The Queen Page #2

7.

TONY:

The ‘Presence’?

EQUERRY:

Yes, Sir. That’s what it’s called,

when you’re in her Majesty’s company.

TONY turns, shoots a look at CHERIE, who sticks her fingers

down her throat. TONY smiles back..

The EQUERRY reaches a grand door, and knocks gently. Without

waiting for a reply, he enters..

CHERIE is left in the corridor. Alone. She stares at a

liveried FOOTMAN.

He stares back. No life behind his eyes. CHERIE takes a seat

on a chair. Eyes widen to herself.

INT. BUCKINGHAM PALACE - AUDIENCE ROOM - DAY

TONY and the EQUERRY enter, and gently bow their heads. The

EQUERRY then straightens, and announces..

EQUERRY:

Mr Blair, your Majesty.

The QUEEN extends her hand. TONY walks forward, and shakes

it. The EQUERRY leaves. The door is then closed.

ELIZABETH:

Congratulations.

TONY:

Thank you, Ma’am.

ELIZABETH:

Your children must be very proud.

TONY:

I hope so.

ELIZABETH:

You’ve three, haven’t you?

TONY:

That’s right.

ELIZABETH:

How lovely. Such a blessing. Children.

The QUEEN and TONY take their seats..

ELIZABETH:

So..Have we shown you how to start a

nuclear war yet?

8.

TONY:

(thrown)

No.

ELIZABETH:

First thing we do, I believe.

(a beat)

Then we take your passport and spend

the rest of the time sending you

around the world.

TONY:

You obviously know my job better than

I do.

ELIZABETH:

Well, you are my tenth Prime Minister,

Mr Blair. I’d like to think there

weren’t too many surprises left. My

first was Winston Churchill. He sat in

your chair, in frock coat and top hat,

and was kind enough to give a shy

y

oung girl like me quite an education.

TONY:

I can imagine.

ELIZABETH:

With time, one has hopefully added

experience to that education, and a

little wisdom - better enabling us to

execute our constitutional

responsibility.

(a pointed addition)

To advise, guide and warn the

government of the day.

TONY:

Advice which I look forward to

receiving.

ELIZABETH:

Well, we will save that for our weekly

meetings.

(a beat)

Now, if there’s nothing else, I

believe we have some business to

attend to..

TONY stares, then clicks..

TONY:

Of course..

He falls, rather extravagantly, on bended knee. The

supplicant position of deference...

9.

TONY:

Your Majesty, the country has

spoken...and I come now to ask your

permiss.

.

ELIZABETH:

(interjecting)

No, no, no. It’s usual for ME to ask

the questions.

TONY winces. Wishes the ground would swallow him up.

ELIZABETH:

Mr Blair, the people have elected you

to be their leader. And so the duty

falls on me, as your Sovereign, to ask

you to become Prime Minister, and form

a government in my name.

TONY stares. Lost for words. Then..

ELIZABETH:

Generally, this is where you say

‘yes.’

TONY:

‘Yes’.

The QUEEN extends her hand, which TONY kisses. She withdraws

it again - quite sharply, then DISCREETLY PRESSES A BUZZER by

her chair indicating the ceremony is over. The EQUERRY opens

a door, and CHERIE is invited inside.

ELIZABETH (cont’d)

How nice to see you again, Mrs Blair.

CHERIE curtseys awkwardly, reluctantly, shallowly..

ELIZABETH (cont’d)

You must be very proud.

CHERIE:

Yes.

ELIZABETH:

And exhausted, I imagine. Where will

you be spending the summer?

CHERIE:

France.

ELIZABETH:

How lovely.

TONY:

You’ll be in Balmoral, I expect.

10.

ELIZABETH:

Yes, I can hardly wait. Wonderful

place.

The QUEEN indicates a portrait of QUEEN VICTORIA..

ELIZABETH:

My great, great grandmother said of it

- “In Balmoral all seems to breathe

freedom and peace and to make one

forget the world and its sad

turmoils.”

At that moment, the doors open, and JANVRIN enters, and

whispers urgently in the QUEEN’s ear. The QUEEN’s face

changes as she listens.

ELIZABETH (cont’d)

Really..?

Her expression changes. She frostily turns to the BLAIRS..

ELIZABETH (cont’d)

I’m afraid we’re going to have to

leave it there.

With that the QUEEN shakes TONY’s hand. TONY and CHERIE

awkwardly back out of the royal presence, leaving The QUEEN

and JANVRIN.

ELIZABETH:

Not too short, was it? I gave him

fifteen minutes.

(a beat)

One doesn’t want to be rude.

INT. BUCKINGHAM PALACE - CORRIDOR - DAY

TONY and CHERIE walk down a corridor. CHERIE whispers under

her breath..

CHERIE:

(mimics QUEEN’s manner)

“Thank you so much for coming. Now

bugger off.”

TONY:

I know. What was all that about?

CHERIE:

Diana. Apparently she’s got a new

boyfriend.

11.

ARCHIVE TELEVISION NEWS FOOTAGE

Of PRINCESS DIANA walking hand in hand with a dark-haired MAN

in his late thirties..

CNN NEWSREADER:

Dodi Al-Fayed is the son of Egyptian

millionaire Mohammed Al-Fayed, a man

whom the English establishment has

repeatedly denied a British passport..

TELEVISION NEWS FOOTAGE

DIANA and DODI kissing and canoodling on board the yacht

‘Jonikal’..

GERMAN NEWSREADER

The Princess and Mr Fayed were hugging

and kissing in full view of the

world’s press yesterday..

TELEVISION NEWS FOOTAGE

DIANA and DODI on the yacht on their last holiday together..

FRENCH NEWSREADER

..the couple then left for Paris. At

one point, the Princess told gathered

reporters to watch out. Her next move

would really surprise them...

CUT TO:

EXT. RITZ HOTEL - NIGHT

PAPARAZZI are assembled outside the hotel. A few SPECTATORS

too.

CAPTION:
“RITZ HOTEL, PARIS. 31 AUGUST, 1997”.

Various NEWS REPORTERS are also broadcasting...

FRENCH REPORTER:

(in French)

..the Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed

returned to Paris earlier today..

GERMAN REPORTER:

..where they visited a local jewellery

shop where unconfirmed reports

suggested Mr Fayed had been looking at

engagement rings..

12.

INT. RITZ HOTEL - NIGHT

CCTV FOOTAGE:
the unmistakable blonde hair of the PRINCESS of

WALES as she enters the Ritz Hotel through revolving doors.

E:

XT. RITZ HOTEL - NIGHT

A German REPORTER continues..

GERMAN REPORTER:

(in German)

...they have now been inside the hotel

for more than two hours. We believe

they have been dining in a suite on

the fifth floor..

Presently a ripple of activity: DOORMEN furtively speak into

walkie-talkies. Growing anticipation in the CROWD..

An AMERICAN REPORTER turns to his camera..

AMERICAN REPORTER

We’ve just been told the Princess is

about to come out of the hotel..

PAPARAZZI jostle roughly for position, and raise their

cameras as the doors open, and a BLACK MERCEDES slides into

position.

INT. RITZ HOTEL - SAME TIME

Elsewhere in the hotel..

The real DIANA, her BODYGUARD, DODI FAYED, and HENRI PAUL

leave the public part of the hotel, and walk down a flight of

stairs..

EXT. RITZ HOTEL - FRONT ENTRANCE - NIGHT

Pandemonium breaks out as BODYGUARDS emerge from the hotel.

E:

ngines roar into life of the decoy black Mercedes.

Doors slam. The CROWD surges. An explosion of flashlights.

Tyres burn. The squeal of rubber as the MERCEDES pulls off.

Swarms of PAPARAZZI give chase, kick-starting their

motorcycles, speaking into cell-phones to their COLLEAGUES..

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