The Queen Page #3

13.

INT. RITZ HOTEL - SAME TIME

The real ROYAL PARTY, meanwhile, walks briskly through an

underground corridor which leads to the back door of the

hotel..

EXT. RITZ HOTEL - BACK EXIT - SAME TIME

PAPARAZZI who were waiting at the back exit, speak to their

COLLEAGUES on their cell phones, and are about to jump on

their motorcycles to join them in the chase, when suddenly..

HENRI PAUL, PRINCESS DIANA, her BODYGUARD and DODI FAYED

emerge from a door, and climb into a waiting Mercedes. HENRI

PAUL turns to the PAPARAZZI..

PAUL:

(in French, we see subtitles)

Don’t bother following. You won’t

catch us.

The engine starts with a roar. The PAPARAZZI double-take, and

frantically shout into their phones to their COLLEAGUES.

‘Wait! They’ve come out at the back.’

EXT/INT. MERCEDES LIMOUSINE - NIGHT

The Mercedes pulls up at a traffic light.

ALL AROUND THEM:
the glare of Paparazzi motorcycles and

camera flashbulbs around the car. The Paparazzi call out in

French and Italian. They thump the window. It’s terrifying.

An explosion of flashing lights. Popping flashbulbs. The

traffic light turns amber. DODI barks at the DRIVER..

The DRIVER, a short squat man in glasses, (we do not see his

face), slams his foot down.

EXT. EXPRESSWAY - NIGHT

The car roars ahead, then speeds down into a tunnel, followed

by the PAPARAZZI MOTORCYCLES.

FADE TO BLACK:

EXT. BALMORAL CASTLE - NIGHT

The Scottish Highlands. To establish.

14.

The silhouette of a magnificent ten year old STAG stands on a

rock, and roars into the night.

INT. CRAIGOWEN LODGE - NIGHT

‘RRRRrrrinnnnggg’, the phone rings..

A SILHOUETTE fumbles for a light switch, and hits the light.

We immediately recognise the face. It’s JANVRIN, the Queen’s

deputy Private Secretary.

JANVRIN:

(into PHONE)

Robin Janvrin.

He listens, then his expression changes.

JANVRIN (cont’d)

What?

He checks the clock on the bedside table, waking rapidly now.

D:

eadly serious..

JANVRIN (cont’d)

Right. I see.

JANVRIN hangs up. Then urgently dials a number on the

telephone..

INT. CRAIGOWEN LODGE - NIGHT

JANVRIN (cont’d)

I’m going to need to speak to her

Majesty. Right away.

EXT. BALMORAL ESTATE - NIGHT

Still pulling on clothes, JANVRIN rushes on foot towards the

big house in the distance. Lights go on all over the darkened

castle.

INT. BALMORAL - STAIRCASE. NIGHT

JANVRIN and a middle-aged DRESSER, (half-asleep and still

rearranging her uniform), walk urgently up the stairs towards

the second floor corridor where the QUEEN’s bedroom is

located. They pass a PAGE on the way down..

JANVRIN:

Tell Sir Guy I’d like everyone in. As

soon as possible.

The PAGE nods. Departs.

15.

INT. QUEEN’S BEDCHAMBER - NIGHT

A knock on the door. The door opens, and the DRESSER’s voice

gently calls out..

DRESSER:

Ma’am?

The QUEEN stirs in her bed..

DRESSER:

Mr Janvrin is here to see you..

ELIZABETH:

Oh..

The QUEEN turns on the light. The DUKE of EDINBURGH flinches

in irritation, scrunching his eyes as they are blinded..

PRINCE PHILIP:

What the..?

INT. BALMORAL - CORRIDOR - NIGHT

The QUEEN emerges from her bedroom wearing an old-fashioned

dressing-gown, and clutching a hottie, (a velour-covered

Cosimax hot water bottle), to find ROBIN JANVRIN waiting..

JANVRIN:

Good evening, Ma’am. I’m sorry to

disturb..

He clears his throat..

JANVRIN:

I’ve just had a call from our Embassy

in Paris. It’s...the Princess of

Wales.

PRINCE PHILIP appears in the doorway. Irritable.

PRINCE PHILIP:

Why? What’s she done now?

INT. MYROBELLA - TRIMDON - TONY’S BEDROOM - NIGHT

“Rrrrrinng”, the phone rings. We’re in TONY BLAIR’s

constituency house in Trimdon, near Durham in northern

England.

‘Click’, TONY, in T-shirt, turns on the light. His face is

creased with sleep. He blinks..

16.

TONY:

What? How badly?

The figure of CHERIE stirs in the bed. Groans. TONY listens

to the voice at the other end..

TONY:

I see. Who are we speaking to there?

TONY:

Right.

(shell-shocked)

Keep me posted.

TONY hangs up. CHERIE turns..

TONY:

It’s Diana. She’s been in a car

accident. In Paris.

CHERIE:

Is it serious?

TONY:

Apparently Dodi Fayed is dead.

CHERIE:

What?

CHERIE’s face. Visibly shocked. TONY has switched on the TV

in the bedroom.

NEWSREADER:

Let’s just re-cap on what’s happened.

INT. BALMORAL - SITTING ROOM - NIGHT

The QUEEN is sitting with the DUKE OF EDINBURGH.

PRINCE PHILIP:

What was she doing in Paris?

ELIZABETH:

You know what she’s like.

The QUEEN flicks channels, peering over her glasses, trying

to catch the latest news on the television..

At that moment CHARLES enters the room. His face ravaged with

concern. It’s the first time the QUEEN has seen him since

news of the crisis..

17.

ELIZABETH:

It’s quite awful...

(wants to console CHARLES

but finds it easier to

say..)

What are you going to do about the

boys?

An awkward moment. Stifled..

CHARLES:

Let them sleep until we know more.

ELIZABETH:

Yes that’s sensible.

CHARLES:

I should go to Paris. I told my people

to start organising a jet.

ELIZABETH:

What? A private one?

CHARLES:

Yes.

ELIZABETH:

Isn’t that precisely the sort of

extravagance they attack us for?

CHARLES:

Well, how else am I going to get to

Paris at this time of night? The

airport at Aberdeen will be closed.

Presently, a voice from behind..

QUEEN MOTHER:

You can use the Royal Flight. They

keep one of the planes on permanent

stand-by.

(deadpans)

In case I kick the bucket.

ELIZABETH:

Out of the question. It’s not a matter

of State.

CHARLES:

What are you talking about?

ELIZABETH:

Diana is no longer an HRH, nor a

member of the Royal Family. This is a

private matter.

18.

CHARLES:

She’s mother to your grandchildren.

The QUEEN MOTHER sits on the sofa next to PRINCE PHILIP..

QUEEN MOTHER:

What’s the latest?

PRINCE PHILIP:

I don’t know. I can’t hear..

(indicates TELEVISION)

Everyone’s shouting!

CHARLES stares in disbelief. Exits the room..

INT. BALMORAL - JANVRIN’S OFFICE - NIGHT

A television plays in the corner..

TELEVISION:

..behind me, is the tunnel of the Pont

de l’Alma, which you reach by the

expressway along the Seine. It was

along here that the Mercedes carrying

the Princess..

JANVRIN’s SECRETARY hands over the phone..

SECRETARY:

The Ambassador, in Paris.

JANVRIN:

Good evening, Sir.

JANVRIN listens to what the person is saying at the other

end. His expression changes..

JANVRIN:

Right.

(ashen-faced)

I see.

INT. BALMORAL - 1ST FLOOR CORRIDOR - NIGHT

An ashen-faced JANVRIN walks along the corridor, reaches the

room where the ROYAL FAMILY is watching television.

He clears his throat, knocks on the door..

INT. BALMORAL - LARGE SITTING-ROOM - NIGHT

JANVRIN enters.

19.

JANVRIN:

I’ve just spoken to our Ambassador in

Paris, Ma’am.

All heads turn to face him..

JANVRIN (cont’d)

I’m afraid it’s not good news.

INT. BALMORAL - CHARLES’S STUDY - SAME TIME (AYRSHIRE)

PRINCE CHARLES’s face: he lets out a strangled cry, as he

hears the news..

CHARLES:

No!

CHARLES roars in pain and disbelief. His knuckles whiten..

CHARLES:

No, no, no, no..!

In the doorway:
STEPHEN LAMPORT, who has delivered the news,

can hardly bear to watch..

INT. BALMORAL - LARGE SITTING-ROOM - NIGHT

ON TV:
struggling in vain to hold onto his composure, a

BRITISH NEWSREADER relays the news, visibly in shock..

NEWSREADER:

We have just had confirmation, that

D:

iana, Princess of Wales..

(voice cracks)

..has died in Paris.

ELIZABETH, PRINCE PHILIP and THE QUEEN MOTHER all stare. A

tableau of shock.

A CNN ANCHOR breaks the news to a worldwide audience..

CNN ANCHOR:

“I’m afraid we have some bad news to

report..”

INT. MYROBELLA - NIGHT

The CNN ANCHOR continues on TV.

CNN ANCHOR:

“Diana, Princess of Wales, is dead.”

TONY BLAIR is watching on TV, sitting downstairs, having

thrown on some clothes. He speaks on the phone..

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