The Crown

Gina! Gina! Ella!

- Gina! Carina! Ella! - Gina! Carina! Ella!

Gina! Carina!

Gina! Carina!

Ella! Ella!

Hello, Winston, this is Operations.

- Are you hearing me? - Hear you clearly.

Stand by for testing.

- Testing now. - Testing five, four, three, two, one.

Mummy.

I've come to make a final representation.

And to beseech you not to do this.

I wish to address my people. It's my right.

You have forfeited that right.

There are things I wish to say.

In which capacity? You're no longer their king.

As a private individual.

Oh, no one wants to hear from a private individual.

Well, I beg to differ. The newspapers are for me.

The best thing for everyone would be if you said your goodbyes

quietly, privately, and disappeared into the night.

Preferably never to return.

- I didn't say that. - But you thought it.

Admit it.

Elizabeth! Margaret! Come inside!

This is Windsor Castle.

There follows an important announcement from his Royal Highness,

the Duke of Windsor.

A few hours ago, I discharged my last duty

as King and Emperor.

And, now that I have been succeeded by my brother,

the Duke of York,

my first words must be to declare my allegiance to him.

This I do with all my heart.

- - Come along, girls.

You all know the reasons which have impelled me to renounce the throne.

- I have found it impossible to carry... - Girls. Girls!

...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.

This decision has been made less difficult to me by the sure knowledge

that my brother has one matchless blessing...

- Come in. Both of you. - ...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.

All right, Charles, all right. Stop it.

Well... good luck, darling.

Thank you.

And thank you for all this. It looks splendid.

This is the first proper home I've ever had.

- Tommy. - Good morning, Your Majesty.

- You tracked me down. - Slightly, ma'am.

If Your Majesty has no objection,

I thought we might attend to the Cabinet papers

after your meeting with Their Majesties. Your schedule allows for 20 minutes.

- For the papers? - No, ma'am,

20 minutes with Their Majesties, then directly on to the paperwork.

And then?

Things will become more manageable once everything settles down.

Will it?

And once the Palace is your main residence.

Our understanding is that he is arriving at Southampton as we speak.

- Alone? - We believe so, ma'am.

Hm. That's something.

Some last minute adjustments to the funeral arrangements.

If you are in agreement, ma'am, we thought that the Duke of Windsor

should join the Dukes of Gloucester, Kent and Edinburgh.

But that'd be the row behind me. Breathing down my neck.

We could, if Her Majesty likes, increase the distance,

put him back a few rows.

Any chance that could stretch to being on the steps outside the chapel?

I'm sorry, I know he's your son.

A son who gave up the throne and, effectively, killed my other son.

Why not put him there? Close to the Prime Minister?

- Thank you, ma'am. - Cry Baby.

- What? - It's what he calls Winston.

He and his wife have nasty little nicknames for all of us.

I'll tell you yours, if you ask me nicely.

No, thank you.

Shirley Temple.

- -

Ready, sir.

This is indeed a sad arrival in my country.

I have crossed the Atlantic for the funeral of a dear brother,

and to comfort Her Majesty, Queen Mary.

My heart goes out to the widowed Queen Mother

and her two daughters in their grief.

Thank you.

- Down there, look! - Right, that's enough. Look sharp!

His Royal Highness, the Duke of Windsor, Your Majesty.

Dear Mama.

Poor Bertie.

So young.

One can only be thankful for all the years one had him.

So wonderfully thoughtful and caring.

An angel to his mother, wife and children.

I honestly believe he never thought of himself at all.

He really was the perfect son.

I can't imagine how difficult it must be for you.

You've been very much in our thoughts and prayers.

Ours?

You'd be wise not to mention that woman's name for the next few days.

- I mentioned no name. - The implication was enough.

If you say so.

I offer that in the spirit of maternal advice

that you may emerge from this trip with any remaining respect or affection at all.

I had hoped all this might wait.

I'm afraid not, ma'am.

I understand.

Shall we?

Now, the top sheet is simply a summary of all the contents of the box.

And we have in this case, a five power conference first. See...

- That's this one? - Yes.

- So this... - More detail.

- So, we start with this. - Yes, Your Majesty.

- He's here. - He's here!

Don't rush, darling. It'll take him an hour to get to the front door.

And then an hour to get through the bloody thing!

Now, don't forget the two things we discussed.

- I won't. - The children keeping my surname.

- Yes. - And us staying here in Clarence House,

not moving to Buckingham Palace. Both very important.

I know. I won't forget.

- And don't be nervous. - I'm not nervous.

You look nervous.

Be firm. Just lay down the law.

I know he's Winston Churchill and all that, but remember who you are.

- You're... - Nobody.

The Queen of England.

Don't let me overrun.

The Prime Minister, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

I so looked forward every Tuesday to my audiences with your...

dear papa.

His late Majesty was a hero

to me and to all his people.

Thank you.

Do sit down, Prime Minister.

I've ordered tea. Or something stronger, perhaps.

Oh, dear. Did no one explain?

The Sovereign never offers a Prime Minister refreshment.

Nor a chair.

The precedent set by your great-great-grandmother

was to keep us standing like Privy Councillors.

To waste time is a grievous sin.

And, if there is one thing I have learned in 52 years of public service,

it is that there is no problem so complex, nor crisis so grave,

that it cannot be satisfactorily resolved within 20 minutes. So...

shall we make a start?

She's in with the PM now.

And I made it abundantly clear how important it was

that she and the children take your name.

It's your name too. It's the name I gave you.

Having Mountbatten as the name of the Royal house,

having your first-born son, Charles, as the first Mountbatten king...

Well, that would be some achievement, wouldn't it?

Now, I would like to discuss your coronation.

Yes.

I have a proposed date which has been run past Cabinet and approved.

- Summer, I hope. - Indeed. Next year.

Next year? Why the delay?

For your benefit entirely.

A long period between accession and coronation

was of great value to your father.

He had five months.

You're proposing I have 16 before I am crowned.

Yes.

That would take anyone weeks to read...

- Anyway, thanks for the drink. - Thank you, Jock.

- Sir. - Sir.

Foreign office first, let's surprise Anthony.

- And? - Nothing.

We discussed the end of rationing of sugar, butter and meat,

the situation in Korea, and the date of my coronation.

I barely got a word in.

Of course not, the man barely draws breath.

- You have to butt in. - You can't!

Not in the private audience.

So, what about the issues I asked you to address?

- I will find the right time. - When?

- Why would he do that? - What?

Why would he want to delay my coronation?

What are you talking about? What... Elizabeth!

I realize we've had our differences in the past.

If you'll allow me.

But, for now, let us think only of what we have in common.

You've lost a husband and father,

I a brother.

Let us be united in grief, on equal terms, for someone we all loved.

I'll be here for a few days after the funeral

before I return to New York.

Perhaps we might find time to see one another.

For lunch, or a walk.

Yes. I'd like that very much.

Your Majesties.