Charles II: The Power and The Passion

Remember.

On my sign.

No!

Father!

Stop! I command you!

Father! Father!

Forgive me, Father.

Forgive me.

A letter from Sir Marmaduke Langdale, Your Majesty.

I must have a new coat. This one's fit only to be burned.

We must not waste what little money we have on vanity.

The king cannot present himself in public dressed as a beggar!

Your Majesty has no more credit with the tailor. He will not work until his debts are paid.

That is the king's private correspondence!

Langdale says he is rallying your supporters in the north of England.

All it requires to trigger a rebellion is your royal presence.

Well, Sir Edward, what are we waiting for?

Langdale has neither the men nor the resources to defeat Cromwell.

If I go to England, my head will be on the block within a week.

Exactly so!

Send him encouragement.

Tell him that we will return to England when the moment is right.

- Only God knows when that might be. - We must be patient.

- Do you ever counsel anything else? - The time will come, George.

Thank God we're out of that dismal place!

Some days I feel it will suffocate me.

Hyde would love to smother you with paper.

- He has my best interests at heart. - He tells you so often enough!

This outing will do you more good than all of Hyde's lectures on statecraft.

- I must do something first. - We're late.

My son's more important than your whores, George.

His Latin and Greek require improvement, but he has a sound enough brain.

You must listen to your teachers.

Work at your studies diligently.

You must make me proud.

I gave this to your mother before she died.

It's yours now, Jamie.

She's yours as long as you want her.

A gift to the king from his humble servant!

The king wonders why his servant's suddenly so much wealthier than him!

He's saved us from disaster more than once, and he's utterly loyal.

So are dogs. You need a man who can deal with Cromwell on his own terms.

Someone more accommodating.

Cromwell is king of England in all but name. He needs an heir.

Who is to say it might not be you?

If you agree to a more... limited role for the monarchy...

You mean grovel to my father's murderers?

We have been in exile for years. You are further from the throne than ever!

If you want to be king in more than name, the time has come to compromise!

Even you know the difference between compromise and dishonour.

I'm going home, Charles.

I'll come with you.

I mean I'm going home to England.

Fairfax has offered me his daughter's hand in marriage.

He'll intercede with Cromwell on my behalf.

- Your family bequest! - It's an advance on my dowry.

A noble title still means something, even to the republicans.

I am so sick of living on dreams. I want to go home.

So do I,

but not as a slave.

We grew up together, George.

We've shared everything, even the murder of our fathers.

For their sake...

please don't abandon me now.

I'm begging you, George. Don't do this.

- I'll always... - I'm still king!

King of what?

Most dutiful children would be pleased to accompany their mother to church.

You can't be bothered.

My brother the king forbids me to attend the Catholic Mass, as Your Majesty knows.

I know your martyred father sits with the angels at God's right hand,

weeping at your stubbornness and ingratitude.

His last words to me were that I should never abandon the Church of England.

I'm sure he said no such thing, or if he did, it was because he was upset.

I know what he meant and he meant you to become a Catholic.

I have forbidden this subject.

England is a Protestant country.

When I reclaim my throne, it will be because I am a Protestant king.

Any suggestion that I or my brothers are Catholic would wreck my chances at a stroke.

Did you know that last night at dinner

I was obliged to eat all five courses from the same plate?

- I never heard of anything so disgusting! - There's no money for new plates.

If there was, we couldn't pay anyone to wash them.

If you weren't so stubborn, we could have all the money we want.

Louis of France will help.

- You only have to make a gesture. - Become a Catholic?

He'd put an army at your disposal tomorrow. We'd be in London within a month.

A Catholic king at the head of a French army would make the English rise up...

Of course, my advice is of no use. I'm just a foolish old woman.

Your father the king seemed to value my opinion,

but you know better, I am sure!

You know how I value your counsel, Mother.

Leave me now. I want to pray to my sainted husband, God rest his soul.

And do not expect me to eat my supper from dirty plates again.

Lord and Lady James Brigstocke.

Sir Andrew Macintosh.

Sir Roger and Lady Palmer.

Lady Palmer.

We're honoured.

The honour's mine, Your Majesty.

Sir Roger has been most generous to our cause.

We must show our gratitude. Dine with us tonight.

It would be a privilege.

I think we met before... madam?

Lady Palmer is cousin to the Duke of Buckingham.

Of course. Barbara Villiers.

- What news of George? - Cromwell had him thrown into the Tower.

- He's accused of plotting on your behalf. - If he was, I knew nothing of it.

Until tonight, then, Sir Roger.

Charles... Lord Chesterfield's mistress, and not her only lover by all accounts.

- She is little better than a whore. - You know how I detest gossip, James,

particularly where a lady's reputation is concerned.

It's been months... now, Mrs Palmer.

Do not imagine that I will wait for ever.

You're not this modest with Lord Chesterfield!

- He is extremely generous. - So it's money you want?

- Doesn't everyone? - And as I have none, you will not lie with me?

I have lain with much poorer men than you.

No, it's not as simple as that.

You see, I find something pathetic in the notion of a king with neither riches nor power.

It makes me pity you.

And in that mood I have no desire left to make love!

I was told you could be cruel.

- Now you're sulking! - Do you care nothing for me at all?

Hm?

My darling...

I love you more than any man on earth.

That's why I want everything to be perfect when we do lie together.

Now, I really must go.

My husband will be back soon,

not that he'd notice if I entertained an entire troop of Dutch cavalry in his bed!

Charles...

I promise... when the time comes...

it will be worth the wait.

Point! Fine shot, Henry!

Serve, James! Serve.

Could we just have a moment, please, Charles?

- Game! - It missed!

- A clear hit. Ormonde decides. - A hit, Your Majesty.

- Hah! An honest judge! - Sycophant! The ball was inches wide!

Your Majesty!

It is the Lord's work. A miracle!

Oliver Cromwell is dead!

- When? - Three days ago.

The tyrant is no more!

Praise be to God.

My dearest boy.

Your moment is at hand.

General Monck!

It grieves me to find you in such a place, my lord.

You should see Antwerp!

This is what happens when the people lose respect for their leaders.

If Cromwell had lived another ten years, the republic would have been secure.

If he'd been strangled in the cradle, England would have been saved years of repression.

Cromwell's son cannot cling to power much longer.

When he goes, this disorder will grow a hundred times worse...

unless someone can be found to unite all parties in loyalty and obedience.

I've come to the view that there is only one man alive with the status to perform such a task.

You mean either yourself or the king.

If I wanted the throne, I'd have left you here to rot undisturbed.

I want you to write to the king in my name.

Tell him he must rule with Parliament or not at all,

and what was done to his father must be forgiven.

If he accepts these terms...

he will have my allegiance. - Why should the king trust you?

I will not lead him into a trap.

If a crown is the price of stable government...

I am prepared to pay it.

Richard Cromwell has lost control.

There is widespread unrest and the London mob is demanding the return of their king.

- Not long ago they wanted his death. - This is no time to dwell on the past.

Buckingham writes that General Monck is ready to demand a freely elected parliament.

With our encouragement, he will declare himself publicly for your restoration.

- I trust Monck little and Buckingham even less. - Monck is a subject of the old school.

Whatever harm he's done our cause in the past, I believe we can trust him now.

Flatter him.

Ask his advice, even where we don't need it.

Promise him amnesty, and make it clear that when I am king,

I will make him rich beyond anything he can dream of.

The very course of action I was about to suggest, Your Majesty.

Charles Stuart declares that there will be no revenge taken

on those who have opposed him.

Our lives and our property will be safe.

The army will receive its back pay in full...

and a bill will be placed before this House promising freedom of worship to dissenters.

The theatres will be reopened and music and dancing no longer forbidden.

The time has come to heal our country's divisions.

I call on this House to invite Charles Stuart to return to England as our king.

The age of miracles has not yet passed.

The republic never had a truer friend than Shaftesbury,

yet he's calling for the king's return.

We're all monarchists now, my lord.

The king has retired for the night.

Get out.

You are mine now.

Do you understand?

You will be mine till I tell you it's over.

And that will not be for a long time yet.

God save King Charles!

Welcome home, Your Majesty!