Victoria & Abdul Page #4

---

what happened earlier.

I really don't see why I have

to share your bathroom.

I shared a bed with my mother

until I became Queen.

I am 57 years old.

The Munshi has got

his own bathroom.

Yes, very fine bathroom.

Yes, yes!

Good night, Mama.

Good night, Mr. Bertie.

Bertie, make sure

you shut that door.

Abdul,

I have something for you.

To celebrate your first visit to

Florence and for becoming my munshi.

It is a locket.

With a picture of me.

How can I ever thank you,

Your Majesty?

Keep me safe.

Forever.

Oh, Abdul.

You will love Florence.

Such wonderful views.

QUEEN VICTORIA:

Isn't it glorious?

Albert loved it here.

He so admired the Medicis,

that they commissioned the

greatest artists of the day

in order to leave something

astonishing behind.

In India also,

we commission great artists.

Each emperor would bring

the greatest craftsmen

to make great glories

for their durbar room.

Durbar room?

Yes.

Every emperor

had a durbar room,

full of the finest

things known to man.

Well, I'm the Empress of India,

I should have a durbar room.

That's a wonderful idea,

Your Majesty.

But where

would you put it?

Oh, the Isle of Wight,

obviously.

Your Majesty,

Signor Puccini has arrived.

(SINGING)

(SHUSHING)

Oh!

Where did you say it

was from, Mr. Puccini?

From my new opera,

Your Majesty,

Manon Lescaut.

About two lovers who are

separated by the class divide.

But they run away together.

Oh, it sounds marvelous!

But she is imprisoned

for her love.

Oh...

But they escape.

Bravo!

But finally she dies,

and he is utterly bereft.

I'm not sure we do like

the sound of it after all.

We prefer comic opera.

Do you know any

Gilbert and Sullivan?

Perhaps Your Majesty

will sing us a song?

Please? Oh, no,

I couldn't possibly.

Of course, of course,

yes, Your Majesty!

No, really.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Oh, well.

Maybe just one.

(QUEEN VICTORIA CHUCKLES)

From Pinafore, Bertie?

Do I have to?

(PIANO PLAYING)

(SINGING)

I'm called Little Buttercup

Dear Little Buttercup

Though I could never tell why

But still I'm called Buttercup

Poor Little Buttercup

Sweet Little Buttercup, I

I've snuff and tobaccy

And excellent jacky

Of...

(QU EEN VICTORIA VOCALIZING)

I was taught by Mendelssohn,

you know?

(CHUCKLES)

To the Queen!

ALL:
To the Queen!

To me!

(LIGHT APPLAUSE)

(VOCALIZING)

(LAUGHING)

We shouldn't have had

so much champagne.

May I?

(CONTINUES VOCALIZING)

Oh, Abdul!

I haven't been as happy

as this for years.

When I first came to England,

I was terrified of you.

But you're a very kind lady.

You're a very

unique lady to me.

And you are very,

very unique to me, Abdul.

I know that you are

much older than me,

and

you are the

Queen of England,

and the Empress of India,

and I'm just

a humble munshi.

But I think

you are the most special

person in my whole life.

Even more special

than my wife.

Wife?

Yes.

You're married?

Of course.

Where is your wife?

In India.

Why didn't you tell me

you were married?

I didn't think it mattered.

Well, of course it matters.

It changes everything.

You must return to

India immediately.

And bring her back at once.

(SPEAKING URDU)

(SIGHS) Bloody hell.

He's coming!

(GASPS)

How terribly exciting.

It's Ali Baba!

Look at the size of him.

Where'd he get

those medals?

What the devil

is she wearing?

You can't even

see her face.

She looks rather splendid.

But you cannot actually

see her, Your Majesty.

I think it's rather

dignified.

Who the hell is that?

MOHAMMED:

Get the bags, boy.

MISS PHIPPS:

He's brought a serving boy.

Good God, another one!

How many has he got in there?

Ruddy sod's a bigamist.

I do hope they like their little cottage.

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

Your Majesty.

I hope it's not inconvenient.

I just thought

we'd pop round for tea.

This is my granddaughter,

Sophia, Queen of Greece.

And this is Grand Duchess

Sophie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.

And my daughter,

Princess Helena

Augusta Victoria

of Schleswig-Holstein-

Sonderburg-Augustenburg.

This is my wife,

Mrs. Karim.

And this is my

mother-in-law.

Your Majesty,

Sophia, Queen of Greece,

Grand Duchess Sophie

of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach,

Princess Helena

Augusta Victoria

of Schleswig-Holstein-

Sonderburg-Augustenburg,

I would like to take this

opportunity on behalf of myself,

my wife, and

my wife's mother

to thank Her Majesty

for accommodating us.

We are very grateful

for her infinite kindness

and interior decoration.

The gift of hospitality

and friendship to strangers

is of very high importance

in our culture.

And so we are honored to

repay it in our own small way.

What is ours is yours.

Quite literally.

Alhamdulilah.

QUEEN VICTORIA:

My dear Munshi,

we are so glad to have

you here, my children.

We have missed you enormously.

I can't wait to show

you the Durbar Room.

Children?

Ponsonby, you will have to do

something about this.

My dear Munshi,

I'm so glad you're back.

It's been dreadfully

dull without you.

And I'm so glad

to meet Mrs. Karim.

There is just one thing I've been

curious about the whole afternoon.

What does she look like

behind her veil?

You must see her.

Is that allowed?

You're a lady.

And the Empress of India.

Oh...

Well, where the bloody

hell's she going now?

Your Majesty.

(CHUCKLES)

Oh...

You really are beautiful.

(CHUCKLES)

LORD SALISBURY:
What on

Earth is a durbar room?

It's a celebration of all

things Indian, Prime Minister,

inspired by

the Mughal emperors.

But I don't understand.

Who gave her permission to

build this in the first place?

Don't blame me,

I was in Monte Carlo.

I'm afraid she's a law

unto herself, Prime Minister.

For God's sake!

She'll be wearing a burqa next.

Prime Minister,

you are late.

I'm terribly sorry,

Your Majesty.

Well, let us begin.

This, as you can see,

is the Indian corridor.

The Durbar Room was designed

by Mr. Bhai Ram Singh.

The place is

crawling with them.

We have commissioned a series of

portraits of eminent Indians.

This...

Princess Gowramma.

And this of course,

is the Munshi.

An honor to meet you,

Mr. Prime Minister, sir.

A good likeness,

don't you think?

I asked him to

take a few pounds off.

This is my wife,

Mr. Prime Minister, sir.

And that is my mother-in-law.

At least I think

that's the right way round.

(LAUGHS)

These are my servants,

Mohammed and Ahmed.

And this is the Durbar Room.

What the hell is

going on here, Ponsonby?

The carvings are

from Uttar Pradesh.

And the carpet was

woven in a jail in Agra.

Perfect, I think,

for the tableau.

But the pice de rsistance

is the Peacock Throne.

An exact copy

of the one at Agra.

And, of course, the Koh-i-noor.

Now I really do feel

like the Empress of India.

I thought she was

supposed to be dying.

It really is a remarkable addition

to the house, Your Majesty.

We have Abdul to

thank for the whole idea.

To celebrate the completion

of the Durbar Room,

a little surprise,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes