A Royal Affair Page #3

A smallpox epidemic is not picky.

It kills both kings and queens.

As you very well know.

Your Majesty?

Mother, can we please leave?

Now we wait.

- Dear Struensee, come sit with us.

The inoculation was a success.

Thank you, God.

God has nothing to do with this.

How many lives

could your method save?

Most of them.

If it's done right.

Then what are we waiting for?

Are you mocking me?

- No. But I'm not the one to ask.

Her Highness proposes

that the Court administers -

an extensive smallpox inoculation

at the city's hospitals.

We looked into it,

but the expense

Say no more,

we have enough expenses as it is.

Inform Her Majesty that her proposal

will be considered at a later date.

What's this?

- Your Majesty?

"Anonymous."

"J.S."

Rantzau.

- Your Majesty.

Allow me to introduce

Madame Sophie Livernet.

Your Majesty, an honor.

- The light of my life.

Have you noticed how well

he behaves when he's with her?

She's only after his money.

Her family lost their entire fortune.

As long as he's happy.

Yes, men ignore reason when it comes

to beautiful young women.

'Le Morte d'Arthur'.

Have you read it? Thomas Malory.

I've heard of it.

King Arthur's knight, Sir Lancelot,

has an affair with Queen Guinevere.

The king finds out, orders them both

killed, and the kingdom falls apart.

You're a fool.

I like you a lot. I don't want

to mourn by your severed head.

Your Majesty.

- Don't get up.

I managed to slip away

from the ministers' wives.

Years of practice.

Do you think we'll ever be free?

The people, I mean.

Mankind.

Will your treasured Enlightenment -

free us from stupidity

and fear of divine punishment?

I think so

Yes.

Frederik's generation will be

the standard bearer for a new dawn.

So we should lie

on our deathbeds and rejoice -

as the new dawn

passes us by?

You will never see your brilliant ideas

carried out.

At Court I have

the authority of a mere maid.

And my husband?

He has the authority.

I don't think you realize how much

influence you have on Christian.

He trusts you unconditionally.

What will you dress up as

for the ball?

I'm going as a French court jester.

I shall talk like this.

Like a Frenchman.

All night.

Do you remember telling me that

everyone at Court thinks you're crazy?

That's funny.

- I don't think you are.

I think some people are so sealed

inside their fate that they hide -

deep within their mind.

You could be an amazing king,

Christian.

You could make a difference,

if you used your power in the Council.

I don't know about all that stuff.

I can't.

Of course, you can.

How?

By doing what you love the most.

Acting.

Just like in the theater. With lines

that have already been written.

Acting?

If it were up to you,

what would you change?

Honored members

of the Council.

No longer shall refined noble noses

be tainted with the city's stench.

No longer shall the people suffocate

in the reek of its own waste.

Your Majesty

- I

King Christian VII,

hereby declare war on sh*t.

I want to triple the number

of waste collectors on the streets.

Where will the money come from?

- I knew you would ask me that.

The money will be acquired

by cutting down on pensions -

for those who still have income

from their estates and therefore -

do not need a pension.

Fine, Your Majesty.

More waste collectors.

And Gourmand will be appointed

honorary member of the Council.

Struensee!

Your Majesty.

You recognized me.

- I would recognize you blindfolded.

But your costume

is not very imaginative.

I'm afraid I am not very good

at masquerades.

I believe this is the one night

when everyone can be themselves.

But you never remove your mask.

Do you?

Your Majesty.

Will you do me the honor?

Thank you!

Was that it?

Am I really such a dull dance partner?

I'm sure there are many

waiting to take my place.

Where have you been?

Hello, Christian.

- I had an idea.

What?

How about empty carriages

driving around the city -

picking up people who are

too drunk to find their way home?

Yes. Why not.

- Yes.

Will you read to us tonight, Mother?

No, I think I'll turn in early.

I am not asking you to understand

or forgive my actions -

- but for the first time in my life

I was happy.

"Must the poor unwanted children

be thrown in the gutter or killed?

No, I say.

There should be a

We thought we could have it all.

We were naive.

"A home where mothers can

- Nice and easy. Don't repeat it.

And I just had another idea.

I propose a law to the effect

For a while it felt like we could do

something. Bring about change.

Our group of freethinkers grew.

And so did our ideas.

It's still the same

- But Bernstorff, I think the law

No

- We talked about it.

But ultimately the Council

was too strong.

And the harder it became,

the more times he was rejected -

- the more despondent

Christian became.

I propose mandatory

smallpox inoculation for the people.

We've spoken about this.

There is no money.

Fine.

All our ideas are rejected before

Christian even opens his mouth.

What if you

had a seat in the Council?

Christian is all alone.

He needs someone to defend him.

I would certainly be elected.

Unanimously.

I'm serious.

It would give us a chance

against the wigs.

It's not as easy as

proposing waste collectors.

Bernstorff is getting old.

The ministers aren't

as loyal to him as they used to be.

What are you doing,

Doctor Struensee?

I'm not doing anything.

The King keeps proposing ideas

for the Council.

Smallpox Inoculation,

a home for unwanted children.

Practically rewarding women

for lechery.

Repulsive.

I'm worried about the nature

of his proposals. Their origin.

Inoculation was the Queen's idea.

She desperately wants to be seen

as the people's rescuing angel.

I think it's the German.

There are disturbing rumors

about Struensee, but I have no proof.

But your influence stretches

all the way to the colonies.

Permit me to be very direct,

Queen Dowager

I know of your ambitions for your son.

To have Christian act like

a true king is not in your best interest.

No matter who has his ear

They will never agree to it. Never!

- Perhaps they will.

We're talking about the Council

and 100-year-old laws.

Do you want someone there?

- Yes, you. I can't do it alone.

It makes no sense.

A doctor in the Council?

He is not an ordinary doctor,

I'm afraid.

We found anonymous writings in

Altona that we know are Struensee's.

What writings would that be?

- Thoughts on the rights of peasants.

A proposal to cut peasants'

mandatory work hours in half.

A proposal to revoke proprietors' right

to corporeally punish their peasants.

A fundamental questioning

of the idea of ownership of peasants.

Including serfdom

I'm not done!

Outlawing torture

in interrogation of criminals.

Limitation of Church influence

on public matters.

Speculations about

the stultifying nature of religion.

It's more than 100 pages long.

The King is letting himself be dictated

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