PRINCE OF WALES   Sherry, what would happen if the King were ill? I mean gravely ill.

SHERIDAN   Your Royal Highness would have to be declared Regent.

DUKE OF YORK   Regent?

SHERIDAN   King in all but name.

PRINCE OF WALES   With all the powers?

FOX   Subject to Parliament.

PRINCE OF WALES   Charles, don’t quibble.

FOX   And certainly all the funds.

PRINCE OF WALES   Just think of it. Regent. (indicating Fox) Prime Minister!

FOX   America forgiven.

PRINCE OF WALES   London rebuilt.

FOX   Parliament reformed.

PRINCE OF WALES   A palace on Primrose Hill!

FOX   The slave trade abolished.

PRINCE OF WALES   (tetchily) Oh, yes, all that too.

FOX   Sir. Is he ill?

PRINCE OF WALES   (lamely) He’s not well.
General laughter.
I know, I know. One day. One day.

INT. WINDSOR. KING’S APARTMENTS. KING’S BEDROOM. DAWN

The King lies awake, the Queen sleeping beside him. Troubled, he gets up and wanders into his dressing room.

KING   It’s four o’clock. Where are you, sirs? What’s this? The King is unattended. Up with you, sirs. Braun! Fortnum! Papandiek!
Though he is hurrying and bustling about, as he continues to do throughout the scene, the King now has some difficulty with his legs.
Where are you, sirs?

INT. WINDSOR. PAGES’ CUPBOARD. DAWN

The King flings open the door of what seems like a cupboard in the wall of his bedroom and we see three or four bunks inside, the pages stacked in them. They begin to tumble out.

PAPANDIEK   What’s the matter, sir?

KING   The matter is, sir, that it is morning. That is the matter. Morning is the matter. Not being attended to is the matter.

PAPANDIEK   What is it, sir?

KING   And don’t mutter. Or mutter will be the matter.

PAPANDIEK   (trying to dress as he follows the King) What time is it, sir?
The King hurries through to the dressing room.

INT. WINDSOR. KING’S APARTMENTS. DRESSING ROOM. DAWN.

KING   What is that to you? The King is up. When the King is awake, you are awake. Four o’clock. Six hours’ sleep is enough for a man, seven for a woman, and eight for a fool.

FORTNUM   We’ve only had three. We didn’t go to bed till one.

KING   Is that insolence, sir?

FORTNUM   No, sir. Arithmetic.
The King tries to strike him.

KING   What’s your name?

FORTNUM   Fortnum, sir.

KING   Fetch me my breeches. Yours?

PAPANDIEK   You know my name, sir.

KING   Don’t tell me what I know and don’t know. What is it?

PAPANDIEK   Papandiek, sir. Arthur, sir.

KING   (peering at him) Is it Arthur?

PAPANDIEK   Yes, sir.

KING   And yours?

BRAUN   Braun, sir.

KING   And yours?

FORTNUM   (wearily) Fortnum, sir.

KING   Well, come on, boys, we’re missing the best of the day.

EXT. WINDSOR TERRACE. DAY.

The King hurries out onto the terrace, and then towards the park, followed by the pages.