"Now you all know the rules." "They're over a thousand years old." "And I want you to concentrate very hard on those rules." "Now is everyone ready for the off?" "Put them on," " before they melt too much." " Your Majesty." "Have you all picked your runners?" "Yes." "I want every grandchild in this room to make as much racket as you can." "That one is mine, the one by the fire." "And that one is mine." "And that one is mine." "Ah, Johnnie, have you picked one?" "Not too late." "Better hurry up, though, they're off." "All of them are mine." "We'll have that one, then." "I'll choose." "Look, they've started." " Come on." "Oh, please, come on." " Please." "Please, faster." "Mine's not going." "Faster." "Why is mine not winning?" "I'm gaining, I'm gaining." "It's by the fire, that's not fair." " Come on, faster." "Come on." " Gain speed, please." "Come on." "Faster, come on, keep going." "Keep going." "It's not fair." "Mine should be winning." "Oh, Johnnie." "How have you managed to do that?" "The party's about to start and look at you." "Grandpapa has butter on him." "Grandpapa has butter all over him." "Now, Johnnie, you will manage at the party?" "You don't feel too tired?" "Are you sure?" "You promise me?" "Your Royal Highness." "We had a little problem but it's gone now." "The Queen has come down already." "So we will be starting on time this year." "It's nice -- what you're wearing mama." "Grandmama will be wearing a prettier dress." "And that is how it should be." "Your Majesty, a little something to add to your collection." "Oh, what is this?" "Oh, goodness." "Every birthday she gets the same thing, and manages to sound surprised when she opens the parcel." "Isn't it lovely?" "I've never understood what she sees in those little animals can't do anything with them." "...there's my giraffe." "Oh, dear, we've all managed to bring her the same thing." "Oh, look " " I've got three giraffes now." "Got a clockwork hippopotamus one year, which I liked." "But I tried to wind it up and broke it." "If only I could make this disappear and come back as a totally different present." "It's my first time as a guest here, you know." "It's quite exciting." "All the clocks are set half an hour fast." "never expected to see all the ladies smoking here, it's -- it's marvellous." "Oh, look, how beautiful." "Your Majesty, it's absolutely splendid." "It's little fishes." "Extraordinary cake." "No." "There came a bark that blowing forward bore King Arthur like modern gentlemen of stateliest port." "And all the people cried;" ""Arthur is come again, he cannot die"." "And those that stood upon the hills behind repeated;" ""Come with all good things and war shall be no more"." "At this a hundred bells began to peel, but with the sound I woke and heard indeed the clear church bells ring in the Christmas morn." "Bravo." "We're getting the oldest and the youngest today, I see." "I'm not the youngest." "Johnnie is here, you've forgotten him." "I'm sure next year he'll be doing something too." "(Nuit de joie) by Victor" "Hugo." "Johnnie, keep still." "Keep still." "Remember." "Johnnie, keep still." "Isn't the Tsarina going to fish as well?" "Georgie." "Why can't I go down?" "Just for a moment." "You will see your cousins when they come to tea, Johnnie." "I promise." "Nobody can have given them any advice about where to catch big fish on the Isle of Wight." "We should go and help them, Lalla, tell them they won't catch anything there." "I'm sure the Emperor doesn't need any fishing lessons from you, Georgie." "Don't they look perfectly splendid, Johnnie?" "They're late." "Extremely late." "My apologies, my dear fellow." "I thought for a moment we had come to the wrong place." "Charming." "Absolutely charming." "Everything is in miniature, isn't it?" "How marvellous to have something so small." "No, I have to stop, I'm afraid." "I have the wrong shoes." "Because underfoot, well, you can see underfoot it's not quite right for these shoes." "It's really quite dry." "You see?" "Er, it couldn't be drier, in fact." "It's impossible." "I can't take another step in these shoes." "I don't think we have time to send somebody back to the yacht for some other shoes." "I mean, of course we can, it's perfectly possible if you want." "That won't be necessary." "I am sure there are some overshoes here." "Overshoes?" "Your Royal Highness." "Have we got shoes?" "Yes, sir." "But have you got the right shoes?" "Bloody ridiculous." "It's absolutely dry out there." "If you like animals, we will bring you a bear from Russia." "Or maybe a tiger from Siberia." "Or maybe both." "I can't get over how different everything seems." "Even Osborne seems to have got a little smaller." "I used to visit our grandmother, and also it was a real surprise to me there are so many houses belonging to other people so close." "Excuse me." "Are you comfortable like that?" "Um, well, um, I'm not sure." "Can you bear it, my darling, if we do this picture first?" "Or maybe we should do a photograph with you in it first?" "What do you think, my darling?" "That's the way you behave when you're an absolute monarch, is it?" "Or maybe it isn't the right time for any photograph at all?" "Maybe -- that's what it is." "Your mother is having such a time with those children." "I've never seen her have such a time with any children." "He looks like an Emperor fish." "He said he looks like an Emperor fish." "Now how do you think it affected the power of the barons?" "A plague across the entire country." "Can anyone tell me that?" "I will tell you what happened with the Black Death." "It had a devastating effect on everything it touched." "And where do you think you're going?" "We're just going up to the big house." "We can go on our own." "We don't need anyone with us." "Ma'am." "All these new policemen." "I'm not sure I like finding them all over the garden." "Johnnie." "Johnnie!" "You know you can't take that upstairs." "I had no idea they'd been put away up there." "They're going to take ages to lay out." "So, Georgie, your time playing with them will have to be very short." "Only fifteen minutes at the most." "Oh, at the very most." "So, our commander is Sir Thomas Whitney Whatney with his three-legged horse." "And that very small and very fat old chap there is the commander of the French Army." "I thought I heard voices." "Ah, you've got the soldiers out." " Your Majesty." " My word." "Well, let's see what you can do with them." "Now who's got the best position?" "Oh, there you are, papa." "I was just coming along to our meeting." "Am I a little early?" "You've got the soldiers out." "I hope you're not playing between countries." "Are you?" "You know my rules about that." "I told them they had to play between planets, not between nations." "The armies are from Mars or Jupiter, that sort of thing." "Never the French or the Germans." "Have you been playing with the French?" "Answer me." "No, papa." "We haven't been doing that, papa." "The armies are from..." "Saturn and Jupiter." "We have been playing with foreigners." "I told you not to do that!" "Never!" "Well, at the least the boy's honest." "Honest Johnnie." "Now that we've got this far, we might as well help them." "Now stay there, boy," "I need help." "Oh." "God... that was difficult." "must be getting old, mustn't I?" "Now, they're the French, are they?" "Certainly look like the French." "Ah, when I was a boy, the battles I had with these soldiers, eh." "I fought battles in the desert, in the jungle, in the snow." "Let's see if I'm as good now as I was." "Everyone ready?" "Let's see who can get their men in the best position." "Right, Johnnie, we're this side." "Now get the cavalry lined up here." "The Dragoons need to be in an anterior position down there." "We are very late now." "Goodness, if I had known how long it was going to take," "I wouldn't have agreed to us coming." "My father gave me a good thrashing every time I was late." "It was the best thing that ever happened to me." "Georgie -- go back to the cottage." "We'll join you in a few minutes." "Johnnie?" "You will be fine." "We'll find somewhere to go." "Everything will be fine." "We'll soon be there." "Good evening." " Good evening." " Good evening." " Oh, excuse me." " Oh." "Sorry." "Good evening." "Good evening, young man." "Good evening." "We are just coming." "The boy is upset about something." "You will close the door and leave us." "Nobody else will discover us now." "Nobody will see this." "And tonight... we'll say our prayers twice." "Maybe there won't be another one for a very long time." "Lalla." "Where have you been, Lalla?" "I have been wondering why you are so late." "We were just a tiny bit longer than we expected, ma'am." "This young man has got a cold." "He was sneezing and coughing so very much." "It's like a little engine, he was." "But he's so much better now." "Good, Johnnie." "I'm glad to hear you're better." "Oh, she's got ears like a bat, your mother." "The very best ears I have ever come across." "I'm not hitting nearly as much as I usually do." "What's happening?" "Don't understand it." "What's wrong?" "One of the greatest pleasures of my life and today I hate it." "Meaningless, completely meaningless." "Never thought I'd feel that." "And if I no longer enjoy shooting, what have I got to look forward to each night when I go to bed?" "I don't recognise half of them." "Did I really invite some of these people?" "Why am I so angry that they're here today with me?" "Your Majesty, I am so sorry we're late." "The motor got stuck in the mud." "About time they got a feel for shooting." "Children." "Children." "Look, the silly man's got food stuck in his beard." "Yes." "You can make the food you don't like disappear, can't you?" "Johnnie, it's time for you to sit down now." "Have you ever shot a crocodile, grandpapa?" "Oh, I have indeed." "But not today." "Not today." "After lunch you will all shoot a crocodile each." "Don't be silly, Johnnie." "Don't be ridiculous." "The ladies will shoot tigers after lunch, and the men crocodiles." "You know, there was a time when I was one of the best shots in England." "But today " " I couldn't hit a single thing." "Maybe it's because you're so old, grandpapa." "The boy's right." "That boy is always right." "It won't be long, Johnnie." "Look up." "Look up." "Can you see the comet coming?" "Is that it up there?" "Any moment it will come, I'm sure." "A bright light in a great rush." "We should be able to see it already." "I don't think it's coming." "Why isn't the engine started?" "We have to hurry, for God's sake." "Look, mama and papa." "Will it start?" "They must have been called to the palace." "Maybe grandpapa is worse." "Something's wrong with it." "The comet is coming and grandpapa is dying." "Is it an omen?" "Johnnie." "Johnnie, wake up." "Do you know what that means?" "You are the son of the King now." "We both are." "We both are, Johnnie." "These will not be seen again." "I'm not sure about the boots." "The boots are very tight." "God give me strength for this." "Well, no." "These are my mother's." "These will not do at all." "Am I a little late?" "Ma'am." "Mama, we are over an hour late already." "Oh, don't fret, my dear." "I'm always at least an hour late." "That's what people expect... from me." "No, these will definitely not fit me." "May I join you?" "And Johnnie wants to too." "Of course." "You look very smart, young man." "Johnnie, come and join us." "It would be better if all the people over there weren't in black." "Mmm." "You know who that is?" "Can you see him?" "Standing just by that doorway." "Cousin Bill, the Emperor of Germany." "And how about -- this one?" "The person there." "He's just moved." "The one by that column." "The King of Greece." "Papa's uncle." "And there's Uncle Fritz." "The Grand Duke of " " Mac..." "I nearly got it." "The Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz." "Who's the one making all the fuss?" "That is the Grand Duke Michael Michailovitch of Russia." "He's a member of your family." "He's just moving over now to talk to His Serene Highness the Duke of Teck, who's another of your relations." "Johnnie, it's all of the family together." "Why are they all fidgeting?" "I think somebody has called them much too early." "I wonder who decides which carriages go first?" "And who walks behind the coffin." "Do you have to arrange that?" "Oh, no, not today." "You don't run today." "Where are you running, young man?" "I've got something to do." "You don't know who I am?" "Let me think." "You and I have not met but I know who you are." "I'm your cousin Bill." "We are preparing to say goodbye to your grandfather." "I myself feel great sorrow because I loved your grandfather." "The whole of Germany loved him." "He was my family after all." "So now you understand, we don't want to do anything to disturb the family or the proceedings, now do you?" "No, I won't disturb them, sir." "My dearest, I am so glad to be here so I can express my great sorrow personally to all the family and most of all to you." "It's not because of you we're having to wait for such a long time, is it?" "Of course not." "Well, I have no idea why we're being made to wait." "He had a very bad turn, ma'am." "I thought it best to wait to tell you until after the funeral." "Mama." "We will make sure the doctors see him tomorrow." "You must make sure there is somebody with him at all times." "Of course, ma'am." "I am usually with him all of the time." "It was just today because it was a special day, he was with his brother." "It is even more important when there are other people around." "Now, John, can you arrange the animals in the order of their size?" "If you put the biggest one first, and the smallest one last." "Can you do that for me?" "The biggest?" "Please carry on, gentlemen." "I will just sit here." "Ma'am, we've asked John to arrange these animals in order of size." "The whale, and then all the way to the insects." "There, now, we've given you a big clue, young man." "Now let's see you try again." "I used to have a spider." "I used to keep it." "Come on, Johnnie." "Please." "Come on, Johnnie." "Play." "Come on, Johnnie, do something." "Ma'am, it is clear his brain has not continued to grow as it should, showing it must have suffered some damage at some stage." "And, er, the description of the fits clearly indicates epilepsy." " Further tests will be necessary, of course." " Yes, of course." "But we have to prepare ourselves." "It is more than possible that John's natural life may be cut short." "The brain is very unlikely to develop further." "I can assure you, gentlemen, that Johnnie is not an imbecile." "The brain is damaged, ma'am, whatever label we use." "We are recommending complete isolation." "Complete, ma'am." "Where he can be given round the clock supervision." "John will have regular fits, and for anybody witnessing those fits, whether it is the immediate family or, or people outside the family, the effect will be most traumatic for anybody witnessing those." "For the child and for the family this is best." "A quiet place." "A fit in public, ma'am, would not be..." "No, no, I'm quite happy to be right at the back." "No, do not alarm yourself." "I'm quite content with my position here at the back." "One moment, please." "I'm sorry, one moment." "I think I need a glass of water." "Johnnie?" "I thought you were with mama." "It has subsided sufficiently." "Your Majesties." "Well, it's very clean." "So this will be your new room, Johnnie, and I will be next door." "It's only a few weeks until the family will be coming down, and then you'll all be together again." "For a little while at least." "I think I should have my own bit of garden." "We'll start to make my garden somewhere here." "...feast his neighbour," "And say "Tomorrow is Saint Crispian;"" "Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars," "And say, "These wounds I had on Crispin's day."" "Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot," "But he'll remember with advantages What feats he did that day;" "then shall our names Familiar in his mouth as household words," "Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter," "Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester," "In their flowing cups freshly remember'd." "This story shall the good man teach his son;" "And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by," "From this day to the ending of the world," "But we in it shall be remember'd;" "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;" "He is asleep." "Mama?" "Go to sleep, Johnnie." "Will this work, this arrangement?" "Oh, yes, ma'am, it will work, I promise you." "I will make it work." "I will be here with him all the time." "Are you quite sure that is all that is needed?" "Nothing else is needed, ma'am, it really isn't." "It must be understood that any visitors, either coming here to the cottage orjust walking in the garden, no visitors at all must be allowed to see him." "For their sake and his." "Is, is that any visitor at all, is it, ma'am?" "Yes." "Don't worry, I will always be here." "I'm making a garden." "I can't see it, Johnnie, it's night now." "It's not very much at the moment, but I'm sure it will be." "I will never let them send you away." "So, now, we come again to the outbreak of the Black Death." "Can you tell me the name of one of the more important victims of the Black Death?" "Can anybody tell me that?" "Johnnie, we have done this again and again." "I really must insist on an answer." "Give me any kind of answer." "I don't like the Black Death." "I give up." "There's nothing more I can do." "I thought you were going to teach him some family history." "Johnnie likes that." "Oh, for goodness sake, I can't just teach him the last few years." "He needs to know it all." "And he knows nothing." "And I'm locked up here." "I'm as much shut away as he is." "Nobody listens to me." "Nobody could care less!" "Nobody knows, nobody cares!" "Come along, faster than that." "Come on, you're hardly out of breath." "Come on, Georgie, keep up." "I am keeping up." "I'm walking." "Faster." "Why did you speed up every time we caught up with you?" "Come on, Georgie, don't be so slow." "You're always at the back." "Please, once more." "I could hardly keep up towards the end." "Well done." "Excellent." "So, everyone in again." "My turn to go in the front." "Just once, Georgie, just once." "Then it's my turn." "I, er, I never see that nice little chap Johnnie any more." "Always busy with his lessons, is he?" "Hang on to your hats." "Johnnie, your garden's really very impressive indeed now." "Johnnie, it's time for us to go in now." "Before the guests from the big house come out into the garden." "Come quickly!" "There's been another accident in the kitchen." "Milly." "She's cut herself." "Oh, not again." "I don't believe it." "Bring Johnnie in now, Georgie." "Come on, I'll show you some of my best plants." "This is splendid, Johnnie." "Good." "Just a little further up the path." "Not these ones." "Not much further." "They just couldn't believe what they saw." "The King and Queen in that house." "Amazing, isn't it, eh?" "D'you know who that is?" "Wouldn't look out of place in Norwood or Surbiton, would it, eh?" "A very old General." "No, don't be silly, Johnnie." "He's the Prime Minister." "And his mother all alone in the big house." "She won't move out." "His advisors beg him to give the place up, so do we." "I mean, what do you think foreigners make of it?" "They come to visit the King on his country estate, and find him squashed into one of the most suburban dwellings in the land." "The King won't hear a word against it." "Another thing they love to do is fill every room they use..." "with photographs of their family." "Hundreds of different photographs staring at you, you can't get away from them." "Let's cut across here." "You go in, Johnnie, I'll be back later." "Hello." "What are you doing through there, young man?" "Who are you?" "I'm Johnnie." "I've just left my garden." "Well, good afternoon, Johnnie." "Isn't it a blissful day?" "The most perfect garden." "The most perfect day." "Wild West stories, how lovely." "No, no, no, it is my normal reading matter." "Really?" "Absolutely." "You'll be surprised quite how many of these I devour in a month." "I love to look at the pictures, just like a small boy." "Are you here with your husband?" "No." "Oh." "Your mother?" "Yes." "Choose one for me, Georgie." "Careful now, careful now." "You know which one I like." "The little pink ones, yeah, that's right." "That's a clever boy." "Thank you." "Not bad, are they -- the grounds at the moment." "Did you see what's been done by the lake?" "It all looks splendid." "We walked all the way to York Cottage - a charming view, as always." "Mr Asquith, I'm sure this is a very misguided question, a silly thought, but I heard somebody say the other day there could be a war before Christmas." "Not as far as we know." "Nobody's had the courtesy to tell us." "Put it out of your mind, please." "There is no conceivable way that we'd agree to participate in a war in Europe." "No forseeable circumstances." "I would be totally opposed to our involvement, and so would the Prime Minister." "Because they're our family?" "Is that the reason?" "Not France, of course, but the other heads of state." "He's an absolute devil with his questions, that boy." "Is that the reason?" "I think we'll just say how could we argue with that." "That's absolutely true." "Who's that child over there?" "I thought for a moment it was some sort of animal watching us." "Oh, it is our son, Johnnie." "It is a little surprising to see him over here." "He should be at his studies." "Good Lord, why is he out of the cottage?" "Hello, young man." "You know, mama, we live in a really stupid house, which is a disgrace, an absolute disgrace." "What's more is everybody thinks that - the servants, the foreigners, everyone." "This man with the huge head said so." "Be quiet at once, Johnnie." "Our house would not be out of place in a country called Surbiton or Norwood." "And grandmama, silly old thing, lives all alone in the big house when she ought to know better." "Ma'am?" "So why was Johnnie alone in the garden?" "I got distracted for a moment and he just slipped out." "I'm so sorry, ma'am." "I thought we had an understanding." "Yes, ma'am, we do." "That Johnnie was not to be left alone, particularly when there are guests present." "I know, it, it will never happen again." "It cannot happen again." "I know his father was very angry, too." "When Johnnie was small, it was different, but now these things cannot be allowed." "Yes, ma'am, I know." "If Johnnie cannot be controlled, we may have to consider an institution, as the doctors advised." "That isn't necessary." "Is it, is it, ma'am?" "Surely not." "You try very hard with him, Lalla, I do realise." "Each of my children have their strange ways, I've found." "All children do, I know, yes, and then as they grow it becomes easier." "Johnnie will not grow in that way." "We know that now and we have to accept it." "Um, with respect, ma'am," "I do believe Johnnie can grow." "I mean, in his mind." "Most certainly he, he can." "There's no sign of it so far, Lalla." "But there will be, ma'am." "I'm sure he won't need to be shut away for the rest of his life." "He will progress." "He's working so hard at his studies, he really is." "Oh, you two make a fine pair, don't you?" "This just won't do." "This just won't do at all." "Johnnie, you can do this sum." "Yes." "Yes, you can." "Now... if I have ten jars of blackberry jam and I take away three how many do I have left?" "Johnnie, you are able to do this." "If you do your arithmetic, and some of your other lessons, all sorts of things may happen." "And it's the last time I try to teach the boy in here with you making all your terrible noises." "There is your great grandmother up there." "In the middle, yes?" "Now draw." "Draw the line going down to show that the Tsarina is her grand-daughter." "A straight line." "Straight." "The line must be straight." "That's good, Johnnie." "Now try to do the other one straighter." "I don't know, these drawings are so odd." "Look at this one." "The line of succession." "Here are his father and mother, done almost normally, and then the children;" "Prince Edward David first, Albert George second." "Johnnie." "So far so good." "But now, why on earth does it go over here?" "May and Henry in a funny loop, and Georgie and John himself right down here with strange rabbit ears." "It's a good start." "This will end badly for the boy." "He needs simple things, just simple things." "No." "No that, that isn't true." "Is it, Johnnie?" "No." "It just isn't true at all." "Give us what we want." "We will not stop." "We will not stop until you listen." "Give women the vote!" "They're having difficulty getting them off, mama." "They'll need to cut them away." "They will manage it, I assure you." "Give women the vote!" "We won't have them dangling around for days, looking at us every time we come out." "It is quite beyond me how people can make such a spectacle of themselves." "How on earth do they think this will do them any good?" "Smaller." "Now, think about what you're writing." "Small letters." "My dear Russian cousins," "Olga, Tatiana, Maria Anastasia and Alexei." "I am writing to you after all these years because I think of you so often." "I will write about my garden." "My garden is a wonderful place." "I feel very happy sitting inside it." "It is the best garden that I have ever seen." "Many times at night I think..." "of your father swimming and how funny he looked." "My father will see me soon, I hope." "He is very busy being King at the moment." "I shouldn't be here." "This is clearly a bad idea, a ridiculous notion, trying to do this, but nothing I could do would make him listen." "But no doubt this young man would have it all worked out." "Good afternoon." "Good afternoon." "Good afternoon." "Hello." "Why is this such a bad idea?" "What have you been overhearing now?" "I'm just interested." "Your father wanted to see if he could make a difference, if he could bridge the divide by bringing together the parties in Ireland." "So he's holding this... conference." "But people don't think he can make a difference." "I think that may be the general view, yes." "Your Majesty." "Please." "Now..." "I thought we'd begin..." "No, not that one." "I, I want the other file." "Now I just have to see..." "I don't know... we'll just..." "Oh, sorry." "I will need a moment..." "Are you expecting news, Johnnie?" "It won't be today, Johnnie." "No, it won't be today, Johnnie, but it will be soon." "It will definitely be soon." "Johnnie." "Johnnie, it's come." "It has come." "It's the date for you to go to London." "Ah, shall I take that for you?" "Thank you." "Now, we are going to go over a few questions, Johnnie, so we are prepared." "Mmm?" "If they produce those animal cards again, the doctors," "I'm not sure they will, because you're so much bigger, but if they produce the animals you will remember the insect will always be the smallest." "Mmm?" "It's quite safe to put that last every time." "Johnnie, listen to me." "Johnnie." "Geography." "They're bound to ask geography questions, and you do know geography." "What is the capital city of France?" "Paris." "Or Paree." "Yes, that's right." "And the capital of Russia?" "St Petersburg." "A German name." "Yes." "You can say, "My cousin the Tsar lives there"." "That would sound impressive." "Yes I will say my cousin Bill, the Kaiser, has a withered arm." "No." "No." "No, don't say that." "I know all the questions." "They will be happy with me, the doctors." "Now we are in London, we must have the blinds drawn." "That was one of the messages I was sent about this trip." "Johnnie?" "Now, John, we want you to take your time over every question we ask." "I will not need any time." "Who is the Prime Minister of this country?" "The Prime Minister of England." "He's a man with a huge head." "And do you know his name?" "When I met him, I was not allowed to say his name because he'd been very rude and he wanted to remain my friend." "The capital city of Russia is St Petersburg, and my cousins, the Romanovs, live there." "The capital city of Greece is Athens, and my uncle, the King of Greece, lives there." "The capital of Denmark is Copenhagen, and my grandmama comes from there." "The capital of Germany, where my cousin Bill, the Emperor, lives is" "Er, please, John." "You must wait for the questions." "My name is Prince John." "Your Royal Highness, you must allow us to go through the list of questions we have prepared." "Very well." "While I'm waiting I will get down." "This room is not bad." "Not bad, gentlemen." "This stuffed creature here is called a scaly anteater, and it's quite a shy animal." "A shy animal from India that lives in holes." "What are you thinking about, young man?" "I was just thinking how difficult it must be to work out where everybody's going to sit at a banquet like this." "What with so many Ambassadors from all sorts of countries, and Bishops and Generals coming." "Not to mention politicians." "How do you decide?" "Ah." "There are the rules of protocol, of course." "The, er, smaller countries further down the table, and then you decide that you might want to bend the rules a little because you know, for instance, the Russian Ambassador has a passion for bird-watching and so does the Duchess of Bedford." "I expect you're brilliant at that." "Ooh, if nobody takes offence, if the banquet goes smoothly, then I'll be pleased." "always feel a slight flutter of apprehension as they start." "Apprehension?" "What could go wrong?" "Johnnie!" "At last you've come." "George!" "George." "I had my own car." "I rode in my own motorcar." "Yes." "And I've managed to see to it that we're staying here tonight." "What do you think?" "It's a great ship -- falling down." "Yes." "It's the biggest ship of the Canadian Pacific Line," "'The Empress of Ireland'." "It collided in the St Lawrence River with another ship." "It just happened, two weeks ago." "It crashed?" "The boat?" "Yes." "And it was an enormous boat, Johnnie." "Nearly as big a ship as the 'Titanic'." "And almost as many people died." "Why are all the big boats crashing at the moment?" "I need to get you to bed, Johnnie." "Right now." "Her Majesty will see you now." "Ah, there you are, Lalla." "Your Majesty." "He did so well." "You should have seen him." "Seen Johnnie." "You know how he usually finds it difficult, he finds talking a little hard sometimes, how to reply to people, well he did it marvellously today, ma'am." "He answered all the questions, and more." "He was quite the proper prince, he was." "It was a wonderful thing to see." "If only you'd been there, ma'am." "Now, slowly, Lalla." "I'm sorry, ma'am." "I've been waiting to tell you this and it's rushing out of me." "Yes, so I see." "And the doctors?" "Oh, the doctors were stunned." "I think that's right, they were stunned." "They thought he had made progress, did they?" "They said that?" "They did seem quite pleased, ma'am." "I really think they were." "Of course, I, I don't know what they'll say in their report to you, but they must say that." "And Johnnie is here now?" "Yes, ma'am." "He's safely tucked up in his bed fast asleep." "He needed his sleep so much, he's worked so hard today." "Good." "If you'd heard him, ma'am, you would have heard something different." "I've never, ever seen him speak like that." "There's still his other illness, Lalla." "The fits." "Those will not disappear and they cannot be wished away." "I know." "I know, but we haven't had one for such a while now." "For such a while." "Ma'am, I can only tell you what I witnessed." "When you next see Prince John, you..." "I will see the boy tomorrow." "We have an important occasion tonight." "Of course, ma'am." "Of course." "I knew you wouldn't be asleep." "They were worried about arriving too late." "And, look, those people are worried about arriving too early." "What silly people." "No, Johnnie, it's because papa's decided to introduce Sandringham time to here as well." "You know how all the clocks are set half an hour fast in the big house." "Well now they're doing it here, too, and nobody knows what time it is." "Coming?" "Where am I coming?" "We're going to try and see the banquet." "Johnnie, isn't there one thing we have to do?" "What?" "I think maybe we need a change of clothes for you." "They have taken my clothes away." "Well, we'll have to see what we can do." "It's charming, isn't it, this clock." "It has just rejoined the collection." "It had been given away, inappropriately, as a gift, but we managed to retrieve it." "Oh, Your Majesty." "Please, stop torturing the women." "Why are you torturing the women?" "Please, it is our right." "Remove her." "The Queen must listen!" "There's no need for alarm." "She has to listen." "Give women the vote!" "We will never give up!" "Everything is simply fine." "It is our right!" "Johnnie." "I hope this works." "Come on, we're nearly there." "It'll be worth it, I promise." "It will." "I said it would." "Now, Johnnie, stand there and be careful you're not seen." "I think the Generals have got too many medals on them." "I just want to work out how he's done it." "There's the Russian Ambassador next to the Bishop who never stops talking." "And look, Johnnie, Russia's opposite Germany, cousin Bill's Ambassador." "And the Austrian Ambassador's opposite France." "And look, Mr Asquith's sitting opposite the Tories so they can gossip together because politicians only like talking to each other." "It's a perfect plan." "Everybody pleased with where they've been put." "Careful, Johnnie, we mustn't be seen." "Gentlemen." "Your Highness." "A bit of a hubbub, isn't it?" "A hubbub indeed." "We'll have to play rather loud tonight." "They seem in a rather excited mood." "And why are they like that, sir?" "Haven't you heard?" "There was an incident between your mother and an intruder." "And she was magnificent, the Queen, so they say." "Well, that's what everybody's talking about." "Everybody is so thrilled she came to no harm." "Doesn't mama look different." "She's smiling." "You will remember, Johnnie, if the music's too loud, if anything else happens," "if you feel ill, you will tell me at once." "I am not ill." "You must tell me as soon as you feel it." "Nothing's going to happen to me." "Were you seen?" "Johnnie?" "Maybe we should leave?" "No, I like it." "We've got to go, Johnnie." "We've got to go now." "Well, we'll have to make our excuses to His Majesty." "Head over to Downing Street." "Oh dear, well we shall have to have this confirmed before we tell the King." "Confirmation is essential." "But this news -- this news might change everything." "Everything, gentlemen." "There you are, Lalla." "Exactly on time, admirable." "This young man here was up very early." "Come here, Johnnie." "I hear you did very well when you saw the doctors." "The doctors were funny." "And I understand your garden is making great progress?" "You must send me some pressed flowers from it." "Will you do that?" "Yes, mama." "Now, I have some news." "Your father wishes to see you, so we will go..." "Ma'am " " I just wondered if you'd like to see these." "Descriptions in the newspapers of the incident last night." "If they're nice I'll look at them." "Well, just to pluck one at random." "The Times, for instance, says your behaviour was "a masterpiece of dignity and composure"." "I think I might glance at them, yes." "Thank you." "The others were exceptionally nice, too, ma'am." "Also, ma'am, I understand that Johnnie is to see the King at any moment." "Yes." "We have received news, ma'am, which I'm expecting confirmation of, if that comes through I will need to see the King at once." "Johnnie will see the King." "It's been far too long." "Come in." "Come in, Johnnie." "I've got some of my best stamps out." "Here." "Some of the finest I've got." "I thought we could have a look at stamps." "So come here, child." "You see how my collection has grown." "We've got special rooms for it now." "Now, look at these ones." "There's a whole page from Peru." "From Peru, my boy." "Very nice." "No, look properly, child." "You didn't look for long enough." "This one is very rare." "It's very rare indeed." "And this one is especially pleasing -- it's from Mauritius." "I glance at it every day at the moment." "I come in here and have a look at it." "What are you looking at?" "Ah, the bird." "Haven't you seen her yet?" "That's Charlotte." "I let her fly about." "Now, what about the Cape of Good Hope?" "Have you ever seen a stamp from the Cape of Good Hope?" "How much do you think it's worth?" "Have a guess, to the nearest ten guineas." "Mmm?" "Sir, my apologies, sir." "What?" "Can't you see I'm busy?" "The Prime Minister is on the telephone." "It is most urgent." "Why is he calling at this hour?" "I only saw him last night." "Johnnie." "Have a look at the stamps, Johnnie, and I'll come back and see what value you've guessed at." "What do you mean nobody can find him?" "He is with his father, and the Queen said they must not be interrupted." "Ma'am, Johnnie -- Johnnie must have gone on one of his wanders." "I haven't seen him." "Then we will all go and look for him together, Lalla." "It's been totally confirmed?" "The Archduke Ferdinand has been assassinated." "Where was it?" "Sarajevo." "You don't seem very surprised." "When did you know about this?" "I am beginning to suspect that quite a few people knew about this before I did." "Where is he?" "My poor child." "Come on, Johnnie." "Come on." "Is that what happens?" "Lalla's here." "I had no idea." "Lalla's here now, it's all right." "Poor child." "This is my fault." "I got him too excited." "He's overtired with everything." "That's it, that's it." "I know it's a shocking thing to see, ma'am, but he'll be so much better so very, very quickly." "That's my boy." "Come on, Johnnie." "Come on, Lalla's here." "Lalla's here, that's my boy." "It's not as bad as it seems, ma'am." "It's not as bad as it seems." "It's not as bad as it seems." "It's clear there was a deliberate decision not to tell me last night." "That was an absurd decision." "It appears practically everybody knew about it apart from me." "How can I work out what this means?" "How can I have an opinion on what we should do if nobody tells me it has happened?" "!" "They will let you stay with him?" "They're not going to send him away, are they?" "He did so well with the doctors, just let anybody try." "Where am I going?" "Just back to the country, Johnnie." "If they think they can take Johnnie away," "I'll never let them." "Never." "Say goodbye." "I liked the banquet." "When will they be holding another?" " Good afternoon." " Sir." "If the telephone rings from Austria, nobody can talk to the king except the emperor." "Understood?" "If anybody telephones from Russia, find me." " Who'll make the first move?" " Got any money?" "Of course." "How much do you want?" " Is this a bet?" " No, I never bet." "Four will do." "If you've lost your heir to the throne, as Austria has, you feel you have to do something." "So you declare war on who you imagine is responsible." "Serbia." " But you don't really mean it." " How come?" "The Austrian generals and the German generals are on holiday." " So are we." " Absolutely." "You don't declare war when everyone's on holiday and not have them return." "It's show." "That's how it will stay, so long as Russia doesn't get everybody excited and decide to mobilise its army to come to the aid of Serbia." "Germany would feel it had to make a move, and we wouldn't approve of that." "Who knows what we would do?" "But there's no chance of any of this happening because the Russian emperor finds it hard to make decisions." "The end of Sandringham time in London." "All clocks will show the same time as everywhere else." "Don't look so worried." "Germany will back down by the end of the day." "Your Majesty." " He hasn't rung yet?" " No, Your Majesty." "I like small rooms." "It reminds me of my time at sea." " You don't mind me staying?" " No, Your Majesty." "Georgie!" "You gave me such a start!" "I thought it might be news." "I'm afraid I've no news, except I must speak to Papa." " I cannot go to naval college." " I cannot change Papa's mind." "And neither will you." "Today is not the day." "Today is certainly not the day." "I'm ensuring every piece of furniture in the collection has the correct label, the correct date" " and its place of origin." " There'll be good news." "We'll hear from the Germans." "Everybody expects good news." "There are only a few hours left." "It's possible." "Johnnie!" "Johnnie, quickly, it's Georgie on the telephone." " I can hear you." " I haven't said anything yet!" " I hear you very well." " I'm ringing you because there's extraordinary business." "We might be about to go to war." "Did you hear that?" " When?" " When?" "Well, now!" "I see." "When will the foreigners come?" "I hate looking at that machine, waiting for it to ring." "Good evening, gentlemen." "Good evening, gentlemen." "What a business, eh?" "Every time the telephone rang today," "I thought it was them backing down." "Three times it was the Portuguese ambassador." "I was saying, "Don't put him through!"" "He's probably talking to His Majesty right now!" "But it's to the wire, gentlemen." "Right to the wire." "Everybody's completely worn out." "I'm still not at all sure you're going to win." " The bet." " I never did make a bet." "I don't know what needs to happen to make me win." "We thought it would be over by 9:00." "It's 11:30 and we still don't know." "Why are they making so much noise?" "The military want to show what they can do." "They want to give the Germans a short, sharp shock." "Very little time to go, gentlemen." "Come in, gentlemen." "So that's it." "I Just lost." "Dear Lord, make this war..." " a very short war." " Do something for your country!" " Be a soldier!" "He's too fat!" " Johnnie." " Let me get on the train." "This is the way to travel!" "My brother!" "My brother is here!" "He's a sailor now." "Lalla!" "When we knew we were seeing you off, we went on a great shopping trip." "We've got our marching orders too." "We're moving to a new home, not far away." " I wish I was staying with you." " It's a big adventure for us." "A trip to the railway station and then to actually sit on a train!" "It's the highlight of the year." "Except we're not going anywhere." "It's already gone on longer than they said." "Johnnie." "Johnnie!" "Come away from there." "Come away at once!" "We haven't travelled all that way to look at that!" "Talk to your brother." "Talk to your brother." "Don't stay long at your new school." "Say you've had enough." "I'll get away as soon as I'm able." "Please shine a little bit first, Georgie." "I'll dazzle them, but in a way that shows I don't fit in." "Georgie, you'll behave yourself." "It will be tremendous." "It will be exciting." "Come on." "Johnnie, there's a present for you at home." "It was too big for me to carry." "What on earth is..." " A music machine!" " Oh, dear!" "Why are we moving, Mr Hansell?" "So Lalla can look after you better." "And nobody need see us." "We'll be shut away in purdah from everything." " What's the matter with you?" " We had to do it in a rush." "You have had days to do this!" "I've no patience with their complaining." "I insisted on taking a full household with Johnnie." "Look at you!" "You have all become so idle with your moaning and your grumbling." "Perhaps we should start from scratch." "So, this is it." "It's smaller than I expected." "There's certainly a lot to do here." "What a place to end up in!" "Remember, at the double!" "At the double!" "At the double!" "Aghh!" "Today will be marvellous, for we are doing the Armada." "What more could we want?" "We will be on the deck of those ships." "We will be on those cliffs too." "We'll be as close to Sir Francis Drake as one of his bowls." "We will be Queen Elizabeth as she knights Sir Francis." "We will feel the fire and excitement of those times." "They will impress themselves so deeply on all of us that we will find inspiration for what we have to do now." "Why are you dressed like that?" "Isn't it obvious?" " Aren't you too old?" " Absolutely not." "Anyway..." " I think my precise age is rather hard to guess." "Come on, Johnnie." "Come on, help me." "Help me." "You have to drink now." "Drink." "Drink!" "It's horrible, but they said to give you this if one came on." "That's it." "It's mustard water." "That's why it's yellow." "Oh, no." "That's it." "I'm never using that again." "Never." "Never, never." "That's a terrible, terrible treatment." "I shall never use that again." "I'm sorry, leaving you with the boy at such a time." "Don't say anything." " Well..." " No!" "Don't bother to explain." "You've never wanted to go to the war before." "But there we are." "I will manage." "I assure you, I will manage." "And when you come to visit us, goodness..." " you will not believe what progress we will have achieved." "See you soon." "Au revoir!" "Yes, a little better." "Very good." "Really good." "Very good." "Stop!" "Johnnie..." "Look, it's your mother!" " What are they doing?" " Wait here." "Your Majesty." "We were passing, ma'am." "What a surprise to see you." "Indeed." "I didn't know you came this far on your walks." "We're collecting food." "Food for munitions workers." "Chestnuts." "Something additional for them to eat." "I'm also collecting metal." "Spare metal objects, scrap metal." "It's useful for the war effort, anything metal." "If you have any at the farmhouse, collect it together." "Yes, ma'am, I will do that." "Johnnie is here, ma'am." "I could have him brought down for you." "Just for a moment." "It's a while since he saw you." "He's made such progress." "I will see you tomorrow." "We will be there tomorrow at three o'clock exactly." "She's never late." "There she is!" "How could we ever have doubted?" "Your Majesty." "I'm glad there's a little sun for you, ma'am." "As you see, it's quite light and pleasant." " Why is ivy growing there?" " Sorry?" "I don't understand." "You shouldn't let ivy grow." "It's chaotic." "Makes things untidy." "Thank you." "That's a reasonable amount." "Well done." "You have grown, Johnnie." "I had no idea." "You have grown so quickly." "I thought you would like to see what Johnnie's been doing." "That's why I put his maps and drawings up." "Is that really how you see your cousin Nicholas?" "We must make sure no Russian ever sees that." "And your father wearing a giant crown." "So much bigger than his head." "How very odd." "Johnnie?" "I have been trying to teach him a little." "Johnnie?" "I visited two factories today." "I don't mind the noise and heat." "I would do five in a day if I could." "It is extraordinary how few people are good at organisation at a time when we need it most, above all." "Johnnie..." "Why have you not included that with the metal?" "That is Johnnie's gramophone." "His brother gave it to him." "Everybody is making sacrifices." "He will not miss it." "We will add it to the other things." "Johnnie, ask your mother." "Ask her not to take it." "Go on!" "Johnnie, please ask her." "Ma'am..." "Ma'am!" "I implore you not to take Johnnie's gramophone." "It will, with respect, make no difference to the war at all." "But for Johnnie it is of such importance." "Please listen, ma'am." "He gets such Joy from it." "Of course, Lalla, if it means that much to the child." "You may have it, Johnnie." "I shouldn't have taken it." "Clearly, I shouldn't have." "God willing, when next we meet, there will have been some real military results for us to cheer." "Johnnie, wave to your mother." "Wave!" "At the double, gentlemen!" "You can open the blinds now." "Where are we?" "I thought we were at the big house." "We are at the big house, Johnnie." "Come in, my little one." "Oh, here you are." "Come and kiss your grandmama." "It's so long since I've seen the tiny one." "Your Majesty, he is so pleased to be here." "It's very dark." "Yes, it is." "I keep the curtains drawn." "I hate what they have done to the garden." "Your Majesty, he's Just done these." "They are for you." " The family." " Charming." "Delightful." "And a good likeness, after a fashion." "There they are, the real pictures of them." "I remember when they did that photograph." "It took ages to get it right." "My sister brought him up so very well." "Nicholas's behaviour has always been excellent." "It's a pity Vicky didn't do the same with Wilhelm." "But if only, don't you think, my tiny one?" "If only we could get the family together." "Get your papa, Cousin Wilhelm and Nicholas all together in a room." "We could have it all sorted out." "There'd be no need for fighting." "That would be very good." "We should do it soon." "Now, we must get a ball." "All boys must kick a ball, mustn't they?" " I will ring." " Ma'am, I will go because time is so short, I know." "Oh, my dear." "What times these are." "But we have a plan, don't we?" "Now you can open the curtain." "Open that one, Johnnie." "That will do no harm." "Pull it all the way back, my little one." "Your father is having a shooting party." "He hasn't had one for so long." "Some guests have already arrived." "Please bring some news." "Bring some news." "Please bring some news." "Oh, God, bring some news." "Please bring some news." "Bring some news." "Johnnie!" "Oh, it's you." "Hello, stranger." "Forgive me." "You've caught me talking to myself." "Johnnie!" "I talk to myself quite a lot." "It's not bad is it, talking to yourself?" "Johnnie!" "One doesn't do it, no, if one can possibly help it." "I'm Just waiting for some news." "Some very important news about somebody." "It must come." "It surely must come." "It will come, I'm sure." "Johnnie..." "There you are." "This is no time to go wandering." " I'm taking you home." " No." "Absolutely at once." "Johnnie." "Ah." " My other tiny little one." " Mama." "What a Journey!" "I couldn't get away from London." "So many cables from the front." "I'm going there myself very soon." "My God, we'd better make some headway." "These are Johnnie's things." "He was here half an hour ago." "Johnnie was here?" "Poor little fellow." "Not able to do much." "Ah, you're looking at that." "Does look like me, doesn't he, in that picture?" "The funny thing is, Just this week" "I've made Nicky a field marshal of the British army." "I've given him that rank to encourage both of us." "My brother William left for France last week." "He should be at the front by now." "It can't be any worse than being here." "The Spanish Inquisition." "The ultimate tyranny." "The rack stretching everybody that opposed them." "Who does that remind you of?" "Does it not remind you of the foe we are confronted with today?" "Of the extraordinary barbarity the Germans have been reduced to in order to bolster their losing position?" "The mutilation of Belgian women we know about." "The cutting off of the hands of Belgian babies for trophies, sometimes nailed to the barrack room walls." "And now, when we thought things could not get worse, we hear about the Germans inoculating French prisoners with tuberculosis." "Deliberately contaminating those gallant men with this deadly disease." "Ah, we're hearing from the back for the first time in months." "Can I ask, sir, how you know about this?" "I am surprised that you above all need to ask that." "The authorities have found this out." "It is now published in the newspapers for the nation to read..." "Ah, there's more, is there?" "These stories have been verified by witnesses?" "Famous personages have verified them." "That is why they are published." "That is why there is such a strength of feeling taking hold against the Germans and all manner of German things." "Run!" "If you don't run, you will not reach anywhere." "I have to get out of here." " Your Majesty." " We commend you." "Your Majesty." "There's a misunderstanding with the driver." "He isn't here." "I think he's doing something with the motor car." "We will wait here, then." "He will not be long." "Germans are keen on keeping time, aren't they, Your Majesty?" "I believe that is said to be the case." "Being German yourself, I expect you knew that very well indeed." "Love to keep all sorts of clocks, I'm sure, Your Majesty." "Being German, can you tell us why we're still fighting a war?" "Can you tell us that, Your Majesty?" " Why are we still fighting?" " Forgive us." "He is not well." "I am English, from tip to toe, from toe to tip." "I am English, from tip to toe, from toe to tip." "I am English, from tip to toe." "Georgie!" "I didn't hear you come in." "You gave me such a start." "Forgive me, Mama." "I have a few days' break from college." "Yes, I remember." "I was Just somewhere else for a very brief moment." "I noticed these lovely things which weren't here before." "Yes." "I've worked hard to recover them for the collection." "They had been given away to all sorts of people." "This is Derby, isn't it?" "About 1830." "Very good, Georgie." "Its date is 1823." "It's very beautiful." " You've labelled everything." " Yes." "Of course, your father was not brought up to find solace in such things." "He doesn't find everything modern hideous, like I do." "So I have to appreciate this all on my own." "Sir." "For some reason, they've turned the heating off." "The king thinks it will help win the war." "It sums up his knowledge of naval warfare!" "I've never been so freezing indoors!" "And only water to drink." "Ah!" "Naval life is obviously suiting you, young man." "You'll have a ship of your own before the year is out." "My teeth have never chattered like this." "I'd have given anything not to come today." "You look well, young man." "You'll be a rear admiral by Christmas, no doubt." "Young man, you look remarkably well." "Running circles round them at naval college?" "I'm much impressed by what I see here too." "A leaking ceiling, but it has not been mended." "Every penny has been spent where it matters." "Young man, your father setting an example by switching off the heating isn't popular." "No, they hate it." "Don't ask me how I am, please." "I will do no such thing and you will return the compliment." " You won't ask me either." " No, I will not, sir." "Is it true?" "The stories about the Germans?" "The French prisoners being given tuberculosis." "The Belgian babies." "The corpse factories." "The Germans distilling glycerine from the corpses." "Is it true?" "You're the only one who will tell me." "Let us Just say..." " some of it is true." "We will know more at the end of the war." "Just so long as we win it, of course!" " Your Majesty." " Your Majesty." "Your Majesty." "I have some news for you, young man." "Your cousin, the Tsar, has Just abdicated." "The Emperor?" "He's abdicated?" "What will happen to them?" "We've agreed they can live in England." "Two courses." "We only serve two courses." "And no alcohol, as you can see." "The fish is an attempt at my favourite dish, Bombay duck." "We can't get the ingredients, so they've used kippers." "It's pretty disgusting, I think you'll agree." "It's refreshing to have small portions." "So appropriate!" "I heard the most stupid remark I've ever heard last week." "The most stupid remark?" "That is quite a claim." "What was it and where did you hear it?" "Well, I forget exactly where, but I heard the most foolish comment." "That there are rumours going round, amongst the people and so forth, that the royal family must be pro..." "German because you have a German name!" "What's that?" "What are you talking about?" "There are rumours circulating that we are supporting the Germans because we have a German name." "It's so ridiculous, isn't it?" "What do they want, for heaven's sake?" "For us to change our name?" "Hm?" "You're not saying much." "What do you think?" "Do you want us to change our name?" "If the situation remains the same, it may Just be a possibility that needs to be considered." "In everybody's interests." "Never!" "Never!" "Never!" "Aghh!" "We've been having so many more of these now, Johnnie." "That's it." "In between, you do so much." "You have grown so much." "Do you think anybody at all remembers us?" " Remembers we're here?" " Of course." "The war could end and they'd forget to tell us!" "You know, I often look at you, Lalla, and I think, "She's still quite young." ""She shouldn't give up on a husband." ""Is this how she'll spend her life?"" "All the service you've given them!" "Children, that family." "You never will understand, Fred." "I am glad to be here." "It's important what we're doing with Johnnie." "And at some stage, they will have time for us, to see Johnnie's progress." "You've spoken to that man from the college of arms?" "Mr Farnham..." "Burgh." "Yes." "It's been suggested that since your family's name," "Saxe..." "Coburg..." "Gotha, belongs to the house of Wettin, some name derived from that, like Wippo, Winter or Wetmoor, would be appropriate." " We'll be a laughing stock." " I need a moment, Papa." " I said in half an hour." " That was two hours ago, Papa." "I have absolutely no time!" "No time at the moment!" "Every single moment is taken up all day." "Every minute." "Time is running away and nobody will do anything!" "I'll talk fast." "My real abilities, whatever they are, are not best shown off at naval college." "I love music and art." "This is rubbish!" "You will be a sailor!" "That's all there is to it." "You will be in the navy." "You will spend your life in the navy and there's a good chance you will die in the navy!" "I don't want the matter ever raised again!" "It was a disaster, Mama." "We are in the middle of such a crisis, Georgie." "We are facing such change." "Our family name, even." "It never occurred to me we would have to change our name." "All the family tradition..." "I cannot bear to see that being tampered with." "It offends me so much." "And the Kaiser is being removed from his honorary position as head of some British regiments." "That's right." "We're fighting him." "You don't understand." "What about afterwards?" "I cannot help thinking about what will happen afterwards." "If the pieces on which it was built are removed, then what?" "The houses of Europe were Joined." " I have a suggestion." " Which is?" " Edward III..." " We're going back that far?" "My family has nothing in common with him!" "Edward III was often known as Edward of Windsor." "It has never been used as a dukedom." "So I suggest the name change would be the House of Windsor." "I don't like it." "Something bad may happen if we do this." "Lalla!" "Johnnie!" " Johnnie!" " He has come back!" "To see me!" "Georgie!" "Your Royal Highness." " Your Royal Highness." " Your Royal Highness." " Your Highness." " Impressive." "What a household!" "This is my estate." "We have 15 geese, four horses, 13 ducks and some chickens, but I don't like them." "You look magnificent in your uniform." "Don't say anything, but I've escaped." "Now, I have news for everybody." "Papa has rechristened the family the House of Windsor." "The family has changed its name?" "I can't believe that, Georgie." "Windsor?" "I think it's quite good." "I've got to get this horrible uniform off." " What do you mean, escaped?" " It's all under control." "Things are happening so fast in London." "Amazing things." "The Tsar..." "Remember him, Johnnie?" "The emperor fish with his absurd swimming has given up his throne" " and will live in this country." " Where will they live?" "The emperor!" "I will see them, won't I?" "Of course you'll see them, Johnnie." "Mama says I can stay a couple of nights." "Come on, Johnnie!" "We agreed the Tsar and his family could come to Britain?" "To live here in exile." "Yes, the invitation has been sent and accepted." "Many people disapprove of the idea." "There are certain articles in various publications." "A rally at the Albert Hall celebrating the Tsar's fall." "It's becoming clear that because the Romanovs are my family, it's putting me in a very unfair position." "Unfair in the sense you are obliged?" "Yes, because of our ties." "It may not be the correct course." "With things so uncertain..." " do you think it's possible to withdraw the invitation?" "The government might feel it would be difficult to do." "You must go and see the prime minister." "They will come here from Russia, the whole family?" " To my farm?" " To stay?" "Here?" "That's a thought!" "That would be something to see!" "That's a wonderful thought, you having the Russian imperial family here." "His Majesty also wonders where they'd stay, how they'd live." "I'm sure His Majesty could make one of his houses available to the Tsar." "Hm?" "None are available except Balmoral, which is hardly appropriate at this time of year." "I think the Russian royal family will think it quite appropriate compared to some other destinations." "His Majesty feels that since the arrival of the Tsar here will be unpopular, it puts him in an invidious position because they are his family." "The king has always had warm feelings towards his cousin the Tsar." "But he feels it would not be wise for them to settle here." "It is being discussed, as you must know, not Just in the clubs but by working men and Labour members of the House of Commons." " I'm not concerned about them." " His Majesty also feels that the message sent to the Russian premier that "The revolution was the greatest Russian service" ""to the cause we're all fighting for" a little strong." ""A little strong"?" "We need to be encouraging to the new Russian government." "If the Bolsheviks take control, they will pull out of the war." "Then the Tsar will face a more interesting situation." "His Majesty wishes me to convey the urgency of the situation and the strength of his feelings." "I will let His Majesty know, having consulted colleagues, whether the government considers it possible to withdraw the invitation." "And that one, behind." "Fat Mary, we used to call her, your grandmother." "Johnnie's caught her likeness, though he never knew her." "She was a great galleon, coming down a passage." "She squashed everything." "Nothing was safe, especially not the crockery!" "All these pictures Johnnie has done." "But this place is also full of you, Lalla." "What ridiculous talk, Georgie!" "What is there of me here?" "This is Johnnie's place." "And one day, he'll do a recital for your parents" " to show how far he's come." " They'll never have time." " I'm sure they will." " They won't." " You've no idea." " When they're next here," " they'll make the time." " Listen to me!" "They'll never see him!" "They have no time for anything!" "They don't know what they're doing." "Not my parents, none of them!" "They don't know why they're still fighting." " Don't talk about them so." " Why not?" "It's true." "Don't lie to Johnnie about them having time for him." "Why is he here, in this place?" "So nobody can see him!" "Nobody wants to see you again!" "You're not too old for a thrashing." "You spent your life bringing us up but never got anywhere with any of us!" " Just look at me!" " I will thrash you, young man!" "You try!" "You spent your whole life with us." "Your whole life!" " Just you try!" " Georgie!" "Georgie!" "I'm going mad at the naval college." "I can't bear how stupid they think we are." "It's them that are the idiots!" "Why can't Georgie stay with me?" "I don't think the prime minister will give us any news tonight." "Send him another note and ensure a delay in the invitation." "Tell me." "I want to hear the absolute truth, however bad." "The news is not good at all." "You must prepare yourself." "It's possible the Germans will break through in 24 hours." "And that could lead to everything being lost." "Today's news will be extremely vital." "You must go to the country as we planned." "I will wire as soon as I hear." "I will stay here." "Surely that would be best?" " I should be here with you." " No." "Please, you must proceed as planned." "We must carry on as normal as much as possible." "Otherwise, waiting for the news..." "Find it very difficult." "The wire will be waiting for you when you get there." "I know I don't often say this." "I find certain things so difficult to say out loud." "But you mean so much to me." "Why are they stopping us?" "Who are those people?" "Your Majesty!" "Your Majesty, we saw it was you." "Johnnie said, "There is Mama coming." It was." "Yes, that is a coincidence." "But I am in the most fearful rush." "There is important news from London." "Johnnie will Just show you something." "He has collected food and flowers." "We saw you doing it that day." " We have to reach York Cottage." " He'll bring them to you now." "I'm not ready yet, Mama." "Don't look yet." "We're preparing something for you." "For you to hear." "Johnnie will give you a recital when you have a moment." "Yes, we will arrange a date for that later." "Johnnie, I cannot wait a moment longer." "This is taking too long." "I do not have the time!" "I have to go." "I must go." "It is news from the front." "The Germans have not broken through our lines today." "The situation is still critically poised." "That is such a fine thing." "Come in, by all means." "My apologies for disturbing you so late." "No, Just burying my head in my stamps." "Especially calming before this big war council." "It's much better here in the country." "Small rooms." "Always pleased to be in small rooms." "What an absurd idea palaces are!" " I have some news from Russia." " Oh, yes?" "I keep thinking about them." "What's happening to them is on my mind." "All of them shut away in that remote farmhouse." "It is a farmhouse?" "Yes, kind of." "It is on the edge of a town." "Can't help wondering how Alex is coping, shut up in a farmhouse of all places." "For her that would be so difficult." "Sir, something has happened to the family." "They were awoken in the night by their guards." "They were probably told they had to be moved for their safety." "Somewhere in the farmhouse..." "Somewhere in the farmhouse they were grouped together... and they were all shot." "Not all of them?" " All of them were shot?" " Yes." "All of them." "Did we have a choice?" "Do you think we had a choice about letting them in?" "We didn't know how it would develop." "Did we have a choice?" "For the stability of the country, I don't think we did." "We must remember it was the government's decision." "Maybe that's what the public will be told." "But we know." "Hm?" "Would you please tell Her Majesty?" " That is too horrible." " Yes, ma'am." "The children too." "What unimaginable cruelty." " If there's something..." " Thank you." "You will Just leave me." "I think, Just for a moment, I will go in alone." "What do I pray?" "I have nothing to say to the Lord." "Ma'am." "It is tomorrow." "I can't have got the days muddled." "We walked all the way on foot, which is considered a good idea." "Her Majesty is expecting us." " Your Majesty." " Lalla, there's some confusion." "Today is the day of the war council." "It is most unfortunate." "But it may be possible to do Just a very few minutes for myself, Johnnie's grandmother and the other children, because they have not seen him for a long time." "Do not stray out of the back corridors while you are here." "There will be a great many visitors here today, so..." "Yes." "Yes, of course, ma'am." "We will be very careful." " Johnnie is here." " Johnnie is here?" "Now, Johnnie." "What are you going to do when you stand before them?" "Hm?" "You're going to try to stay still." "Johnnie." "We are here for the shortest of moments." "I have the business of war to conduct." "Good day, my fine fellows." "I will start..." "I will start..." "I forget." ""I will start with some lines from Alfred Lord Tennyson."" "I will start with some lines from Old Lord Alfred." "To me, methought, who waited with the crowd, there came a bark..." "They're here already." "Infernally early." "They must think we still keep the clock fast." "Idiots!" "They can't even tell the time." "We must stop!" "Lalla, take Johnnie through the back corridors to the kitchen," " where they will find..." " No!" "Certainly not!" "I have not finished!" "Everybody must wait." "Nobody can leave early." "Why is everybody so sad?" "Everybody looks so old." "You've been fighting at the war too much." "What are you so sad about?" "You're still here, funny things!" "Who is that boy we're waiting for?" "Johnnie got to give his recital." "And now, for the next part." "I will kick a football." "That's the way, Johnnie!" "Give them a blast!" "My dearest brother." "I've been inspired by your recital." "I'll follow my artistic temperament." "Good!" "If Johnnie can do it, I can do it." "Now the war has finished, will anyone come to stay with me?" "Not the Russians, clearly." "Because they're dead." "There are others that can come." "The Kaiser and the Austrian emperor are in exile." "They could stay with you, Johnnie." "See if you can catch me." "Johnnie?" "Lalla!" "Lalla!" "My darling boy." "My darling clever boy." "I have telephoned your mother." "It is possible the Journey from London may take too long." "He has gone, hasn't he?" "My eldest sons came back safely from the war." "Who'd have thought it would be Johnnie?" "Yes, ma'am." "Everything has changed so utterly." "And now this." "You did remove the ivy after all, Lalla." "The ivy, ma'am?" "Yes." "I loved him." "I loved him so very much." "There was never a child like him, ma'am." " I'm so sorry." " No, Lalla, you mustn't worry." "Because he was... different..." "I don't know how to say this." "He made you..." "He made me feel..." " Not confined." " Yes." " Is that how he made you feel?" " Yes, ma'am." " Not that I felt confined..." " I know what you mean." "I shall miss him so very much myself." "I do already." " Does that surprise you?" " No." "No." "Please excuse me." "I am so sorry, ma'am." "I'm all to pieces today." "My mother was always doing that, breaking things." "Yes, I remember." ""...who also has taught us not to be sorry, as men without hope," ""for them that sleep in him." ""We most meekly beseech thee, Father," ""to raise us from the death of sin" ""unto the life of righteousness," ""that when we shall depart this life we may rest in him," ""as our hope is for this, thy child John," ""and that at the general resurrection on the last day" ""we may be found acceptable in thy sight..."" ""Grant this, we beseech thee, merciful Father," ""through Jesus Christ, our mediator and redeemer." "Amen."" "Amen." "I don't think a day will go by for the rest of my life where I won't think about Johnnie." "Yes." "Lalla, I was thinking during the service." "I was thinking he was the only one of us who was able to be himself."