The Crown

Your majesty.

Everyone at the post office is delighted with the new profile, ma'am,

which they feel to be an elegant reflection

of her majesty's transition from young woman to...

Old bat?

Mother of four and settled sovereign.

The postmaster general himself commented that the two images,

the young and the slightly older queen,

are almost identical.

Postmaster bevins is very kind.

He's also a barefaced liar.

Just the tiniest changes, in the hair...

A great many changes.

But there we are.

Age is rarely kind to anyone.

Nothing one can do about it.

One just has to get on with it.

But, somehow, Harold Wilson had to inspire the electorate

to thrust a wedge into the tories, to win the floating vote for labour,

and stop the liberals stealing too much of the cake.

Sir Alec's position could likewise be affected by the liberals.

They've had quite a revival.

In the 1950 election, the labour majority crumbled.

Some of its great figures were already ill.

The pressures of Korea and rearmament were growing.

It's never easy to fight an election...

- Louder, please. - Sir.

Your opponent's promises often seem so much more enticing.

There are so many unknowns.

Even the weather can wash your hopes down the gutter.

At once Harold Wilson's life changed.

Oh, no!

What?

Winston's had another stroke.

- Oh, poor old thing. - I'll go and see him today.

You do know, if that man wins today, he'll want us out.

- Who? - Wilson.

Half his cabinet would be made up of rabid anti-monarchists.

They'd want our heads on spikes.

Except I doubt they speak French

in halifax or huddersfield.

- The old order. - Or wherever he's from.

The old boys' network, the cozy...

I even heard a rumor that he's a kgb spy.

Mr. Wilson? That's ridiculous.

That his predecessor, Hugh gaitskell, was poisoned by the Russians,

so that their man might take over.

- Who did you hear that from? - A friend of mine at the lunch club.

He had a whole theory

about Wilson being turned while on a trade mission to Russia.

Said he even had a kgb code name. "Olding."

Well, if you know it, and your churn knows it,

obviously mi5 will know it,

and they must have come to the conclusion that Mr. Wilson was fine,

or they would have done something about it.

Unless they never expected him to get this far.

The ruthless application -no one did.

Of scientific techniques in Soviet industry...

Can see clearly that only the state should have this level of control.

Good morning, your royal highness.

Sir, a reminder that lunch is at 1 at the Mirabelle.

Tell her I'm not coming.

A labour prime minister...

- Go on. Off you trot. - Sir.

Good morning, your royal highness.

Who are you?

I'm new.

I'm assuming "new" is not your name.

- So when I ask you... - Violet, ma'am.

Where's the other one?

The... the fat one.

She left, ma'am.

Nervous exhaustion.

Yes?

Morning, ma'am. Lord snowdon sends his apologies.

- What? - He's heading out to take photographs.

- What? - Of election day.

- No! - He will try and join you for coffee.

Tony.

Open the door.

Your majesty, your royal highness.

Sir Anthony, what's all this?

Preparations for the forthcoming exhibition

at the guildhall gallery, ma'am.

- Of our paintings? - Portraiture in early modern Europe.

I believe you kindly agreed to say a few words.

- Did I? - That was a mistake.

Probably.

- Who's that by? - Annibale carracci.

Never heard of him.

This one?

- Artemisia gentileschi. - No, never heard of him, either.

Her, sir.

I'm afraid we're not great connoisseurs of art in this family.

No, we're country people, really.

- Savages. - I wouldn't say that.

But I just did say that.

Are you disagreeing with me?

I've always said, both the queen and queen Elizabeth the queen mother

have a very good eye.

What? Between them?

One each.

Right, darling.

Eyes left.

Good luck with Winston.

If I am to say a few words,

I wonder if you might give me another of your wonderful tutorials.

With pleasure.

Your predecessor had very little Patience with me,

whereas you've always been kind enough to make me feel, if not scholarly,

then not stupid, which I appreciate.

So, to that end, what would you say constitutes early modern?

The end of the middle ages

to the beginning of the industrial revolution.

Roughly late 15th century to late 18th century.

And what era are we in now, do you suppose?

The frighteningly modern?

I think that all depends on the result of the general election today.

Oh, yes. Have you voted? I know one shouldn't ask.

I have, ma'am.

- Conservative. - Really?

I always had you down as a man of the left.

Perhaps once. Not anymore.

- Who's this? - Rembrandt.

An old man in military costume.

Wonderfully enigmatic character.

Speaking of enigmas, what do we make of Mr. Wilson?

- One's heard the rumors, of course. - Rumors, ma'am?

Yes, whilst on a trade mission to Moscow, the kgb got to him.

Nonsense, I know.

I wouldn't dismiss them so quickly.

For a young socialist to visit Russia in those days...

With an impressionable mind.

It's not unthinkable he might have been turned to more radical ideas.

But Mr. Wilson is an older man now...

And, I'm sure, a wiser one.

Harold Wilson's life changed dramatically.

From being a prominent opposition politician,

Harold Wilson became the opposition politician.

The potential prime minister and a servant of the crown.

The conservatives can afford to lose...

Sir, the queen.

A small but workable majority.

- Dear Winston. - Your majesty.

Don't move.

How are you?

Gripped, ma'am.

It's a proper nail-biter.

Key battleground seats. The Midlands...

- You think Mr. Wilson has a chance? - I'm afraid I do.

I think we must face the cold wind of socialism

blowing through this land once more.

I probably shouldn't tell you this.

When I was prime minister...

A young Mr. Wilson came to me,

asking my permission to go to Russia.

On behalf of the...

Board of trade.

Yes. Board of trade.

One of the first western politicians to go behind the iron curtain.

I remember thinking then, we'd better keep an eye on that one.

See a clear picture emerging of who might be the likely winner.

I can't imagine what that would be like...

Having a prime minister one didn't trust...

When one thinks what it was like with you.

I was a terrible bully.

You were my guardian angel.

The roof over my head.

The spine in my back.

The iron in my heart.

You were the compass that steered and directed me.

Not just me, all of us.

Where would Great Britain be without its...

Greatest briton?

God bless you, Winston.

After the generation of conservative rule,

in which we have seen recession, scandal, national divide...

Go on, Margot. Do us one more song.

Yes, Margot. Your turn.

Jesus Christ.

Another gain for labour there.

We've seen a 3.5 percent swing from the conservatives so far tonight.

The haves and have-hots

and the fact that neither party

has been able to secure the confidence of a large majority of voters

is symptomatic not only of fundamental dissatisfaction with government,

but of the failure of the entire political class.

Bravo!

Thank you.

Arriving into us now.

Yes, it's a labour gain.

The labour party will form the next government.

People will be waking up tomorrow in a new britain,

a britain whose destiny lies firmly in the hands of Mr. Wilson.

We now go over to transport house,

where labour staff and supporters are gathered to hear their celebration.

Sir, the protocol is as follows.

When you're announced, you bow from the neck.

First time you see the queen, you say, "your majesty."

After that it's "ma'am." Rhymes with "ham."