Ransom 

Achilles

According to legend, the great warrior Achilles was half god/half mortal (his father was Peleus, King of the Myrmidons and his mother was Thetis, an immortal sea nymph). Thus his reputation proceeds him, even as we are introduced to him in the first few pages of Malouf’s text; his sensation to the elements around him are acutely honed – ‘he lifts his head, turns his face to the chill air…shoulders hunched, attentive’ (Part 1). Above all, he is a fighter and, like so many Greeks who sailed to the shores of Troy for victory, he searches for notoriety and the opportunity for his actions to live longer than he would in the ‘form of [a] story’ (Part 1). Malouf concentrates on describing the warrior’s physicality, ‘exercised and prepared’ (Part 1), his ‘keener self, taut as a bowstring’ (Part 1) and on his aching for Patroclus and in being a warrior, knowing only ‘buried rage’ (Part 1) and seeking vengeance.

Achilles wrestles daily with his self-hatred, even before the death of Patroclus, and we assume he feels as though he is a failure as a father when he wonders at how ‘far a son has grown since last year’s notch on a doorjamb’ (Part 1). This humanises him and aligns him with Priam later in the narrative when he too reminisces about his children. As such Achilles shifts from a vague melancholia, as he stares out amongst the ‘small waves’ (Part 1) of his mother’s element, to a strong sense of self-loathing where he aims his sword precariously ‘beyond Hector, at himself’ (Part 1) in an effort to assuage his grief. Malouf’s depiction of Achilles is that of a man who has never fully come to terms with his estrangement from his parents, and the loss of his beloved adopted brother Patroclus has only exacerbated this. Achilles feels that Patroclus’ death has left a void in him that he seems unable to come back from, even his loyal Myrmidons are ‘confound[ed]’ (Part 1) by their leader’s strange behaviour and are unsettled by the unrecognisable man he has become.

His reckless behaviour in daily desecrating the body of Hector attracts the attention of the gods, who, in rebellion to his unmannerly behaviour, restore the body anew each morning in a torturous cycle.

When Priam confronts Achilles his instinct to kill the enemy King is thwarted by a vision of his estranged father Peleus, and his senses are dulled. He seizes the opportunity to relieve himself of the burden – ‘something in him has freed itself and fallen away… a need, an obligation’ (Part 4) and he resigns to let the body go. Malouf’s method of stripping back the golden-plated warrior is sentimentally significant yet, he still manages to celebrate the warrior of Achilles, caught up in his own legend as he watches Patroclus ‘out there on the glittering plain, a figure dressed like him and moving as he did, resplendent in his harness, breastplate and greaves and holding aloft his studded shield…’ (Part 1), in awe of his own mimicked figure. Yet, his sensibility is a welcome interpretation amidst the carnage and readers are as moved when the ‘great Achilles, eyes aswarm… weeping…’ (Part 4) falls to his knees and clasps Priam’s robe.

Achilles Quotes

His true spirit leapt forth and declared itself. It was as if he had all along needed this other before he could become fully himself. From this moment on he could not conceive of nothing in the life he must live that Patroclus would not share in and approve. (Achilles about Patroclus) Part 1

He is waiting for the break. For something to appear that will break the spell that is on him, the self-consuming rage that drives him and wastes his spirit in despair. (Achilles) Part 1

And each morning, when he discovers yet again how the gods have defied him, he is maddened anew. Outrageous injury swells his veins. (Achilles on how the body of Hector keeps getting restored by the gods) Part 4

Priam

Priam, King of Troy, is the living embodiment of the land, its city and its beliefs and traditions. He announces that he is ‘fixed and permanent’ (Part 2), the ‘mark to which everything else in my [his] kingdom refers’ (Part 2) and, until the death of his first-born son Hector, is seemingly content with this role.

Priam makes reference to the boy he was before he became Priam, his name meaning, ‘the price paid’ (Part 2). Subjected to cruelty and immiseration, Priam is haunted by the memory of what it felt like to be the young Podacres and this greatly informs his decision to obey the vision from Iris and set out on the mission. The ‘dirt and sweat of the slave’s life’ (Part 2) follows him and the nobility in him recognises that despite his best efforts to ‘let nothing peep out of the real man inside’ (Part 2), he believes it is his destiny to enter the business of war once more in an effort to gain back the body of his son. The change for Priam arrives eleven nights after he watches his son Hector killed by the murderous Achilles and his body being abducted away. These moments, which take place in the middle of the night, and the description of Priam’s grief touchingly portray the aftermath of war, and Malouf’s onomatopoeic descriptions of the silent halls of the royal chambers allow readers to enter an otherwise private moment and bring the experience into contemporary awareness; it is after all, the tragic loss of a child, felt by a loving father.

Priam feels naturally obligated to gain back Hector’s body, powered not only by the right that the dead have to be buried properly and with dignity but also by the desperate need he has to endure as an image in people’s mind, not ‘hunted down in the heart of my [his] citadel…dragged out by the feet… shamelessly stripped and humiliated’ (Part 2) but as a ‘living… proof of what I was’ (Part 2). Despite his bluster inside Troy’s citadel, along the journey he is a reticent passenger and allows his guide Somax to take the lead. In turn, Somax is magnanimous and Priam begins to experience moments of joy when he eats the little griddle-cakes lovingly prepared by Somax’s widowed daughter-in-law. He takes the advice of Somax and dabbles his feet in the refreshing waters of the Scamander River, ‘observing with amusement’ (Part 3) the nuances of nature that he had never been privy to. He remarks to himself that the ease in which ‘his spirits’ (Part 3), which once were ‘clouded by uncertainty’ (Part 3) are now ‘cleared and lightened’ (Part 3); a timely reminder that his quest is the right one.

Priam’s diplomacy and skills as a leader are never more evident than when he finally reaches the Greek encampment and comes face to face with his son’s killer. As predicted, he doesn’t feel any rage but recites his demands with honourable stoicism and resigns himself to the fate that awaits him, should Achilles decide to allow his Myrmidons with their ‘drawn swords’ (Part 4) to kill him. His humility reminds Achilles that he has come to him ‘undefended’ (Part 4) and this works well to soothe the warrior’s suspicious instincts but he still elicits strength in his demands that Achilles ‘accept the ransom and let me [him] gather up at last what is left of my [his] son’ (Part 4).

Despite his obvious qualities, Priam is a product of his circumstance and remains a proud and private man. His decision to continue referring to Somax as Idaeus is a fitting characteristic to his station, admitting that ‘it is the office and the name that matters, not the person’ (Part 2). Somax disagrees but keeps this sentiment private for even he acknowledges the company with which he shares. Priam’s elitism befuddles Somax who doesn’t treat him with the ‘greatest consideration’ (Part 2) that the real Ideaus might have, and the unease with which their conversation begins is testament that Priam felt men only ever spoke ‘to give shape to a decision… lay out an argument…offer thanks to one who had done well, or a reproof’ (Part 3) and therefore he is not used to the ramblings of the carter that accompanies him. Priam considers there to be ‘no importance’ in Somax’s nervous comments and he absent-mindedly finds distraction in another subject until the topic of conversation reverts to something of interest to him, fatherhood.

Priam Quotes

Holding his head all the roads that lead out to the distant parts of his kingdom, he feels them at times as ribbons tied to the centre of him… (Priam on his lands) Part 2

‘…when I look behind me, what is glowing out from under the coverlet, under the wickerwork canopy, is the body of my son Hector, all his limbs newly restored and shining, restored and ransomed.’ (Priam to Hecuba) Part 2

…he [Priam] and Achilles had discovered a kind of intimacy; wary at first, though also respectful, and at last quite easy, though Priam had continually to remind himself who it was he was breaking bread with, and what lay out there wrapped in a sheet and waiting to be reclaimed. (Priam) Part 4

Somax

The only original character in Ransom is Somax, a ‘carter with a reputation among the market-people for being reliable enough’ (Part 2). He represents the simple, working population of Troy and is commissioned by Priam, along with his wagon and two mules Beauty and Shock, to take him to the Greek encampment. Although he keeps his reservations to himself, Somax inwardly rejects the notion of being called Ideaus and we gather from his musings on this aspect that he is content with whom he is – ‘His name is Somax’. It fits him, he has always thought, very well. He has been comfortable with it, warm and very much like himself, for a good fifty years, give or take a little’ (Part 2).

He remains unchanged throughout the narrative, yet his importance in the novel is pivotal; Somax’s interactions with both Priam and Achilles result in their transformations. He is intrinsic to Priam’s conversion, from a ‘proper illusion’ (Part 2) to a man and father, and he does this by being exposed to a range of human emotions that he has long learnt to stifle. Somax acts as the bridge between Achilles and Priam; although he is Trojan, his ambivalence to the war ensures his neutrality during the ransom. The most moving element of Somax is the candid way he discusses the loss in his life; the ordinary man has experienced the death of three sons and four daughters and admits to possessing a ‘near broke[n] heart’ (Part 3). Rather than becoming consumed by revenge and hatred as Achilles does, Somax accepts the fate of the gods and shows forgiveness to his mule Beauty, who was responsible for his son’s death. By relating such personal accounts to Priam, Somax illustrates immense strength and resilience and Priam finds himself relating to the simple carter, as ‘surely he of all men knew what it was to lose a son’ (Part 3). Somax’s pragmatic attitude that ‘the worst happens, and there, it’s done. The fleas go on biting. The sun comes up again’ (Part 3) has the potential to devalue the ransom that Priam is undertaking but in Priam’s eyes, it feeds the validity of his cause.

Somax represents the dogged citizen whose simple rhetoric and decisive reasoning juxtaposes that of Priam and Achilles who ‘imagine and act[ed]… out in his [their] minds’ (Part 4) and considers the ‘more than ordinary forces [that] have brought him [Priam] here’ (Part 4), instead admitting that ‘the words to cover it are in his head but would get turned about and jumbled if he tried to get them out’ (Part 4). He understands his limitations and embraces the ideology of carrying on under difficult circumstances.

In the last few pages of the novel, Somax becomes a parabolic character, telling stories to anyone who would listen that ‘without too much trouble to tempt the old King, Priam, who had never heard of such as thing, to cool his feet in the running stream, and taste one of the little griddle-cakes’, and how ‘he had spent the night in the open yard beside Achilles’ hut in the Greek camp’ (Part 5). However, in a strange twist of fate ‘his listeners do not believe him… he is a known liar’ (Part 5); this inevitable course of action might have been predicted given the far-fetched concept of Priam’s endeavour but it leaves a bittersweet lesson for the readers as one of the reasons he is not believed is that it was said to occur to a herald known as Idaeus. They believe Somax to be a ‘stealer of other men’s tales’ (Part 5), which oddly mirrors that of Malouf’s conception of himself, that he stole the story of Homer’s and re-energised it.

Somax Quotes

‘But you worry just the same, it’s in our nature. We’re tied that way, all of us. Tied here,’ and he [Somax] closed his fist and brought it to his chest to indicate the heart. (Somax to Priam) Part 3

Achilles is intrigued by this by-play between the two old men [Priam and Somax], who belong to such different worlds – the humility of the one, the awkward shyness of the other… (Part 4)

His listeners do not believe him, of course. He is a known liar. He is a hundred years old and drinks too much… the whole of his own life he has spent as a poor day labourer. (The citizens of Troy on Somax) Part 5

The Queen

Queen Elizabeth II

Not since Elizabeth I has there been a Queen so resoundingly popular and so loyal to her subjects. The Queen’s depiction in the film is that of reported accuracy, showing her as an incredibly dutiful woman driven by propriety and protocol. The first scene of the film sees her swearing in her ‘tenth Prime Minister’ (Scene 1), insisting that he is sent a ‘protocol sheet’ (Scene 1), and altogether bored at the process.

Her reaction to the accident and then consequent death of Diana is as predicted, reserved and restrained; she continues to insist it is a ‘private matter’ (Scene 2). She is dreadfully upset by the situation but her immediate thoughts fall to the ‘boys’, Charles and Diana’s children, William and Harry. She is staunchly protective of them, not only from the gruesome details of their mother’s sudden death but of the media frenzy that Elizabeth knows will surely follow; that of Diana’s sordid love affairs, conjecture about the infidelity of both Charles and Diana and talk of the loveless marriage. It is this instinct that Elizabeth hides behind for a great deal of the first week, insisting that Philip mind her comments around them and ‘make sure the boys never hear you talk like that’ (Scene 2), tacking the term ‘for the boys’ onto most of her excuses as to why she isn’t dealing with the situation head on – ‘ I think the less fuss one makes, or draws attention to it, the better… for the boys’ (Scene 4). The final climax of this is when she admonishes Blair for ‘suggesting that I [she] drop everything and come down to London before I [she] attend [s] to two boys that have just lost their mother…’ (Scene 6) and says he is ‘mistaken’ (Scene 6), which of course they both know to be a guise. As this conversation takes place and Elizabeth insists that she knows the British people better than most, Frears focuses on Elizabeth placing her stationery in a line, symbolising the need she has for order in a time of chaos, or perhaps that she is losing control of most things outside of her reach and feeling she must control everything in immediate proximity to her. The notion is lost on anyone but the audience, as like most of the conversations between Blair and Elizabeth, the conversation occurs over the telephone.

In the final scene of the film, the Queen finally allows herself to relax ever so slightly in front of Blair as she admits to not ‘ever understand[ing] what happened this summer’ (Scene 11) and believes that in the memory of the people, the monarchy will be considered humiliated. Naturally Blair defends the notion, a fruitless move considering both know that the other has seen the headlines suggesting that the ‘Palace [has] bends[ed] the knee to Blair’ (Scene 9). In a moment of weakness Elizabeth starts to ask whether Blair feels the devotion people have for her has been ‘diminished’ (Scene 11) then changes the question to a less personal query about devotion for the institution. People glean from this that the situation felt personal to Elizabeth. Her shock resonates when she asks Blair to confirm that ‘one on four, you said? Wanted to get rid of me?’ (Scene 11) to which Blair dismisses the resurgence as fleeting.

The Queen’s actions when her country was in grave mourning and mass-hysteria were pivotal to her reign and mark the beginning of a more modern association for the Windsor family. Blair’s expression of admiration for her was shared by many within the institution, despite whether she truly meant the sentiment that was communicated in her speech ‘how to survive’ (Scene 10), and Elizabeth’s decision to respond appropriately to the ‘mood’ of the people became a crucial step in her history and one that Frears illustrated aptly.

Queen Elizabeth II Quotes

‘I rather envy you being able to vote. Not the actual ticking of the box, although, I suppose, it would be nice to experience that ONCE. But the sheer joy of being partial.’ (The Queen speaking with her artist on Election Day) Scene 1

‘Isn’t that precisely the sort of extravagance they attack us for?’ (Elizabeth reacting when Charles requests to use a royal plane to travel to Paris after the accident) Scene 1

‘I doubt there are many who know the British more than I do, Mr. Blair, nor who has greater faith in their wisdom and judgement. And it is my belief that they will soon reject this “mood”, which has been stirred up by the press…in favour of a period of restrained grief, and sober, private mourning. That’s the way we do things in this country. Quietly. With dignity. It’s what the rest of the world has always admired us for.’ (the Queen’s final refusal to Blair to return to London and take part in what she believes will be an unrestrained spectacle) Scene 6

‘It’s just no one seems to value tradition or constancy any more.’ (the Queen consults her mother for advice) Scene 8

‘I hope that tomorrow we can all, wherever we are, join in expressing our grief at Diana’s loss, and gratitude for her all-too-short life.’ (the Queen’s speech) Scene 10

‘Duty first, self second… that’s all I’ve ever known’ (the Queen justifying her decisions to Blair) Scene 11

‘Ever since Diana people want glamour and tears… the grand performance… and I’m not very good at that. I prefer to keep my feelings to myself. Foolishly I believed that’s what people wanted from their Queen.’ (the Queen justifying herself to Blair) Scene 11

Prince Philip

Played by James Cromwell, the role of Philip in Frears’ film is auxiliary and only emphasises the unprogressive nature of the institution. From his initial reaction to Diana’s accident with ‘what’s she [Diana] done now’ (Scene 1) to his insistence that ‘in forty-eight hours it will all have calmed down’ (Scene 6) does little to aid the circumstances in which Elizabeth finds herself. There is the sense that he is not entirely versed on the situation and what’s more, isn’t really bothered to find out. His old-fashioned mentality believes that distracting the boys only two days after their mother has died by hunting a wild animal will be enough to assuage their grief; even going so far to demand a ‘new stag, for theirs [the boys] has been shot’ (Scene 9), failing to see an alignment with the violence of gunnery at a time of grief and mourning.

He also plays the quintessential old man, donning tweed and complaining that he can’t hear the television because ‘everyone’s shouting’ (Scene 1). Frears has chosen to include only snippets of his apparent bigotry in real life when he comments on the ‘chorus line of soap stars and homosexuals’ (Scene 6) that will be attending the funeral now that it’s been made a public affair. The pet term ‘cabbage’ (Scene 6) that he uses when he’s with his wife is apparently a true term he uses to describe her, injected by Frears to showcase their lifelong affection to one another, but his notable absence from the scenes where Elizabeth refracts indicates they are divided in this event. When Elizabeth is reprimanding Blair for insinuating that she is unaware of her people’s desires, Philip is more of an annoyance in the room despite her putting the conversation on loudspeaker at his insistence. He seems more distracted by the inconvenience that ‘your [the Queen’s] tea has gone cold’ (Scene 6) then he does with the apparent distress she is wrestling with.

He nurtures Elizabeth in his own way, proffering a bottle of sleeping pills to ‘help you [her] go down’ (Scene 1) and placating her anxieties that the country is craving their Queen. His encouraging her to ‘stick to your [her] guns… they [the British people] will come to their senses soon’ (Scene 6) does little to quell the unease inside her. In the end, merely a loyal subject of Her Majesty like so many others, he dresses in a suit to survey the floral offerings and read the notes and cards from the people, and attends the funeral service with the Queen walking behind the casket as he’s been ordered to do.

Prince Philip Quotes

‘She [Diana] was a nice girl. Then. And I was sure he’d [Charles] give the other one [Camilla] up. Or, at least make sure his wife towed the line. Isn’t that what everyone does?’ (Philip discussing when he and Elizabeth had once approved the marriage between Charles and Diana) Scene 6

‘This reminds me of one of those films. A few of us in a Fort. Hordes of Zulus outside.’ (Philip as he looks on to the crowds of mourners that gather at the Palace) Scene 6

Prince Charles

Charles’ depiction is no less damning than that of his father’s. The only saving grace for him as a character is his utter devotion to his two sons. Although he remains respectful in his mother’s presence, Charles is depicted as conniving and often does things behind the Queen’s back in order to protect himself from being ridiculed or disliked. Although at first the Queen praises his reaction as ‘sensible’ (Scene 1), his reflex to travel immediately to Paris before even knowing Diana has died of her wounds paints him as guilty. As the news of her death arrives before he can board the plane, the urgency is removed and he asks his mother once more if she would ‘consider it still an extravagance to bring back the mother of the future King of England’ (Scene 1) using one of the royal planes. The Queen notes his absence from the family breakfast table the following morning and audiences follow His Royal Highness to the British Embassy in Paris where Diana’s body has been kept in a coffin.

Upon meeting Blair on the tarmac of the airport as Diana’s body is transferred, he sees an ally in him. Not taking any note of Blair’s reluctance to rebel against the Queen’s decision for a private funeral, Charles pushes him to confess he agrees that it ‘will present us with some difficulties’ (Scene 4) and Charles takes that as a signal to undermine his mother’s wishes and push for a more public affair, one that he believes will be in keeping with what the people want. He is astounded by Diana’s popularity, having obviously not kept on the pulse of the media’s dedication to her since their divorce. His vision to replicate the scenario in Paris as they lead the coffin past, where you could ‘[in] one of the busiest city in the world…hear a pin drop’ (Scene 4), dwarfs his loyalty and trust in his mother’s leadership.

Prince Charles Quote

‘So do I. My mother…the Queen, comes from a generation not best equipped to…she grew up in the war… I think what we need, what the COUNTRY needs is to be led by someone…”of today”. If you follow? Balmoral is… another world.’ (Charles speaking to Blair about the possibility of changing to a public funeral) Scene 4

The Boys (William and Harry)

William and Harry are deliberately left out of the film as much as possible, no doubt in an effort to protect their privacy and respect them as the two young children they were when they lost their mother. They have no lines, are seen as a pair and their reaction and attitudes toward the week of their mother’s passing is not in Frears’ focus at all. Suffice to say, viewers become aware of the ripple effect the trauma has had by seeing only silhouettes inside a bedroom when they are told by their father that Diana has died, and once more only brief outlines of them stalking the deer on the highlands or fishing by a quiet river.

Audiences of the film are reminded that the plot does not and will not include William and Harry, other than to conclude the sheer sadness of what it must have been like for them.

Queen Mother

The Queen Mother Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was the wife of Queen Elizabeth II’s father, King George VI. Prior to his brother Edward’s abdication in 1936, George, then known as Albert, was the Duke of York. The Queen Mother became Queen when her husband was crowned and their first daughter Elizabeth II was heir. King George died in 1952, and Elizabeth II was crowned in June the following year. Her mother was a wonderful asset to the young Queen, and was able to advise and guide her through the early stages of her reign. Her sensibility in the film is shown often, such as when she insists that ‘your [the Queen’s] grandfather didn’t get the flag at half mast and if your mother were to die tomorrow, she wouldn’t get it either’ (Scene 6) but despite this, she fails to recognise what so many in the monarchy do – this situation is different, not like any other the country has been faced with. Yet, she is not such as stickler as to refuse exception when time calls for it, offering Charles the use of the royal flight that sits in reserve for his use to fly over to Paris on the night of the accident. Her flippant terms ‘kick the bucket’ (Scene 1) and ‘lucky you’ (Scene 6) to her daughter when another call from Blair comes through insinuates her investment in the situation is diminished now that her daughter is in charge; she feels at complete ease that Elizabeth, ‘the greatest asset this institution has ever had’ (Scene 8), is in power.

In the film, Frears in conscious of portraying the Queen Mother with complete dignity, whilst also having her represent the old, traditional mindset of the monarchy. Elizabeth defers to her in matters when she is cornered by a grave decision, and given the insensitive portrayal of Prince Philip, it is no wonder she is consulted in place of him. Interestingly, when Elizabeth consults her mother about whether to follow Blair’s advice and concede to returning to London, the Queen Mother delivers advice in direct contrast to the Blair administration, indicating her archaic attitude to ‘the problem’ of Diana’s death. It’s not that her reaction to this is inappropriate, but her insistence that her daughter has never ruled ‘like that [wearing her heart on her sleeve]’ (Scene 8) is exactly what prompts Elizabeth in the very next scene to divert her decision and follow the numbered suggestions Blair has advised her on. After this, the Queen Mother virtually disappears from the narrative, having become superfluous as her daughter Elizabeth returns to her people and forges ahead with the modern Tony Blair guiding her.

Queen Mother Quotes

‘You sit on the most powerful throne in Europe. Head of an unbroken line that goes back more than a thousand years. How many of your predecessors do you imagine would have dropped everything and gone down to London because people holding candles wanted help with their grief?’ (the Queen Mother underestimates the grief the country feels at the time and tries to convince her daughter that she should remain strong in her decision not to kowtow to public demand) Scene 8

‘My dear, you are the greatest asset this institution has. One of the greatest it has EVER had. The problem will come when you leave, but that’s not for you to worry about and certainly not today.’ (the Queen Mother responds when Elizabeth asks whether she believes her actions have had a damaging effect on the way people feel about a monarchy) Scene 8

Robin Janvrin

Robin Janvrin’s gentle and measured demeanour evidently suits the Queen very well. Janvrin, like so many people in the upper ranks of service, straddles the role of private secretary very carefully. He is full of respect for Her Majesty but at the same time, acknowledges that she may appear to be ‘unhelpful’ (Scene 7) at times, urging Blair to ‘see it from her perspective’ (Scene 7); and likens that difficult situation to that of her uncle’s abdication from power, when her father had to assume the crown. It is due to his unexpected interference that Blair continues to protect the Queen’s reputation and lies to the people, assuring them of well wishes that she had never sent. His reaction to the death of Diana is similar to the Queen’s; he believes Blair’s speech to be ‘a bit over the top’ (Scene 3) and, just as Elizabeth had, misjudges the public’s reaction when he turns around to see many of the staff crying.

At times his role is very difficult but he conducts it with poise and respect even when the situation demands that he deliver news that will not be favourable to the Queen, such as the Lord Chamberlain’s decision to alter the funeral to allow the public and celebrities to attend. He shares a timid sense of humour, commenting dryly with the Queen about Cheri Blair’s ‘shallow’ (Scene 1) curtsy and takes Prince Philip’s abuse when he is made to deliver the news that the Queen has decided to go against judgement and return to the city. His presence is a sombre, levelling one that not only seems to keep the Queen sedate but also other members of the army of foot soldiers and maids who serve at Balmoral Castle. He is the perfect servant, knowing what needs to be done before anyone else, anticipating the need for reverence and care in such a situation but also measuring the severity of the situation by calling ‘everyone in… as soon as possible’ (Scene 1) when the news of Diana hits the household.

Robin Janvrin Quotes

‘She’s been brought up to believe its God’s will that she is who she is.’ (Janvrin calls Blair to defend the Queen’s decision) Scene 7

Tony Blair

Prime Minister Tony Blair was elected at age 43, and was recorded as the youngest Prime Minister ever elected to rule the British people. In real life, he led for ten years (1997-2007) but his popularity blossomed as a result of the way he conducted himself during the period of Diana’s death. Although Frears captured this notion by paying close attention to the news headlines that deemed Blair ‘the Nation’s Mourner in Chief’ (Scene 5) and ‘the only person who has correctly judged the mood of the country’ (Scene 5) after his speech expressing his heartfelt sentiments at the loss of the ‘People’s Princess’ (Scene 5), this never seems to please Blair as he realises that his success has been made at the detriment of the Monarch.

Blair’s initial nervousness in the Queen’s presence, which sees him make a mistake in the formalities upon first meeting her, soon disappears and leadership seems to come naturally to him; his instinct upon hearing the news of Diana sees him asking ‘who are we [the British cabinet] speaking to there [in France]’ (Scene 1) barely roused from sleep. Although he is aware that he is meant to be being advised by the Queen, he sees no fault in advising her when he believes she is misled. At first, he has no qualms that the Queen hides behind the Spencers’ request for a private funeral but as he sees the nation’s reaction to the Queen’s continued absence and lack of acknowledgement, he becomes gutsier in making the argument he believes to be true. In fact, his attitude mirrors that of the other citizens – ‘that they [the Monarchy] screwed up her life… let’s hope they don’t screw up her death’ (Scene 2). Nevertheless, his dedication to her in the face of not only his wife, when she questions the nature of his loyalty, but also Prince Charles is admirable and it’s the primary reason that when the season is over Blair can return to the Queen’s service without any form of pretence.

Blair’s humanity is a refreshing change from the tedious figures that work in his office, or even the sceptical interruptions of his wife Cherie; more than once he admonishes people for being heinous such as when he corrects Alastair for already beginning a speech to deal with the occasion – ‘God, she’s [Diana’s] only been dead for an hour!’ (Scene 2) and his fervour only strengthens. Upon reaching his limit with Alastair’s caustic comments about the Queen, he berates him for his small-headedness and disloyalty to a woman that ‘has given her whole life in service to her people – fifty years doing a job she never wanted – a job she watched kill her father’ (Scene 10) and celebrates her execution of that job ‘with dignity, honour… without a single blemish…’ (Scene 10); he is ashamed that at the first sign of weakness, the public begin ‘baying for her [the Queen’s] blood’ (Scene 10). He does what many felt they couldn’t do in such an occasion, and that was to tell the truth about Diana despite her death.

Like one survivor to another, he recognises that irrespective of whether the Queen means what she says in her speech, he admires her ability to adapt when circumstances call for it and to shift her way of thinking. His admiration for the Queen and how her ‘extraordinary’ (Scene 10) acts will cement her place in the new world is echoed in his expression when he looks at her during the service at Westminster Abbey.

Like every good servant and survivor, in the months that follow, Blair reverts back to a more passive role with Elizabeth. When she asks if he believes that the bad attitude toward the Monarchy has lingered he denounces the concept, assuring her ‘he could never have added my [his] voice to that chorus’ (Scene 11), promising her his loyalty once again. But his convenient lies may not be entirely lost on the Queen as he currently promises that it was only a very short time that the public wanted a republic and ‘then you [she] came to London and all that went away’ (Scene 11) when in the heat of the moment, he’d previously surmised that the ‘moment for statements has passed’ (Scene 10) and he faltered over what she could do to save the situation.

Blair’s future is bright as the camera draws back and the Queen advises they will from hereon go walking when they meet and he promises to help her ‘modernise’ (Scene 11). His voice is the last to be heard as he speaks about his current incentive to ‘radically reduce classroom sizes…’ (Scene 12) as part of his new educational reform; in recognition of the progressive parliamentarian he would become and be known for.

Tony Blair’s Quotes

‘All right – but first we have to deal with these terrible headlines. I’ll see what I can do with the Press… but I can’t promise anything. It’s not me they want to see.’ (Blair speaking to Janvrin) Scene 7

‘I know…but allowing her to hang herself might not be in our best interests either. Besides, I think there’s something…ugly about the way everyone’s started to bully her.’ (Blair speaking with Cherie about his dislike for the way the public have started to turn on the Queen) Scene 7

‘…and now we line up baying for her [the Queen] blood – why? Because she’s struggling to lead the world in mourning for a woman who threw everything she offered back in her face, and who seemed, in the last few years, to be committed twenty-four seven to destroy everything she holds dear.’ (Blair tells Alastair off for being constantly being disrespectful about the Queen) Scene 10

Cherie Blair

In real life, Cherie Blair was a known anti-Monarchist, but her depiction in the film is somewhat tempered. She is a devoted wife, proud of her husband’s rise through the ranks of politics whilst also possessing a cynicism about the ‘establishment’, much like many other members of the public. Her dislike for the Queen is felt almost immediately when her ‘shallow’ (Scene 1) curtsy denotes a dislike of the protocol. She sticks her fingers down her throat when they’re being instructed by the equerry (or personal attendant of the British Sovereign) on how they are to behave in Her Majesty’s presence and reduces Elizabeth’s formality to cut the meeting short with irreverence whilst mimicking the Queen – ‘thank-you very much for coming… now bugger off’ (Scene 1). Although she is wise to the situation quite quickly, reminding Blair that the Queen ‘hated her [Diana’s] guts’ (Scene 2), she fails to grasp the enormity of what the Queen achieves as she releases her traditional manner of behaving in such circumstances and follows the advice of Blair in returning to London for the funeral. Cherie is narrow-minded and although there are illusions to her being an educated woman in her own merit, her insight pales in comparison to Blair’s as she is shouted down for suggesting that the ‘ludicrous cocoon of privilege and wealth’ (Scene 3) has finally become apparent to the British people and a revolution is at hand. Strangely, her comments early on in the film, which are at first dismissed by Blair, become a reality when so many suddenly come in favour of abolishment of the Monarchy in favour of a republic.

Cherie Blair Quotes

‘Maybe this time people have finally seen them for what the are… a bunch of freeloading, emotionally retarded… nutters.’ (Cherie and Blair are discussing the possibility that the Queen’s actions will have a detrimental effect on the system) Scene 3

‘People really DO want change. And want YOU to give it to them.’ (Cherie to Blair) Scene 3

‘I don’t know why I’m surprised. In the end, all Labour Prime Ministers go ga-ga for her Maj.’ (Cherie is bemused that Blair admires the Queen) Scene 10

Alastair Campbell

Alastair represents the sharp, cynical personality behind the suave, successful politician. At times, audiences forget that he works for the Blair administration as his role blends well with the cutthroat persona of the paparazzi, who are demonised in Frears’ film. On the eve of Diana’s death, Campbell is already working on a catchphrase to pitch about Diana and it’s suggested that he came up with the term ‘the People’s Princess’ (Scene 2). His animosity toward the monarch is evident in almost everything he says or does, and he makes no qualms about suggesting that they ‘have the wrong villain’ (Scene 3) when the Spencer family blame the press for Diana’s death; and this, coupled with him sarcastically quipping that Blair should ask the Queen if she ‘greased the brakes’ (Scene 3) confirms that he openly suspects the ‘establishment’ of ending Diana’s life as a way of her ceasing her scandalous existence.

He is actively disrespectful to the royals, but tirelessly works on the occupations of his position as speechwriter and media consultant to the Blair administration. He watches Blair’s every move, observing his moving speech at the Church service as though obsessed with the media interpretation of the newly appointed Prime Minister. He keeps a keen eye on the daily press and measures the country’s reaction by the daily headlines; very little gets past him as he is the one that notifies Blair that the royal family has failed to hang a flag at half-mast in mourning.

He is flippant in his language, especially in light of the occasion, using such terms as ‘on the flip-side’ and ‘raves [in the press]’, situating him as a modern man and the perfect asset for the Blair administration as they construct a new era of British politics.

Alastair Campbell Quotes

‘Bloody hell! You think the Royals are nutters! You should meet their flunkeys! Two and a half-hours on whether she [Diana] should be carried in a hearse or a gun-carriage…Nuts!’ (Alastair must attend the funeral organizational meeting in place of Blair) Scene 4

‘They sent a copy of the Queen’s speech…You [Blair] might want to scrape the frost off it first. I made a couple of changes. So it sounds like it comes from a human being.’ (Campbell and Blair just prior to the Queen delivering her speech) Scene 10

Stephen Lamport

Lamport is Prince Charles’ Private Secretary, and is an astute servant to Charles. He delivers the fateful news that Diana has died of her wounds, accompanies Charles to the airport to watch the body of Diana land on the tarmac and most notably, makes a phone call at Charles’ behest in an effort to side with Blair.

Stephen Lamport Quote

‘The Prince of Wales wanted me to thank you again for your kind words yesterday… He feels you and he are modern men of similar mind who could work well together at this difficult time.’ (Lamport must call Blair for support on behalf of Charles) Scene 5

Lord Airlie

Lord Airlie is the Lord Chamberlain who has been put in charge of organising the funeral for Diana. He calls Blair in the car on the way to the airport to receive Diana’s coffin. The director’s notes identify that a ‘formidable, handsome, aristocratic man with a military bearing’ (Scene 4) should appear on screen and deliver the impersonal lines that ‘there’s simply no precedent’ (Scene 4) for what he has to organise. Blair later berates Airlie’s apathy upon hanging up the phone, mimicking ‘no precedent, where do they find these people?’ (Scene 4) Despite Lord Airlie’s pragmatic approach, he manages the situation accordingly and he and his constituents come to the conclusion that a public funeral is in the best interests of the people.

Lord Airlie Quote

‘Thank you all for coming at such notice. I think we all agree this is an extraordinarily sensitive occasion which presents us with tremendous challenges logistically…constitutionally…practically… diplomatically… procedurally…’ (Airlie greeting his colleagues when they arrive for the lengthy meeting to organize Diana’s funeral) Scene 4