The King's Speech · written by David Seidler · 2010

At night, Bertie breaks down over state papers, the coronation, and the Christmas broadcast; Elizabeth accepts her future as queen.

Scene 67 of 100 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Bertie
Elizabeth

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:03 into a 1:31 film

The story so farBefore scene 67

Prince Albert seeks to overcome a lifelong stammer so he can serve his country, but his fear of public failure and the royal hierarchy obstruct his work with an unconventional speech therapist.

Scenes 1–11
Bertie lives within royal ceremony but cannot speak publicly and remains constrained by family roles.
Scenes 12–24
Elizabeth seeks a different treatment because Bertie must speak and conventional medicine has failed.
Scenes 25–30
Bertie enters Logue’s unfamiliar, egalitarian practice and finally commits to its daily work.
Scenes 31–58
He tests the exercises in public and private while family history and David’s crisis expose the cost of silence.
Scenes 59–64
David abdicates and Bertie receives the throne he never wanted.
Just before
Scene 64
Bertie waits outside the Accession Council chamber.
Scene 65
At the council, Bertie’s stammer returns and he cannot finish his first address as king.
Scene 66
Bertie’s daughters curtsey formally instead of running to him, making the new distance of his title painfully clear.
Scene 67
This scene

67INT. BERTIE’S STUDY, YORK HOUSE - NIGHT

Bertie valiantly tries to make sense of his new dispatch box filled with state papers, seated at his desk. It is late at night.

Elizabeth enters, in night clothes.

BERTIE

I’m trying to familiarise myself

with what a state paper looks like.

He picks up a series of papers.

BERTIE (CONT’D)

A despatch from Mr Baldwin which I

don’t understand a word of. David’s

finances. The Christmas broadcast -

I think that might be a mistake.

ELIZABETH

Don’t do it then.

BERTIE

Plans for the Coronation - I think

that’s an even bigger mistake. I’m

not a King. I’m a naval officer.

Its the only thing I know about.

And Bertie breaks down; fierce, wracking sobs.

Elizabeth speaks softly, with growing strength, having already accepted and adapted to the situation.

ELIZABETH

Dear, dear man... I refused your

first two marriage proposals, not

because I didn’t love you, but

because I couldn’t bear the royal

cage. Could bear the idea of a life

of tours and public duties, a life

that no longer was really to be my

own. Then I thought...he stammers

so beautifully...they’ll leave us

alone.

She takes his anguished face in her hands tenderly.

ELIZABETH (CONT’D)

But if I must be Queen, I intend be

a very good Queen. Queen to a very

great King indeed.