[thunder rumbling]
[shouting]
[thunder rumbling]
[ship's horn blows]
[reporter 1] Unprecedented scenes here,
as photographers from all over the world...
[reporter 2] The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh hide from the world's eyes...
[reporter 3] ...rumors of a crisis in the marriage. Now the eyes of the world
turn towards the Royal Yacht...
[reporter 4] ...intense speculation about relations between Her Majesty the Queen
and the Duke of Edinburgh.
[thunder rumbling]
[Elizabeth] Right.
[creaking]
No, no, no. I see.
[glass rattles]
Yes. Thank you.
[hangs up phone]
[sighs]
-[thumps] -[glass rattles]
-[creaking] -[storm continues]
[Elizabeth] That was the palace press secretary.
In his view, the steps that we've taken haven't quite done the trick.
The rumors still haven't gone away.
I think we both agree, it can't go on like this.
So I thought we might take this opportunity,
without children, without distraction...
to lay our cards on the table...
and talk frankly, for once...
about what needs to change to make this marriage work.
All right. Who goes first?
Stupid question. If I've learned one thing by now, it's that I go second.
If I am to go first, that's where I'd start.
Your complaining.
-My complaining? -It's incessant.
Whining and whingeing like a child.
Are you surprised?
The way those god-awful mustaches that run the palace continue to infantilize me.
-If you weren't behaving like an infant... -Giving me lists, sending me instructions.
Can you imagine anything more humiliating?
Yes. As a matter of fact, I can.
I've learned more about humiliation in the last few weeks
than I hoped I would in a lifetime.
I've never felt more alone than I have in the past five months.
And why do you think that was?
-Because of your behavior. -Because you sent me away.
-Yes, and why do you think that was? -I don't know, Elizabeth. You tell me.
-Because you're lost. -[glass thuds]
You're lost in your role, and you're lost in yourself.
Look...
I realize this marriage has turned out to be something quite different
-to what we both imagined. -Understatement.
And that we find ourselves in a...
Prison?
A situation... which is unique.
The exit route which is open to everyone else...
Divorce.
Yes... divorce.
It's not an option for us.
Ever.
[thunder rumbling]
No.
So, what would make it easier on you?
To be in... not out.
What will it take?
You're asking my price?
I'm asking... what it will take.
Remind me. You fly first to?
-Gibraltar. -[Elizabeth] Ah.
-And from there? -Entebbe. Then Mombasa.
-Ah, yes. To meet the Royal Yacht. -[chuckles] Yes.
-I've told you this already. -Maybe I've forgotten.
Maybe you should listen a little more carefully next time.
From there we sail to Port Victoria. Then on to Colombo, New Guinea.
Then Australia.
-Yes. To open the Olympics. -As instructed.
Then Gambia, Gibraltar again, and finally, uh, Lisbon. [claps]
Goodness me.
Five months.
Ugh.
-Thank you. -What for?
[Elizabeth] For doing the tour...
stepping into my shoes.
It is important.
Actually, now I've made the decision, I'm rather looking forward to it.
And, [claps] we've managed to add another leg to the journey.
-The South Pacific. And the Antarctic. -Boys will be boys.
Excuse me. Sub-zero temperatures.
-Men will be men. -[Elizabeth chuckles]
[chattering]
[Philip] The annual presentation party for members of the diplomatic corps.
-Do you remember last year? -[Elizabeth] Yes, I do, unfortunately.
-It did go on rather. -[Philip] Five hours.
-One moment, Your Majesty. -Oh, dear.
[Charteris] The last guests are just arriving.
You look nice.
Do I?
Even in full battle dress?
That stuff used to wear you. Now you wear it.
Oh, dear. It's all right, it's all right. I'll do it.
-What is it? -Zip.
Everybody turn around, please.
[guests muttering]
Stop it!
[Charteris] Ready for you now, ma'am.
[chattering]
[fanfare plays]
[Nasser on radio in Arabic] My fellow Egyptians.
The Suez Canal, which flows through our country like a major artery...
was built by our fathers and grandfathers
and belongs to us!
[crowd cheering on radio]
[monkey chirping]
[Nasser on radio in Arabic] But the company that purportedly owns this canal
is British and French.
Well, I say they do not own it.
They stole it.
I imagined I had seen Ferdinand de Lesseps...
[soldier in Arabic] That's the code word.
Ferdinand de Lesseps.
[crowd cheering]
Ferdinand de Lesseps...
the engineer who built the canal in 1869...
-[loud bang] -[soldier speaking in Arabic]
[Nasser on radio in Arabic] We have fought for years to eliminate
the odious effects of the past
of the colonialism and despotism...
[man] Excuse me. What the devil do you think you're doing?
-...which have ruled us for centuries! -[man] Take your hands--
[crowd cheering]
Tonight, fellow countrymen, I am proud to inform you...
Gentlemen. Your hands above your heads, please!
...we have taken back the Suez Canal!
[cheering]
It is now in Egyptian hands.
[cheering]
And it will be run by Egyptians!
Because today our time has come...
for freedom from colonial oppressors!
Freedom from colonial thieves!
Freedom!
[sighs]
[creaking]
[panting and puffing]
-Oh. -[Philip] Oh, what?
[Philip exhales]
-I've woken up in this bed. -[Philip chuckles] Yes, you have.
[both chuckle]
-Where do you get your energy from? -Oh, I don't know.
[Philip grunts, exhales]
I am going to miss you.
Come back to bed.
No, I can't, darling. I've got 20 star jumps to do.
You can do them here.
-Can I? -Mm-hm.
Oh, well, why not?
-[Elizabeth laughs] -[door opens]
-No! No! -[Elizabeth] No, no!
-[Philip] Out! Out! -[valet] Sorry, sir.
-Thank you. -[valet] Out, everyone.
[Elizabeth laughs]
[Philip laughs]
[closes pen lid]
Right. My car or yours? Or is that a stupid question?
-It's a stupid question. -[Mike laughs] All right.
Heads or tails to see who drives back.
-Whoop. -Tails.
-Heads. Your wife. You lose. -[laughs]
[Philip] Now, now.
She and I are getting on rather well at the moment.
-Oh, really? -Yes, really.
[Mike] Wish I could say the same.
[provost] We're very fortunate to have a former pupil, and now
Prime Minister, come to say a few words to us this morning.
-Sir Anthony. -[applauding]
Thank you, Sir Claude.
Now there's been a lot of talk recently
about how much the world has changed since the war...
and how much society in Britain has changed...
or how much it jolly well ought to change.
[students laugh]
And that places like Eton should no longer be seen
as the birthplace of Britain's leaders.
To which I, as a fully paid up egalitarian
and progressive member of the Conservative Party say...
what a lot of absolute nonsense.
[students laugh]
[church bells ring]
[Eden] If Britain's leaders aren't coming from Eton,
then where should they be coming from?
You see before you the 16th Etonian Prime Minister.
Sixteen... out of 40.
Not a bad percentage.
Harrow, incidentally, only accounts for seven.
[students laugh]
[Eden] Well, yes, you might well argue that as a social pool,
it is a bit narrow.
But narrowness at the top is not necessarily a bad thing.
For as any serviceman will tell you,
in battle,
when the heat is on, one needs a shorthand,
a shared language and understanding.
A clarity.
Eton has, for generations now, provided Britain with that clarity.
That code.
-That... shared language. -[students murmuring]
[whispers] Sir, Nasser has seized control of the Suez Canal
and taken command of the company's offices.
I'm afraid we shall have to leave it there, gentlemen.
[students murmuring]
Provost.
[shouting in the distance]
[footsteps approaching]
[knock on door]
-[valet] You asked to see me, ma'am? -Ah.
Yes, I wanted to leave this letter and this gift
somewhere that the Duke of Edinburgh might find it.
Preferably on the airplane. I thought perhaps in his luggage?
That travels separately. I would suggest placing it inside his briefcase.
Yes. Of course. Well, just let me know when the coast is clear.
Actually, now, ma'am. He has an appointment with his tailor,
followed by the lunch club with Commander Parker.
Yes. It's Thursday. Of course.
-Ma'am. -[clears throat]
[man] ...boot polish, binoculars, rifle and ammunition as well.
[man 2] Ma'am.
Ma'am.
Ah.
Your Majesty. We've just had a call from Downing Street.
The Prime Minister has asked to see you urgently.
So sorry to have kept you waiting.
[Eden] Your Majesty.
[clears throat] Late last night, President Nasser's men stormed the offices
of the Suez Canal Company and have now seized control of the canal.
He claims to be doing this on behalf of the Egyptian people.
In reality, it is the act of a thief.
A petty hoodlum, showing off for the benefit of the Soviets.
But we've dealt with worse.
Appropriate measures are being put in place.
We will simply pay the pilots to leave their posts.
-Pilots? -Suez Canal pilots, ma'am.
Highly-skilled mariners, British and French,
who take the helm of any ship entering the canal to ensure its safe passage
through extremely challenging and narrow waterways.
Ah. I see.
The Egyptians are not a seafaring people.
They don't have the skills, and they don't have the men.
Taking the pilots away will simply paralyze the canal.
And it won't be long before...
President Nasser will come back repentant and humiliated.
If you say so.
I do, ma'am. Hm.
[bell rings]
[door opens]
[door closes]
It's a hell of a gamble. I hope you told him so.
-[Elizabeth] What? -The Prime Minister.
[Elizabeth] Yes.
Pulling the pilots out of the Suez Canal.
How do you know he even intends to?
Aha.
Oh, no, don't tell me. Contacts from your lunch club.
No need to say it like that.
Well, information like that could only have come from inside Cabinet.
Or high up in the Foreign Office. Or the intelligence services.
Our members come from all corners, darling.
Well, I'm not entirely persuaded that this club is a good thing.
It keeps me busy. Keeps me informed.
It keeps me sane.
It's a very good thing. Would you like to know
-why navigating the canal is so difficult? -Perhaps another time.
People think it's just the water pressure, but hydraulics are only the half of it.
The canal is narrow. The ships are vast, great big things.
Uh, the tide is diurnal one end, seasonal at the other.
So the wind whips in off the desert, your bow's always to the weather bank.
The pilots have to track a steady course for the best part of a hundred miles.
Excuse me. What are you doing? Put them back.
[footman] Sir.
They're my tankers.
I mean, it takes them seven years to learn how to do it.
-Where are you going? -[Elizabeth sighs] I'm tired.
It's our last night in five months.
[man] A bit more. A bit more. All right.
Michael, what's that?
-DC-4. -[Mike] Good man.
[Eileen] You know we will be separated for Christmas again.
I know. Not ideal.
[Eileen] And your daughter's birthday. Again.
I'll call this time. I won't forget.
[Mike laughs]
And our anniversary. Again.
[Mike sighs]
What do you want me to say, Eileen?
You were as excited as I was when Philip offered me this job.
You thought it would be good for me, good for all of us.
I didn't expect the job to become your life.
[Mike] When I get back, I will make it up to you. I promise.
[Michael] Bye, Dad!
[Julie] Goodbye, Daddy! Bye!
[Michael] Bye!
[crowd cheering]
[camera clicks]
-Ah. Hello. -Your Majesty.
-Welcome aboard, sir. -Hello.
Good to see you.
Right, well. I suppose we'd better say goodbye properly.
Charles.
[Philip] Hm.
We're not in front of the cameras now, are we, Charles?
No.
[Philip] Come here.
Be a good boy.
-Look after your sister. -[Charles] Yes, I will.
[Philip] Kiss.
Come on, darling.
-When you're ready, sir. -[Philip] Thank you.
[Elizabeth] Right, well, uh...
[stutters] We won't keep you.
Have a safe journey.
-[Mike] Are you all right? -Splendid.
[Mike] I tell you, the idiot that came up with the idea of marriage
has a lot to answer for.
Well, you know what they say...
"Marriage is a wonderful institution," but let's face it,
who wants to live in an institution?
[indistinct shouting]
[man shouting]
Assalamu alaikum.
[in Russian] President Nasser. A pleasure to meet you.
[in Russian] Thank you, Lieutenant. The pleasure is all mine.
[radio announcer] In the wake of President Nasser's seizure of the Suez Canal,
Russian mariners have been pouring into Egypt.
These Soviet master seamen are now training Egyptian pilots,
who are proving to be more adept sailors than many predicted.
Hopes that the loss of British and French trained pilots would close the waterways
have been dashed.
Britain now finds herself at the center of rising tensions between East and West.
And with only six weeks of oil reserves,
in an increasingly desperate situation at home.
The United States is refusing to be drawn on its position in the escalating crisis.
But with the Soviet Union backing President Nasser,
commentators are calling this the most serious international crisis
the world has faced since the Second World War.
-[man] Yes, yes. -[indistinct chattering]
[knock on door]
-Yes. -[secretary] The Chancellor, sir.
Harold.
I'm afraid that, uh, "when sorrows come, they come not single spies..."
-"...but in battalions." -Indeed.
As the world now knows, Nasser's ragtag collection of part-time pilots
have somehow managed to retain control of the canal.
And to make matters worse, it seems they've been helped by the Russians.
If they get away with this, we will be a complete laughing stock.
Nasser will be able to close the canal at any time
and cut us off from the oil on which we absolutely depend.
We must, um...
[exhales] We must attack.
We have no alternative. We must attack. Swiftly and decisively.
We must restore the status quo.
What do you say?
I say it's the right thing...
for the country...
and for you, personally...
to finally step out from Winston's long shadow.
"Take but degree away...
untune that string..."
"...and, hark, what discord follows."
[Eden] Military action!
Military action!
There is only one proven way to deal with fascists.
[all] Hear, hear!
[Nutting] And while I'm sure...
While I'm sure we all commend our Prime Minister's confidence,
he seems to forget that there can be no military action
without support from the UN.
Support we do not have.
We cannot go to war alone.
[indistinct chattering]
Ah. Don't you look smart?
-You've got your presents? -Yes.
[Elizabeth] Mommy was hoping to come with you,
but I've got very behind.
So, could you send my apologies
-to Mrs. Parker? -Of course, ma'am.
Enjoy yourselves. Mm?
And be good!
[nanny speaking indistinctly]
[nanny] Who wants to play I Spy in the car?
-[indistinct chattering] -[woman] Come here, you.
[Eileen] There you are!
[whooping]
[children laughing and screaming]
[boy] Pow, pow, pow, pow!
-[phone rings] -[boy] Pow, pow, pow!
Daddy!
-Is that Daddy? Shall we speak to him? -[Julie] Yes!
Hello?
Uh, no. Seven o'clock will be fine.
Thank you.
It wasn't Daddy.
I'm sure he'll call later, all right?
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
-[Eileen] Hip, hip! -[children] Hooray!
-[Eileen] Who wants a slice of cake? -[children] Me!
-Why didn't Daddy telephone? -I don't know.
He must be very busy.
He loves you very much.
Right?
Go to sleep now.
Good girl.
[exhales]
[phone ringing]
[woman groans]
[exhales]
Hello?
[Elizabeth on phone] Would you like to know the principal,
perhaps only, advantage
of being the Chief Patron of the English Bowling Association?
[tray clatters]
Go on.
My fellow patrons are frequently too old or too ill to meet.
Which means I find myself unexpectedly free for lunch.
[Margaret] Well, I've just woken up.
-It's 11:30. -Yes.
I got in at four.
I left strict instructions not to be disturbed by anyone.
[raises voice] For any reason.
I can see a conspiracy to drive me insane is well underway.
[Margaret] We started at Mirabelle,
and then went to the 400, and then ended up at Les Ambassadeurs.
Who's "we"?
Just Colin, Johnny, Judy Montagu.
-[Elizabeth] Margot? -Hm.
Is it possible that you're still drunk?
Do you know, I think I might be, slightly.
-You need to be more careful. -Yes, quite right.
Grain and grape don't mix.
No.
I meant about where you're seen. And with whom.
You're drinking far more than you used to.
Why do you think that is?
Because I'm unhappier than I used to be.
And why is that? Because I am still unmarried.
And why is that? Oh, because you denied me my perfect match.
That's not fair.
As your sister, I would have been perfectly happy for you to marry Peter.
-What? [scoffs] -It was the Crown that forbade it.
Not to mention the fact that he was a little old.
-Not really from the right-- -Don't you dare say "background."
Well... I just think it might have all come back to haunt you.
What, did Philip's Nazi sisters come back to haunt him?
Or his lunatic mother? Or his womanizing, bankrupt father?
[sighs] How is he?
-Philip? -Yes.
He's fine. I think.
What, you don't know?
Where is he now?
Ceylon.
-No, Malaya. -You don't know that either.
No.
-Is that bad? -It's just a little odd.
A little remote. A little chilly.
-Doesn't he write to you? -Hm. He's not much of a writer.
-Neither of us is. -[scoffs]
Mike telephoned from Mombasa
-to say that they'd arrived safely. -Who's Mike?
His private secretary.
-Oh, yes. That little Australian. -Yes.
-What do you make of him? -I'm not sure I make anything of him.
He's Mike.
We were all very close in Malta.
The children sometimes play together now.
Philip says he'd be lost without him.
Oh, just as long as he isn't lost because of him.
What does that mean?
It means he's got something of a reputation.
-Who, Mike? -Yes, Mike.
Isn't he thick as thieves with that sinister osteopath?
-What osteopath? -The one who knows everyone.
Always arranging gentlemen's weekends here and there with...
-actresses and... -Ballerinas.
Yes.
How did you know that?
[Mountbatten] I don't mind telling you, everything else
I've achieved in life:
Viceroy of India,
Supreme Allied Commander in Southeast Asia,
even First Sea Lord...
all pale by comparison to this.
To match my father and be Admiral of the Fleet, really is most satisfying.
-Sir. -I said we were not to be disturbed.
It's the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, sir.
He said it was urgent.
I'm afraid I didn't know who else to come and see.
[Mountbatten] Not at all.
Come on up.
-Hello, darling. -Don't stay up.
Won't be back until late.
[Mountbatten] Have fun. Where are you off to?
I thought we agreed, mysteries on both sides.
-We did. -Then don't ask.
[Mountbatten] May I present Anthony Nutting?
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
-[Edwina] How do you do? -Lady Mountbatten.
-I entirely approve of foreign affairs. -Now, now, darling.
[Edwina] Mm, this one's even more handsome than Eden.
A cabinet of dishes.
-[laughs] You're very kind. -[Edwina] How was the fitting, dear?
I'll let you into a secret, Mr. Nutting.
My husband cares for nothing and no one
in quite the same way he cares for his uniforms.
We're fortunate enough to have a ballroom in this house.
But is it the largest room here? No.
That's reserved for my husband's uniforms.
[inhales] One can only ask oneself what it all compensates for.
I should have thought that was obvious.
The gaping wounds left by the simplest encounter with you, my dear.
[Edwina] Hm.
Shall we?
[Nutting] I'm not saying I condone how Nasser is behaving, not at all.
The man clearly needs to be put back in his place.
But my greater concern is that our Prime Minister's response
to the whole situation is... personal.
Deeply personal, and that he will reach for the ultimate solution, armed conflict,
without waiting for an international coalition to join him.
Today,
a delegation of French government and intelligence officials
came to Downing Street for secret talks.
Further secret talks are planned with Israeli officials next week.
[butler 1] So, what have we got today?
[butler 2] Potted shrimp or deviled crabmeat imperial.
Followed by cassoulets à la jockey club.
Lord Mountbatten, Your Majesty.
Thank you for seeing me.
[Elizabeth] Well, I've got a long-standing commitment at the theater, I'm afraid.
But I thought we'd have an early supper before I go.
Mommy's most put out she hasn't been invited. Hm.
Mm. Under normal circumstances, uh,
a mad rush to war might be explained as a play for legacy.
-[Elizabeth] Mm-hmm. -He was in Winston's shadow for so long,
a quick and successful war might look good on his record.
But in this case, I think it boils down to an irrational personal dislike.
The two men, he and Nasser, just hate one another.
And the rest of us are just getting caught up in it.
What are you suggesting that I do about it?
You have your weekly private audience in which the two of you are alone.
Observe him carefully. Listen to him closely.
Read your cabinet minutes... minutely.
Speak your mind.
Yes, well, I'm not really supposed to do that.
Even if it's in the interests of national security?
All right. Fine.
I'll keep an eye on him.
Carefully.
Closely.
Minutely.
-Thank you for supper. -[chuckles]
You... You will let me know, won't you,
when I can take care of all this and send you someone really good?
What?
-The food. -What's wrong with it?
It belongs in a nursery. Everything that should've been hot was cold.
Everything that should've been soft was hard.
[sighs] I've neither noticed or cared.
And frankly, Dickie, the older and grander you get,
the more common you become. [chuckles]
-Have you heard from Philip? -How's Philip?
No, no, not a word.
-They will be keeping him busy. -Oh, yes, of course.
[Elizabeth chuckles]
You married a wild spirit.
-[chuckles] -We both did.
Trying to tame them is no use.
There were times in India, it was all right under my nose,
with Nehru of all people, my opposite number.
The humiliation could not have been more complete.
Of course I considered ending it.
And then I imagined how thin and how poor life would be.
And I realized that when you really adore someone...
as fully and as hopelessly as I think you and I do...
you put up with anything.
[Elizabeth] Hm.
What's the play?
Did I say play? I meant ballet.
-Oh. -Well, I should say Royal Ballet.
We've just given them a charter, so I really do have to go.
-It's Giselle. -Oh, isn't that Galina Ulanova?
-Yes. -Lucky you.
They say she's quite the thing.
-Do they? -That's what they say.
[Elizabeth] Hm.
[sighs]
[Giselle score playing]
[audience applauding]
They're wondering if you'd like now to meet Miss Ulanova, ma'am.
No, thank you.
I've prepared some tea. Would Her Majesty like...?
[Eden speaking indistinctly on television]
[Eden on television] All my life
I've been a man of peace.
Working for peace,
striving for peace, negotiating for peace.
I could not be other, even if I wished.
And even though we are faced
with an illegal act of plunder
by a dangerous tyrant in the Middle East,
which threatens our livelihood and that of many nations,
I am determined to find a peaceful solution.
[footsteps approaching]
-Your Majesty. -Prime Minister.
-Events are unfolding at great speed. -Do sit down, Prime Minister.
Ah.
In the early hours of this morning,
the Israeli army launched an attack into Egyptian territory,
the Sinai Peninsula, and is rapidly approaching the Suez Canal.
The Egyptian army has mobilized a retaliatory force
and is about to engage.
Her Majesty's government has now issued a deadline
to both Israel and Egypt
to halt all acts of war... and to allow
Anglo-French forces into the country to preserve the peace.
The Israelis have expressed a willingness to comply if the Egyptians do, but alas...
President Nasser has thus far refused.
When does the deadline expire?
Tomorrow morning, ma'am.
And the next step, in your view, would be?
Military intervention, ma'am.
-War? -Indeed.
But to keep the peace.
It is the correct thing to do, ma'am.
Nasser is playing roulette with the stability of the whole world.
Well... Thank you for your explanation.
Before you go, I do have one or two questions.
When you mentioned that the Israelis had launched an attack,
you didn't seem surprised.
Why would I seem surprised?
Unless I'm mistaken, the Israeli position has always been
that they would, under no circumstances, launch a full-scale attack by themselves
for fear of diplomatic isolation.
And yet they've gone on to do precisely that,
indicating that either they changed their mind,
or... there'd been some kind of collusion.
Have we?
Have we... what?
Colluded with Israel?
In any way?
Six days ago...
this government met with representatives
of the French and Israeli governments in a small village
on the outskirts of Paris,
where a document was signed.
The Sèvres Protocol.
Which outlines plans for a coordinated offensive against Egypt,
whereby the Israeli army would attack the Egyptian army near the Suez Canal,
thus allowing the intervention of Anglo-French forces.
Who else knows about this?
Individual members of Cabinet.
-Senior members. -But not Parliament?
-No. -Or the United Nations?
When does all this begin?
[sighs]
Airstrikes begin tomorrow.
-You don't want to give it more time? -No, ma'am.
The right thing to do is to go in now, and to go in hard.
I was right about Mussolini.
I was right about Hitler, and I am right about this fella.
Do I have your support?
The Prime Minister always has the sovereign's support.
Majesty.
[bell rings]
[door opens]
[door closes]
[rumbling]
[clattering]
[explosion]
[bombs whistling and exploding]
[screaming]
[indistinct shouting]
[alarm blares]
[indistinct shouting]
[screaming]
-[soldiers speaking indistinctly] -[woman screams]
[bell chimes in the distance]
[glass clinks]
Amen.
[sighs]
[writing]
[sighs]
[doors slam]