremendously interesting, but he wants to do this every week.

The lonely Hearts Club is all very well,

but it's idle chatter, and I have to run the country!

At this rate,

our royal friend will make that more like the Chief Whip's job!

A pat on the head and a biscuit here, a short, sharp shock there

and a good boot up the backside where indicated.

Mr. Caule!

What about Centre Plan?

It's up to the Cabinet, not me. You'll have to wait and see.

Caule's turn today, I think.

Finally, I would urge that

all the indicators point to this as the ideal time for Centre Plan.

An imaginative partnership between government and the financial sector

to provide a vital injection of venture capital into the inner cities.

We've waited a long time. We've done the groundwork.

Let's show the world what we can do.

Thank you, Secretary of State for the Environment. Chief Whip?

With all due respect to the Environment Minister's sincerity and eloquence,

I've never heard a better example of what we are not about!

I take it this means a huge hike on the PSBR.

Loss of confidence in sterling,

a run on the pound and then we'll be back in '92.

- That's absolute nonsense, Tim! - Thank you, Tim.

I'm sure Dick appreciates your honesty, as I do, painful as it is sometimes.

Yes, Hilda?

I'm afraid it sounds like good old meals on wheels to me, Prime Minister.

Government and social work are both very useful,

- but they're not the same thing. - Stupid woman.

My sense of the meeting is that we need

to give this scheme more examination.

Thank you very much for that very stimulating discussion.

- Now, let's move on, shall we? - The Vagrancy Bill...

Dick, just one second.

Let's talk later, shall we?

That was dreadful, Dick. I'm so terribly sorry.

Look, um. Let's go in there.

Tim Stamper's such a ruffian sometimes.

And Hilda gets more like a pit bull every day.

But we'll just have to cut our losses.

They're not ready for Centre Plan yet.

''We'll'' have to cut our losses?

I wasn't aware I ever had your support, Francis.

I've always admired your talent very greatly, Dick.

And speaking of that,

Fletcher Carr's post at Strasbourg is coming up.

- How would you feel about that? - I'm quite content with Environment.

I'm afraid that's not an option anymore, Dick. Sorry.

I hope you'll decide to take the European job.

It'll look so much better than a straight sacking.

Let me know by noon. I'll delay the press release till then.

Go to Strasbourg. Do not pass Go. Do not collect £200.

And don't bloody well come back! Jolly good! Serve the bugger right.

- Well, he never was one of our chaps. - I'll say not! Posturing prat!

Couldn't pass a mirror without preening. One of the suede-shoe brigade.

None of that lot were ever any good. Good day's work, Francis. Excellent.

So, how did you find His Majesty?

Much as expected. He wants to be of use.

He is of use.

He can give garden parties

and open things and save us the bother of electing a president!

But the trouble is...he has ideas. He has a conscience.

He wants to contribute.

He's going to be disappointed about Victoria Street.

Bob Capes has paid up like a good 'un.

It's not as if his buildings fall down or something, shoeboxes or not.

- He deserves our continuing support. - Well, there we are. Capes it is.

Secretary of State for the Environment can't intervene

because we've sacked him.

I'll break the news gently to His Majesty.

He's not going to be pleased.

Look, Tim, you remember