INT. WINDSOR. DRAWING ROOM. LATER. NIGHT.

Pitt, Dundas and Thurlow are with the now bandaged Prince of Wales. Several courtiers look on, including Maria Fitztherbert and Fitzroy.

PRINCE OF WALES   As heir to the throne, Mr Pitt, I know that His Majesty bears a heavy burden. I fear the time is coming, Mr Pitt, when it is a burden we shall be forced to share.

PITT   Sir.
He looks at Maria. She half-rises, is ready to go.

PRINCE OF WALES   No, no, Mrs Fitzherbert has our entire confidence.
Thurlow raises an eyebrow. Baker comes in.
Ah, Baker, how is the King?

BAKER   Still demented, sir, and the pulse is 104.

PRINCE OF WALES   Then he is not in command of his senses?

WARREN   Nor likely to be, if I may say so, sir.

PRINCE OF WALES   In that case, since His Majesty is not fit to look after himself, we must do so.
Pitt is alarmed.
In the future, you – Warren – will partner Baker as the King’s physician.

PITT   I must insist that this arrangement be subject to the approval of His Majesty’s ministers.

PRINCE OF WALES   Insist? Approval? A son’s concern for his sick father. What is the world coming to, Mr Pitt?

THURLOW   His Royal Highness is quite right. This is a family matter.

PRINCE OF WALES   Thank you, Lord Chancellor.

INT. WINDSOR. THE NURSERY. NIGHT.

The King, now more dishevelled than ever, leads a train of pages and equerries as he stumbles round the castle, followed by the Queen and Lady Pembroke.

KING   The children, the children!

QUEEN   The children are asleep, sir.
We see three or four of them, sleeping in a large bed.

KING   We must wake them. London is flooding. We must take the children and flee to higher ground. Save Amelia, Adolphus and little Octavius. Come, come, come …
He picks up Amelia.

QUEEN   Octavius is dead, sir.

KING   Who killed him? His brother, the Prince of Wales? Yes, he would kill me too, I know.
The King rushes outside, clutching Amelia and followed by the desperate Queen, Lady Pembroke and the pages.

INT. WINDSOR. STAIRCASE TO ROOF. NIGHT.

The King rushing up the staircase to the roof with Amelia.

KING   Hush, my baby. You’re safe with Papa. Papa loves you, only he doesn’t want you to get your feet wet, that’s all. Come, come. But Papa’s not mad, my darling. No, no. He has just lost himself, that’s all. Hurry, we must get to the roof. We’ll be safe up here, Amelia.

EXT. WINDSOR. ROOF. NIGHT.

They come out onto the roof. A surreal landscape of chimneys and castellations, windblown and lit by a full moon. As the Queen and the pages chase the King, they look like an army of lunatics.

QUEEN   Put her down, sir, you are talking.