The Queen

Scene 1: Tony Blair in Power (0.00 – 9.23)

The first scene opens with a quote, taken from Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part II, that reads, ‘uneasy lies the head that wears a crown’. The presence of this quote lingering on a black background insinuates that the upcoming film will be one that examines the intricacies of royal life and the tax of devoting one’s life of service to one’s country. The first shot is taken on the morning of Britain’s election day, with the promising prime ministerial candidate Tony Blair visiting the polling booths. As with all of Frears’ films, the footage presented to be real life has been interjected with bogus shots but for the most part include the actual voice over from the time, included for authenticity and to give the audience a greater affinity with the text. As the newscast is being shown on a small television, the Queen looks on. She is getting her portrait done, an unidentifiable finished product that portrays her sitting stoically dressed in regal garb. She refers to the artist as Mr Crawford and inquires whether he has voted yet. She tells him that she envies his ability to be able to vote and struck dumb on what he could say, he changes the topic to the current candidate and favourite to win, Mr Tony Blair. They both comment that if elected ‘he’ll be the youngest Prime Minister in almost two hundred years…’ and represents are more modern United Kingdom.

A spanning camera shot of her final pose takes us from her toes to a face shot then stops there, with the title of the film.

A sub-heading reads London, May 2nd, 1997. There is a long shot of a lone bagpiper patrolling the outside of Buckingham Palace. The Queen is woken by her maid and is informed that Blair has won the election by a landslide. The film cuts to real footage of the Prime Minister making his way to Buckingham Palace, a bird’s eye shot of the entourage of cars making their way into the palace gates. The Queen and her personal secretary Robin Janvrin are walking down an elaborate hallway, readying to meet the newly appointed Prime Minister and his wife Cherie. The Queen learns from Robin, her most trusted informant, that Mr Blair is a modern man, already insisting that those working for him at Downing Street (the residence for the Prime Minister) be informed to ‘call me [him] Tony’ (Scene 1).

The scene cuts to Blair and his wife in the car getting ready to exit and meet the Queen. As they enter the Palace, there is a low angle camera shot as they ascend the grand staircase, dwarfed by the traditional décor that has stood for years, and symbolising the enormity of what they are about to do. As they ascend, the equerry is informing them how they should behave in Her Majesty’s presence.

Cherie is left outside the door with the servants as Blair enters the parlour. He is visibly nervous but manages well enough. The Queen reminds him surreptitiously that he now sits where Winston Churchill sat (arguably the greatest British Prime Minister and politician who nursed the country through a World War); her observation a warning that there is an expectation of Blair.

They speak briefly and Blair makes a mistake, getting the formalities wrong. He is sworn in to service of Queen and country and there is a close-up shot of him kissing the Queen’s hand, a gesture of devotion. At this stage Cherie is permitted to enter and she is awkward. The conversation is cut short when Janvrin enters, and as Blair and Cherie exit they comment that it’s probably Diana who has cut the meeting short as is usually the case.

Scene 1 Quotes

‘Certainly not. We’re in danger of losing too much that’s good about this country as it is.’ (The artist speaking to the Queen about why he didn’t vote for Blair and considers him to be too modern) Scene 1

The inner courtyard of Buckingham Palace. In a ritual unchanged since Queen Victoria, a uniformed PIPER, wearing a kilt of Ancient Hunting Stuart tartan, marches under her Majesty’s windows, playing the bagpipes. It’s her morning alarm call, and it’s the way she wakes up wherever she is – anywhere in the world. (Script notes) Scene 1

‘How nice to see you again Mrs Blair… you must be very proud?’ (The Queen when she meets the Blairs) Scene 1

Scene 2: Princess Diana (9.23 – 18.22)

The scene cuts to real footage of Diana. The reporter’s voice-over informs audiences that Diana has been embroiled in much controversy, mainly regarding her romantic dalliances, the latest being with Mr Dodi Fayed, the heir of an Egyptian billionaire. There are snippets of footage of the pair on holiday together, intimate photos of them embracing whilst lounging in the sun, and audiences are encouraged to feel that the situation is quite sordid.

A subheading reads Paris, 30th August, 1997. A plethora of paparazzi wait anxiously for a sighting of the hot pair, Diana and Dodi. They wait in the middle of the night, outside of the Ritz hotel armed with their cameras. The bodyguards outside the hotel begin speaking to one another as the pair appears and immediately the onslaught begins. The paparazzi are relentless and those upon shiny black motorbikes rev their engines angrily and wait to chase the car. As the two get into the car the Mercedes speeds off, enters a tunnel that travels under the river Seine, and the camera fades.

At the Queen’s more private residence of Balmoral Castle in Scotland, it’s the middle of the night and Janvrin answers a phone bleary-eyed. He walks across to Balmoral and wakes the Queen to tell her. Her husband Prince Phillip is in bed next to her. Janvrin informs the Queen in the hallway that the Princess has been in a car accident and that Dodi is dead. The scene cuts to the lounge room with the Queen, Prince Phillip and the Queen’s mother watching the breaking news on television. Prince Charles enters and informs them that he wants to leave the boys, William and Harry, asleep but wants to head to Paris. The Queen is hesitant to dispatch one of the royal flights as Diana is no longer royalty. Janvrin enters after getting off the phone and informs the family that Diana has died from her wounds in a Parisian hospital. The scene cuts to real BBC footage announcing her death. Tony Blair cancels his week of engagements over the phone.

Charles tells his sons in a scene we are scarcely privy to and not even the Queen feels she can enter the bedroom during this private moment. The shot shows Charles whispering to them, and we only see the boys from the back; the shot is also taken through the door frame. The Queen agrees to let Charles use one of the royal planes to fetch the mother of the future King of England and she agrees, ashamed at her first rejection to him. In an attempt to keep the boys from seeing the press news on their mother and the scandalous stories that will undoubtedly follow, she instructs the Butler to remove the television and radio from their rooms.

Through Philip we learn that the Queen’s sister, Margaret, who is absent for the entire film, remarks that Diana is even more trouble in death than she was in life. Even the Queen balks at such a callous remark.

Scene 2 Quotes

‘Diana is no longer an HRH, nor a member of the Royal Family. This is a private matter.’ (The Queen explaining to Blair why she will not get involved) Scene 2

‘Well, let’s cancel everything else. This is going to be massive. I’d better make a statement in the morning.’ (Blair to Alastair on the night Diana was confirmed dead) Scene 2

Scene 3: People’s Princess (18.22 – 24.52)

A subheading reads Sunday. Real footage of people is shown wandering around like ghosts, in shock. The first of the flowers begin to be placed at the gates of Buckingham Palace and also Kensington Palace, where Diana and Charles lived together when they were married. Real footage of Charles Spencer, Diana’s brother, making a statement is shown and he condemns the paparazzi for her death, saying they are responsible. As he speaks, Blair’s chief speechwriter Alastair Campbell is on the phone with Tony and they watch it together. Alastair jokes that the Queen ‘greased the brakes’ of the car and Tony scoffs.

A late breakfast is interrupted with a call from Blair as he offers his condolences to the Queen and particularly, the Princes. Blair asks about the Queen’s intentions and is surprised to hear that no speech will be made by the royal family and that the Spencer family (Diana’s family) have opted for a private funeral. The scene cuts to more real footage of Blair attending Church with his family and he delivers a speech that is heartfelt, uniting the people in their shared grief for the ‘People’s Princess’.

Scene 3 Quotes

‘It would appear that every proprietor and editor of every publication that has paid for intrusive and exploitative photographs of her has blood on his hands today…’(Charles Spencer, Diana’s brother’s, speech to the press on the morning after Diana died) Scene 3

‘They liked her, they loved her, they regarded her as one of the people. She was the people’s princess, and that is how she will stay, how she will remain in our hearts and memories forever…’ (Tony Blair’s initial speech after Diana’s death, televised) Scene 3

Scene 4: Remembering Diana (24.52 – 32.40)

Charles makes his way to the hospital in Paris, getting ready to bring the body of Diana home. This intimate scene of him standing over the coffin is viewed through glass doors, once more we as an audience are being left on the outside to spectate the private grief of the family and those who knew her closely.

Lord Airlie, the Lord Chamberlain in charge of the funeral ceremony, is in contact with Blair and there’s a general consensus that a private funeral will not suffice; the public are in a state of mourning and he believes a more reactive measure is needed, meriting further discussion on the situation. As the casket is being removed from the aeroplane by a procession of armed guards, Charles approaches Blair and asks how he feels about the funeral. They find common ground, both agreeing on a ‘more modern perspective’.

Again, the royal family watch the proceedings from their lounge room at Balmoral – real televised footage of Bill Clinton, President of the United States of America at the time, and Nelson Mandela, President of the Republic of South Africa, are shown to be making heartfelt speeches about the loss and praising Diana’s humanitarian efforts in a global context.

Throughout the speeches, Philip remarks that the gillie (or ghillie), which is the Scottish Gaelic term for a man or boy who acts as an attendant on a hunting, fishing or deer stalking expedition primarily in the Highlands, have spotted a large 14-point imperial stag carousing the moorlands of the Balmoral Estate, which spans 50,000 acres.

The subheading reads Monday. More footage is shown as the bereft citizens of Britain continue to grieve for their Princess, they line up to pay tribute at the gates of the royal residences and the flowers, notes and a vigil of candles continue to amass. Real interviews are intertwined with footage of the castle gates, closed and with the palace empty.

Alastair Campbell returns from his meeting with Lord Airlie and others, a long ordeal where they had discussed the details of the funeral which has now been altered to a public event. Blair is practising a speech, emphasising the modernity he wishes for the nation, and every day the press praise his ability to read the ‘mood’ of the country but questions where their beloved monarch is hiding in this difficult time.

Scene 4 Quotes

‘What? So it’s OK for his mother to take the bullet, not him [Charles]? What a family.’ (Blair commenting on Charles’ behavior after Lamport has contacted him) Scene 4

‘It’s a family funeral, Mr. Blair. Not a fairground attraction. I think the Princess has already paid a high enough price for exposure to the press, don’t you?’ (The Queen to Blair) Scene 4