Mrs Brown Page #2

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from me...

if her husband was here today,

he'd have her outta the house...

and gettin'

some air into her.

What the hell's the point

of me bein' here otherwise?

Go inside at once.

Is that the Queen's request?

Yes. It most certainly is.

[Clicks Tongue]

- [Horse Neighing, Whinnying]

- Mr Brown?

Yes, ma'am?

You have been told repeatedly

not to stand in the courtyard...

unless requested to do so.

Yes, ma'am.

Then why do you persist

in doing it?

Because I believe

Her Majesty's wrong.

If ever a poor soul

needed some fresh air, it's her.

The Queen will ride out

if and when she chooses.

And I intend to be there

when she's ready.

Prince Albert was going

to build a bench here.

He thought it one

of the best views in Osborne.

Aye, it's a fine spot, ma'am.

He thought so, yes.

In everything I do

and everything I say,

I try to think

as much as possible...

what he would do or say

if he were here now.

My private secretary wishes me

to return to public duties.

If Prince Albert was here,

he'd tell him a thing or two.

Sir Henry's not alone.

They all wish it.

The same people who refused to grant

my husband the title of "King"...

because he was deemed

of insufficient rank.

I have some letters in my saddlebag.

I'd like to read them.

I cannot read them

like that.

You will hand them to me

as I require.

[Chattering]

[Chattering Stops]

Mr Carter, the head butler,

sits there.

Not any more he doesn't.

This is my place.

- By whose authority?

- My own.

The order of seating

at the upper servants' table...

is arranged personally

by the Queen herself.

Now that's a tautology, lad.

If you say the Queen

has arranged something,

there's no need to say

she's done it personally.

It's understood.

- [Murmuring]

- [Man] Thank you.

And you're the Queen's dresser,

I believe.

Assistant, sir. Yes.

- What's your name?

- Mary Taylor, sir.

Have I seen you

up at Balmoral, Mary?

I hope to go up next year.

Tell me, Mary. What is the Queen

reading for recreation these days?

Lord Tennyson, sir.

[Murmuring Stops]

Ah!

Am I the only one eating?

Lord Clarendon arrives

by invitation at 11:00,

followed at 12:
00 by a picnic

on the grounds to celebrate

Princess Alice's birthday.

The chancellor writes to say

that by happy coincidence,

he will be in Cowes

this weekend,

and he asks if Your Majesty

might grant him an audience.

Why?

He thought, perhaps, Your Majesty

might wish to be informed...

of the latest developments

in government.

No, I shall be out walking.

Then, perhaps, Your Majesty

might consider it opportune...

if the Prince of Wales

were to meet him on your behalf.

On no account.

Mama, I really do think it's time

we made ourselves a little more...

[Clears Throat]

available.

I think

we must accept...

that our position in the country

is not entirely unrelated...

to the continued absence

of the monarchy from public life.

I thought, perhaps, we might consider

a small gesture of some kind.

- Gesture?

- I thought a dinner

for our ambassadors, perhaps.

No dinners, Bertie.

Why are you dressed for outdoors?

- It's so infernally cold in here.

- Cold is good.

Is that not so,

Dr Jenner?

[Gasping]

Uh, I'm sorry, ma'am.

- Cold is good!

- Oh, excellent, ma'am. Excellent.

But perhaps if Her Majesty...

were to consider accompanying

her newfound physical vigour...

with the benefits

of mental activity.

Why am I being lectured

in this way?

- Oh, forgive me, Your Majesty.

- I will not tolerate

anybody lecturing me...

- about the responsibility of monarchy.

- Mother.

Least of all my son!

It was his irresponsibility

that drove my husband to his grave!

If it is inconvenient

to Her Majesty,

then perhaps she might consider

allowing the Prince of Wales...

Would you believe they sent me

so many boxes to taunt me?

Dr Jenner writes that my nerves are

in an extremely fragile state,

and yet they continue to

hound me with box after box...

after box after box

after box.

[Sighing]

I wish to take the princesses

for a swim.

The turns I have been taking

in the grounds have proved

most beneficial to me,

and Brown thinks saltwater

will do me good.

Don't putter, children. Swim!

You could buy that lot

for garden ornaments...

and still get change

from ten guineas.

Lift your foot, woman!

[Brown] Walk on.

[Clicks Tongue]

[Man]

This nation is fortunate...

insomuch as it is not governed

by force...

but by a chain of traditions...

that have been cherished

from generation to generation.

Because in them...

in our traditions...

are embodied all the laws that have

enabled us to create...

the greatest empire

of modern time!

[Cheering]

And even though

we have amassed great capital,

and even though

we have established an industry...

with no parallel

in the world.

Yet all these

mighty creations...

are as nothing...

compared to

the invisible customs...

which shape our lives.

[Cheering]

To those honourable gentlemen of

the opposition that seek to destroy...

the essential elements

of this country...

I say,

let them remember...

England cannot begin again!

[Shouting]

Have you seen this?

Should we

take it seriously?

- The cartoon,

or Her Majesty's absenteeism?

- Well, both.

The question is:

Do we need her?

- Congratulations.

- Too kind. Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Surely you're not suggesting

we dispense with the Constitution?

My dear Stanley, a prime minister

with only a handful of friends...

must respect

public opinion.

- Congratulations, Prime Minister.

- Thank you.

Gossip counts.

Lord Aberdeen was right.

This country is not governed

by wisdom but by talk.

Oh, granted,

it wouldn't take too much...

to winkle the old girl

out of mourning,

but if public opinion

is against her,

it doesn't do

to appear too close.

- So?

- We'll see which way the wind blows.

[Whooping]

[Shouting]

My heart's

in the Highlands!

My heart is not here!

My heart's in the Highlands,

chasing the deer!

One box of biscuits, one box

of drop tablets. one box of pralines,

It's the same order every week. Does one

of them even bother to check it?

The woman's goin'

to Balmoral tomorrow...

without the one wee luxury

she actually enjoys.

Look, someone'll

send it on ahead.

Oh, aye,

but will they?

It's not your problem,

what she eats, John.

The woman's surrounded

by fools.

She's supposed to be packed,

dressed and ready...

tomorrow mornin',

half past 7:
00.

If it's up to any of them, she'll

still be gettin' dressed at 8:00.

She's got an army of people

to get her up and out.

But I'm the only one

she trusts.

She'll blow hot and cold on you,

John. She always does.

- You ought to be careful.

- I get 90 pounds a year.

Plus another 70 for a pile

of old tartan I'd be wearin' anyway.

That's as much as a page

of the back stair gets,

and that's a job for toffs.

## [Bagpipes Playing]

I'm Her Majesty's

Highland servant!

Indoors and out.

There's no stoppin' me now.

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