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Chapters (21)
  1. Cover
  2. Landing Page
  3. A Private Function
  4. CONTENTS
  5. INTRODUCTION
  6. The Old Crowd
  7. CAST
  8. A Private Function
  9. PREFACE
  10. CAST AND CREDITS
  11. Prick Up Your Ears
  12. PREFACE
  13. CAST AND CREDITS
  14. 102 Boulevard Haussmann
  15. CAST AND CREDITS
  16. The Madness of King George
  17. PREFACE
  18. CAST AND CREDITS
  19. About the Author
  20. Also by the Author
  21. Copyright

WILLIS   Your Majesty, I shall be in the cathedral, should the ceremony prove to be too much of a burden for you.
He has laid his hand on the King’s arm. The King looks at the Queen, whose eyes urge the King to dismiss Willis. A moment of suspense. Then the King looks at Willis’s hand, and Willis removes it.

KING   You may tell Dr Willis that the ceremony will not be such a burden as the want of ceremony has been. And do not look at me, sir. Presume not I am the thing I was. I am not the patient, sir. Be off with you, sir. Back to your sheep and your pigs. The King is himself again.
The King turns away. Willis puts on his hat, ready to leave. He does not look altogether unhappy. The Royal Family at the foot of the steps. They acknowledge the crowds, among whom, standing forlornly with the common herd, we see Maria Fitzherbert. The Prince of Wales, with an effort, ignores her. The King leads his family up the steps, all the time waving to the crowds.
We must try to be more a family. There are model farms now, model villages, even model factories. Well, we must be a model family for the nation to look to.

QUEEN   (to Duke of York) Yes. You must try to be more typical, Fred.

PRINCE OF WALES   But Pa, I want something to do.

KING   Do? Well, follow in my footsteps, that is what you should do. Smile at the people. Wave to them. Let them see we are happy! That is why we are here.
As a Handel anthem swells inside the cathedral, the Royal Family wave to the crowd. Willis is at the edge of the cheering crowd and even he takes his hat off to give a modest cheer before pushing his way back through the throng and past Maria Fitzherbert, who is trying hard to smile.
At the top of the steps the Royal Family smile and wave. Who could think they are not happy?
Alone in the shot George III takes off his hat and waves it to his people. His people wave back.
Before the credits there is a final caption:

THE COLOUR OF THE KING’S URINE SUGGESTS
HE WAS SUFFERING FROM PORPHYRIA,
A PHYSICAL ILLNESS THAT AFFECTS
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. THE DISEASE IS
PERIODIC, UNPREDICTABLE – AND HEREDITARY.

About the Author