"Remember that frightfully nice man who talked about "the classless society"?" "He had to go, of course, in the end." "Everything changes." "God save the King!" "God save the King!" "A new king." "A new age - of hope and peace and spiritual growth." "Et cetera." "And I'm still here." "For my sins." "♪ Rejoice!" "♪ Rejoice!" "♪ Rejoice!" "♪ Rejoice!" "♪ Rejoice!" "Rejoice!" "Daddy!" "Francis?" "A little debris from the past, that's all." "The past is past, Francis." "It's done." "Yes." " She was so long in the air, Elizabeth." " I know." "Everything you've done was for your country's good." "You know that." "Everything." "I admire and believe in you without reserve." " You know that too." " Thank you." "Perhaps things have been a bit too easy for you these last few months." " You've had time to brood." " I feel...becalmed, Elizabeth." "I'm secure." "In place." "I've done all I set out to do." "Do more." "Go further." "Go all the way." "Surprise yourself." "I think that what you need is something or someone to provide you with a new challenge, to stimulate you intellectually." " Bring out the best in you." " Or the worst." " Let me think about it." " Something or someone." "Let me think about it." "The King?" "The King!" "Good day, sir." "I must confess, I feel a certain residual frisson." "A king is a king, after all." "The sherry's usually excellent too." "I do hope that won't change." "One hears these rumours about chamomile tea." " Mr. Urquhart, good morning." " I hope Sir Edgar isn't indisposed." " Sir Edgar is taking early retirement." " Yes, of course, to be sure." "You must be the famous Miss Carmichael." "That's right." " How do you do?" " I've looked forward to meeting you." "And, uh...what is your job description?" "Assistant press secretary, working to David Mycroft." "I see." "Excuse me." "The Prime Minister, Sir." "Mr. Urquhart." "Welcome." "Your Majesty." " Come and sit down, Mr. Urquhart." " Thank you." "Sir." "You've had more practice at this than I have." "Perhaps, Sir." "I'm sure you've had the benefit of your mother's exceptional experience and counsel." "She said you listened courteously and then did exactly as you pleased." " Is that how it was?" " Oh, that's very good, Sir." "Her Majesty always enjoyed a joke at my expense." "She understood the constraints that bind us." "We can none of us do exactly as we please." "And that's probably a very good thing." "I'm sure it is in my own case." "Mr. Urquhart, I want these meetings to be real...meetings of minds." "But of course, Sir." " We must be absolutely frank and open." " I absolutely agree with you, Sir." "Then what are your government's priorities in the medium term, the next three years?" "Consolidation, Sir." "I believe it's very important to hold firm to those policies which have enabled us to move into the prosperity we now enjoy." " Well, some of us enjoy it." " Yes." "Some of us have always enjoyed it, I suppose." "And now, happily, most of our people do." "But not all." "Believe me, Sir." "I share your feelings." "It's deeply distressing for me, personally distressing, to know that any of our people are homeless, however few." "To know that any of our people should feel themselves undervalued." "Yes, yes." "It's a terrible temptation to throw money at these problems now, borrowed money, and reap the consequences in a few years' time." "I know it's painful but I believe we must be patient." " You're a clever man, Mr. Urquhart." " You're too kind, Sir." "I'd rather be remembered..." "as a wise man than a clever one." "But I think that sound man is the highest praise I can expect." "I'd want to be remembered as a good man." "Do you find that absurd?" "Not at all, Sir." "And I'm sure you will be." " Thanks, Alistair." " Thank you." " Morning, Alistair." " Hello, David." " I'm so sorry." "Are they at it already?" " They are." "I am sorry." "Bit of a crise at home." "How's Sir?" " Anybody brief him?" " I did." "Sir promised to be good." "It's not a game, Chloe." "No, I know." "I did work from your notes." "And I said everything you would have said." "It is OK, really." "I'm not simply talking about aesthetics." "This Victoria Street redevelopment is a golden opportunity to be imaginative." "Why should it be another shoebox of offices?" "Well, why indeed?" "Why not something for the community?" "I've read about this Centre Plan scheme to revive the inner cities." " Environment Minister." "Excellent chap." " Yes." "What I thought was that Victoria Street could be a sort of pilot for Centre Plan with some recreational and cultural element," "something to take pride in." "Beautiful and useful." "Do you see?" "And in the very heart of London." "It's..." "Well, it's...it's just a thought." "But a very exciting one, Sir." "I shall take it up tomorrow with the Secretary of State." "Thank you." "I'd be most grateful." "Let's try to achieve something, for God's sake!" "I'm hurrying, but I've waited a long time for this and I want to get on with things." "I do feel greatly encouraged by this conversation." "David!" "Do you know David Mycroft, my chief of staff?" "David and I were up at Cambridge together." "Chloe I think you've met." " She briefs me on minority interests." " Really?" "All the minorities?" "Some I embody." "For the others I use empathy." "I see." "I think we've made a jolly good start." "Thank you." "No manners in the ordinary sense." "No small talk, no sense of irony." "Tremendously interesting, but he wants to do this every week." "The lonely Hearts Club is all very well, but it's idle chatter, and I have to run the country!" "At this rate, our royal friend will make that more like the Chief Whip's job!" "A pat on the head and a biscuit here, a short, sharp shock there and a good boot up the backside where indicated." "Mr. Caule!" "What about Centre Plan?" "It's up to the Cabinet, not me." "You'll have to wait and see." "Caule's turn today, I think." "Finally, I would urge that all the indicators point to this as the ideal time for Centre Plan." "An imaginative partnership between government and the financial sector to provide a vital injection of venture capital into the inner cities." "We've waited a long time." "We've done the groundwork." "Let's show the world what we can do." "Thank you, Secretary of State for the Environment." "Chief Whip?" "With all due respect to the Environment Minister's sincerity and eloquence," "I've never heard a better example of what we are not about!" "I take it this means a huge hike on the PSBR." "Loss of confidence in sterling, a run on the pound and then we'll be back in '92." " That's absolute nonsense, Tim!" " Thank you, Tim." "I'm sure Dick appreciates your honesty, as I do, painful as it is sometimes." "Yes, Hilda?" "I'm afraid it sounds like good old meals on wheels to me, Prime Minister." "Government and social work are both very useful," " but they're not the same thing." " Stupid woman." "My sense of the meeting is that we need to give this scheme more examination." "Thank you very much for that very stimulating discussion." " Now, let's move on, shall we?" " The Vagrancy Bill..." "Dick, just one second." "Let's talk later, shall we?" "That was dreadful, Dick." "I'm so terribly sorry." "Look, um." "Let's go in there." "Tim Stamper's such a ruffian sometimes." "And Hilda gets more like a pit bull every day." "But we'll just have to cut our losses." "They're not ready for Centre Plan yet." ""We'll" have to cut our losses?" "I wasn't aware I ever had your support, Francis." "I've always admired your talent very greatly, Dick." "And speaking of that," "Fletcher Carr's post at Strasbourg is coming up." " How would you feel about that?" " I'm quite content with Environment." "I'm afraid that's not an option anymore, Dick." "Sorry." "I hope you'll decide to take the European job." "It'll look so much better than a straight sacking." "Let me know by noon." "I'll delay the press release till then." "Go to Strasbourg." "Do not pass Go." "Do not collect £200." "And don't bloody well come back!" "Jolly good!" "Serve the bugger right." " Well, he never was one of our chaps." " I'll say not!" "Posturing prat!" "Couldn't pass a mirror without preening." "One of the suede-shoe brigade." "None of that lot were ever any good." "Good day's work, Francis." "Excellent." "So, how did you find His Majesty?" "Much as expected." "He wants to be of use." "He is of use." "He can give garden parties and open things and save us the bother of electing a president!" "But the trouble is...he has ideas." "He has a conscience." "He wants to contribute." "He's going to be disappointed about Victoria Street." "Bob Capes has paid up like a good 'un." "It's not as if his buildings fall down or something, shoeboxes or not." " He deserves our continuing support." " Well, there we are." "Capes it is." "Secretary of State for the Environment can't intervene because we've sacked him." "I'll break the news gently to His Majesty." "He's not going to be pleased." "Look, Tim, you remember that little insurance scheme we talked about?" "The regal insurance?" "Want me to rattle the bars of Princess Charlotte's cage?" "I think we might see if we could get a policy drawn up." " Will you look into it?" " My pleasure, Prime Minister." "Why does he do it?" "He doesn't think it's real unless it hurts." "He went to one of those schools." "So did I." "I think the only time he was really happy was when he was at university." "Just having friends and talking." "You're using him, aren't you?" "Yes." "I'm pushing black and Asian causes every chance I get." "What's wrong with that?" "He knows I'm using him." "He likes it." "After all, he's using me for my brains, my fabled street cred." "Everybody uses everybody, David." " That's what the whole thing is." " Not for me." "I just want to take care of him now." "Why don't you go home?" "It's getting late." "Why don't you?" "He'll probably stay up all night." "Might want to talk in the early hours." " Has he sent out for anyone?" " No." "Hardly ever does that now." "Would you do that?" "If you could send out for anyone and they felt duty bound to come... would you do that?" "Who would you send for?" " You're very young, aren't you?" " Yeah." ""Caule for Strasbourg."" ""Strasbourg posting cooks Dick's goose."" " "PM says FU Dick."" " Dear, dear!" ""Francis Urquhart has shown himself to be as tough as Margaret Thatcher in her prime," ""while for ruthlessness he has set a standard of his own." ""His FU stance towards opponents would be admirable in wartime," ""but we question its appropriateness in a Europe fumbling towards unity" ""and in a Britain growing daily stronger" ""but still blighted by poverty and unemployment."" "Well, we can't please everyone." "Secretly, they all want to be dominated." "I'm not a brute." "Just a plain, no-nonsense, old-fashioned Tory." "Yes, of course you are." "Oh, by the way..." "I think I may have found you something interesting." "No, actually, it's simpler than that." "You just pose the question." ""If their services were not provided by the state, would we pay money for them?"" "Doctors, yes, of course." "Teachers, maybe." "Some of them." "Social workers?" "We should let them practice Like solicitors and wait for clients." "I think a surprising number of families would run their own lives." "Let the market determine what we need." " Do we need opinion pollsters?" " People seem to think I'm worth it." " Get the answers wrong, though." " I can get you any answers you like." " That's why I'm in such demand." " Jolly good!" "Sign her up, Tim!" "Sign her up." "Bonsoir." " Merci beaucoup, madame." " Mrs. Harding?" "Don't leave just yet." "Could I have a little word?" " We were so pleased you could come." " I passed, then, did I?" "Yes." "Oh, I think yes." "Francis, my husband, wondered if you could come in for a private conversation." " Tomorrow morning at 11." " Could I ask what this is all about?" "He'll tell you that himself." "I will tell you that you are being considered for a unique position." "And you are the only candidate under consideration." "I think you'll find it to your advantage." "It sounds very interesting." "We find you very interesting," "Mrs. Harding." "Yes." "Yes." "I really do think that you might be the one." "You moved from an academic post at Cambridge to a polling company?" "Why was that?" "Money?" "Partly." "I wanted to see whether it was true that you can get any result you want from a poll." " And?" " It's true." "You can make people say anything, but you can't make them do anything." "You can never be absolutely sure of people, can you?" "No." "How do you rate the performance of this government, Mrs. Harding?" "Extremely effective." "By not seeking the approval of all of the people all of the time, you're in a very strong position." "You've got 46% of the people." "You can afford to ignore the rest." "And you do." "The Opposition has no chance." "Most of the underclass aren't even registered to vote." " You've destroyed the two-party system." " Good." "Did you write in "The Economist" that Francis Urquhart is like the shark, always moving forwards to stay alive?" "Not a very flattering simile, I'm sorry." "Well, better a shark than a sheep, I suppose." "Would you be interested in becoming my slave?" "What?" "My slave, Mrs. Harding." "I'm not interesting in becoming anybody's slave." "I see you're not familiar with the term." "I want an assistant." "The job won't have any formal title." "Political consultant, political advisor." "If I can put it bluntly, you have a remarkable brain." "And I should like to plunder it." "I should like to have free and constant access to your thinking, Sarah." " I see." "I'm flattered." " Shall we say a six-month appointment?" "Your salary would be guaranteed, but either of us could terminate the relationship at any time." "I'm interested in looking at power close up." " I want to understand the way it works." " You know the way it works, Sarah." "It tends to corrupt." "And absolute power corrupts absolutely." "There's no such thing as absolute power." "If you work for me, you'll give me your absolute allegiance." "I'm not really sure why I'm saying this, but I'm very much in love with my husband." " Good." " We're trying for a baby." "I mean, I wouldn't want to do anything that could endanger my marriage." "That is...just as I would wish it." "I'd like to accept your offer." "I won't be your slave, but I'm very interested in learning what you have to teach me." "And vice versa, Mrs. Harding." "Vice versa." "I still can't get used to the idea." "I mean, it's rather as if you've come home and said," ""I'm going to work for Richard III." Or Captain Hook!" "What's he like, really?" "Is he real?" "Oh, yes, I think he's real, all right." "Odd." "Intellectually, he didn't seem remarkable." "I think it must be his will or something." "It's as if he carries his own force field around with him." "Hard to describe." "There's something not nice, but interesting." "Politicians aren't interesting." "They're disgusting." "Politics is disgusting." " All that naked ambition." " Not like us, eh?" " No, not like us." " Well, good." " You don't mind me working for him?" " Not a bit." "Dine out on it." " I thought you were going to Cambridge." " I'll take the 6:40 tomorrow." "You know, these are such nice shorts." "Mmm." "User-friendly." " Is she clean?" " She's squeaky clean." "A bit too clean, almost." "It's an academic family, Oxford." "Starred first in PPE, met the husband." "He's a mathematician, turned economics don." "Supposed to be brilliant." "Aren't they all?" " We couldn't turn up a smelly patch." " That's just what we hoped." "Yes." "Yes, it is." "I just prefer it when we've got something on people, but then I'm an awful cynic." " Thank you, Corder." " Afternoon, Mrs. Urquhart." "Sometimes I wonder about Corder." "Corder's fine." "He's getting quite keen on Solti's "Götterdämmerung"." "Talking of kerns and gallowglasses, how's Stamper?" "Oh, Stamper's fine." "Stamper's setting up our regal insurance." "He's rattling the bars of Princess Charlotte's cage even now." " How far have they got, then?" " God knows!" " It's this one, Mummy." " Christ!" "Thank you, darling." "Ma'am?" "Oh!" "Hello, Stamper." "Your Royal Highness." "This is very pleasant." "Delightful occasion." "They've let me hang on to the odd thing." "This children's choral thingy." " Do you know Quilly?" " No, I don't think I do." " Lord Quillington, Mr. Stamper." " Sir." "There." "That's that done." "May I introduce Sir Bruce Bullerby, editor-in-chief of "The Clarion"?" "Yes, I know who that is, and I've got nothing to say to him." "I am here to build bridges, mend fences." "Let bygones be bygones." "Sir Bruce has a proposal which you'll find is very much to your advantage." "No, that's not on, actually." "Look, would you kindly mind telling your friend to bugger off?" "It might..." "It might be better if others leave as well." "Oh, ya." "OK." "That's best, probably." " Just you and me and Quilly." " No." "Just you and me, I think." "But I tell Quilly everything." "When you hear what I have to say, you'll understand." "Believe me." "Just five minutes." "Quilly, will you be an angel?" "He's amazing, isn't he?" "They do still like to see me, I know that." "Would you like to have some nosh?" "Why not?" "It's free." "Come on, Stamper." "I'm listening." "After your divorce, the family made a financial settlement on you." " Yes, they did." "A jolly mingy one too." " Ah, quite." "It wasn't done from affection, was it?" "They were purchasing your silence, your good behaviour." "There's a story you could tell." "Not only the intimate details of your own life, but also the lives of others." "It would be such a sensational story that you could ask any price for it." "And it would almost certainly bring down the monarchy." " Yes?" " Ya." "You're right, I suppose." "Why didn't you go ahead and do it?" " I couldn't do that to her." " The Queen?" "And they said that if I did, I'd have a very bad accident." " And you believed it?" " Yes, I did!" "I think you were wise." "But your allowance is not enough to cover your expenses." "Wardrobe, travel... other things." "Bruce Bullerby wants to help you." "That little shit?" "He wants to help me?" "!" "You misjudge him." "Look, he'll buy your story, for the sake of history, and bury it for the period of your lifetime." "In return, he'll pay you" "£100,000 in cash each year." "I have the initial £50,000 with me here today." "Really?" "Come on, Stamper, let's have a look at it." "There is something else." "He wants to get to know you better." "He wants to be your friend." "He wants to be my friend?" "!" "What for?" "You really do misjudge him, you know." "He genuinely admires you." "He's a fan." "And...he admires you as a woman too, if you follow me." "Oh, he's not so repulsive when you get to know him." "Not like you, then." "All right, Stamper." "You're on." " Morning, Mr. Urquhart." " Good morning, Chloe!" " How are you today?" " I'm fine." " A delightful young woman that, Sir." " What?" " Miss Carmichael." " Yes, yes, yes." "She's very keen." "I'm disappointed about Victoria Street." "It was improper to intervene, Sir." "All the procedures had been scrupulously observed." "Much as we might wish to, we can't subvert the democratic process on aesthetic grounds." "I was talking about social considerations, human considerations." "whether this country is to be developed sensitively for the people who live in it." "I'm extremely disappointed." "It's a disgrace." "And this democratic process..." "I suspect the whole thing was a bloody ramp!" "Do you mind if we walk a little more slowly, Sir?" " Yes, of course." "Sorry." " There wasn't any "bloody ramp"." "The decisions were made in good faith." "The investigation may have emphasised value for money." "but that's what it's there for." "If they made a wrong decision, it was from the best possible motives." "We may need to look at the criteria again." "Yes, I think we do." "I have to make a speech in 10 days' time to the charitable foundations." "I may raise a few questions of principle." "The visual environment?" "No, no, no." "Well, that too, of course." "but I want to talk about the wastage of human resources, our divisions - north and south, rich and poor - and what we can do about it." "You must be desperately concerned too." "Yes, yes, indeed." "I take it you've written this speech?" "Yes." "Chloe's just drawn up a final draft." "Perhaps she could let me have a copy to check the detail and the tone." " Are you proposing to censor my speech?" " Good lord, no, Sir." "Making sure we're pulling on the same rope." "It's tantamount to demanding my silence." "All I'm saying, Sir, is that in a constitutional monarchy the sovereign cannot be seen to publicly oppose his own government." "It is very important that you understand that." "I'm not a bloody fool, man!" "But I want you to understand that I am absolutely determined to influence what is done by my government in my name." " You'll have a copy of the draft today." " Thank you, Your Majesty." "Strong words, but I'm afraid we can't allow it." "If he thinks that being King lets him say what he likes, he IS a bloody fool." "He spoke to me as if I were a bloody child!" "I will not be patronised!" " I lost my temper." "That was bad." " Not necessarily, Sir." "Might have done good." "A warning shot." "It didn't feel like that." "More like a baby having a tantrum." "Bloody man!" "He's got the country's good at heart, but he has no, no, no...vision, no imagination." "Oh, to hell with it!" "He won't be here forever." " What's tomorrow, David?" " Um..." "Guy's Hospital." "Dinner with the Royal Astronomical Association." "Now, that's good." "You see?" "Now, that's a good day." " What's the matter?" " No, it's just..." "Nothing, really." "Just a little local problem." "Come on." "I want to know." "Fiona and I have decided to separate." "Well, she's decided that we should." "She's probably right." "Know what I think?" "I think you're better off without her." "Sorry, Sir." "You startled me." "I didn't think anyone would still be here." " Have you no home to go to?" " I love this job, Sir." "Look." "Here's a nice one." "This is the third letter we've got from these people." " All this work." " What do they want?" "Nothing." "They just wanted to say hello." "Well..." "I've been looking at that speech again." "David thinks it's too radical, that I should soften it." "What do you think?" "It's fine." "It says what a lot of people feel." "Go for it, especially since the Opposition seem incapable of getting their act together." "Yes, good." "Em..." "Right." "Right." "Thank you, Chloe." "Sarah?" "Could you possibly come round now?" "I need to take your mind on something." "I'm in my townhouse." "We won't be disturbed here." " And His Majesty's prose style?" " Very naive." " Well..." " "Are we not crushing hopes?" ""Are we not condemning large numbers of our black and Asian fellow citizens" ""to deprivation and disaffection," ""a marginalised life on the fringes of our increasingly prosperous economy?"" " Oh, dear." "It's sad stuff, isn't it?" " Thank you." ""Surely it is still not too late to seek a better way," ""to temper economic rigour with respect for human values."" "Where does he get it from?" "It's a coded plea for the welfare state and that debilitating culture of dependency." "It's extraordinary." "Socialism's collapsed all over the world and now the King of England's proposing to revive it!" "Oh, that's very good!" "Very well put." " What on earth is he up to?" " He's good-hearted, but manipulated." "We can't allow him to expose himself to ridicule." "Or worse than ridicule." "He deserves better than that." "So you're going to stop him making the speech?" "I wouldn't dream of doing that." "We'll just...fine-tune it." "That's where I'd like your help." "Take out all the interesting bits and substitute something warm and dry instead." "Even one or two mildly abrasive phrases, if you like." "Enterprise culture." "Grassroots initiative." "Bootstraps." "Fingers out." "The sort of thing his father was so fond of." " Could you bear to do that?" " Delighted." "How soon do you want it?" " Does midnight give you enough time?" " Yes, all right." "These days, an hour can be a long time in politics." "♪ No, no, no, no." "♪ No, no, there's no limit!" "♪ No, no limits, we'll reach for the sky" "♪ No valley too deep, no mountain too high" "♪ No, no limits, won't give up the fight" "♪ We do what we want and we do it with pride ♪" " Excuse me." " I'm sorry?" "What?" "I was wondering, you looking for business?" "No." "I'm sorry." " Is he bothering you?" " Yeah." " She approached me..." " Yeah, right." "Members only." "I'm afraid, sir." "It's all right, John." "I'll sign him in." "Right, sir." "Thanks very much." "You look as if you've had a bit of a rough day." "Em...yes, I have." " Thanks very much." "Very kind." " Can I buy you a drink?" "No, no." "Let me." "Oh, God." "I was robbed just now." "They got my wallet." " That sounds so implausible." " No, I believe you." "The state of you when you came through that door!" " I should report it." " No, have a drink first." "Get your priorities right." "Scotch, I'd say." " Yes?" " Um, yes." "Thank you." " John?" " Sir?" " Another large one." " Yes, sir." "My name's Ken." "Ken Charterhouse." " David Mycroft." " Nice to meet you, David." "Very good, yes." "Good." "Just what I wanted from you - a surgical emasculation." "I've distorted his message." "Won't he be furious?" "Perhaps he will, but he has to learn." "People wouldn't take kindly to him lecturing them on inequality." " No, quite." "Well, I enjoyed that." " Good." "But I think I could help you in more important ways." " Sorry if that sounds presumptuous." " There's a lot more for me to plunder?" " I hope so, yes." " Yes, I thought there might be." "Come on in." "Come on." "Loo's over there." "I'll make a cup of tea." "Listen..." "Listen, I want to say this." "I realised tonight my house...stinks of failure and despair." " Do you understand what I mean?" " Yes, I do, David." "My house stinks of 20 years of failure and despair!" " Do you understand that?" " Yes, I do." "You poor old bugger." "You really need a bit of TLC, don't you?" "Look...um..." "I'm not sure about..." "I mean, I've never..." "Well, not since school." "It's OK." "Relax." "Nothing's gonna happen if you don't want it to." "We can just cuddle if you like." "Hm?" "Yes." "Yes." "I'd like that." "Thank you." "Daddy..." "I want to call you Daddy." "Mattie..." "Mattie..." "Can I trust you?" "You know you can." "Daddy!" " Can I trust you?" " You know you can." "Damn the man!" "How dare he mangle my words to suit his own purpose!" "He thinks he can get away with it, Sir." "Bloody arrogance!" "I won't spout this pap!" " I don't think you need to." " Where's David Mycroft?" "He's not in yet, Sir." "What do you think I should do, Chloe?" "Deliver tonight's speech as written, Sir." "So do I. And I shall." " Let it be known they tried to gag you." " I couldn't authorise that." " But it is the truth, Sir. isn't it?" " Yes." "Yes, it damn well is." "Are we not crushing the hopes of our young people?" "Are we not condemning large numbers of our black and Asian fellow citizens to deprivation and disaffection, a marginalised life on the fringes of our prosperous economy?" "Surely it is still not too late to seek a better way, to temper economic rigour with a little more respect for human values." "And isn't it time to say now - now, not tomorrow - now something must be done?" ""Something must be done." In his first public speech since the coronation, the King making it quite clear that he'll be his own man with his own voice." "And that voice full of liberal, even radical" "Something must be done." " Well, well." " Something will be done." "It seems I've seriously underestimated our royal friend." "Order!" "Order!" "Mr. John Stroud!" "Will the Prime Minister tell the House whether he agrees that it is" ""still not too late to seek a better way?" ""To temper economic rigour with a little more respect for human values?"" "And if he doesn't agree, why he seeks to censor these words out of existence?" "Far be it from me to censor anyone, even the leader of the Opposition in his most long-winded and tedious vein." "I must remind him that the people of this country have, over and over again, voted for what they correctly see IS a better way." "Economic rigour with a great respect for human values, notably the values of courage, independence, tenacity and honest, old-fashioned hard work!" "If the Right Honourable gentleman were to espouse those values, he might find himself a little bit more popular." "Well, that was all very enjoyable, but I think it's gloves-off time at the Palace, don't you?" "Sir, did you authorise the leaking of those documents?" " Of course not." " But you knew about it?" "Who the hell do you think you are?" "The leak came from the Palace." "I must ask that you instigate an investigation." " Or allow my people to do it for you." " I will not." "Was it Mycroft?" "Or the black girl?" "Well, we shall find out, sooner or later." "The point is, this can't go on." "We can't be seen to be at loggerheads." "It could be damaging for the Crown." "Or the government?" "Or you personally?" "I want you to issue a statement explaining that there is no rift between us, and that you merely expressed general humanitarian concerns in accord with government policies." "Don't try to bully me." "I react very violently to it." "I don't want to make an enemy of you, but you're asking me to pretend that I didn't mean what I clearly did and do." "I can't do that." "I won't do that." "Privately you may entertain any beliefs." "I will be happy to listen to them at our weekly conversations." "But as the monarch, you have no beliefs or personal political convictions." "Not in public." "I know that constitutionally you're correct." "I know you think your policies are the best for the whole nation." " I'm glad you recognise that, Sir" " I can't agree." "And I believe the nation is desperate for a change of heart, man." "You've abandoned Wales and Scotland." "Thousands live in cardboard boxes." "I cannot believe people are still behind such brutal, hard right policies." "Well, Sir, perhaps you'll be proved right." "I had been thinking of going to the country." "You've helped me make my mind up." "You see, you do have some influence." "I would be grateful if you allowed me to announce it." "I'd rather it wasn't leaked." "If you'll excuse me now, Sir, it's been a long day and we have weekend guests." "Your Majesty." "Sarah, it's Francis Urquhart." "I need to use your brain, Sarah." " Well, good." "When?" " A car will pick you up in 10 minutes." "I may be delayed, but I need you there." " All right." " Fine." "I'm afraid I have to go out." "Sorry." " Oh, dear." " He was difficult, then?" "He was." "In fact," "I think we have a new leader of the Opposition, Elizabeth." "Break him, Francis." "Bring him down." "I'll bring the lot of them down if I have to." "Good."