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

In the booth, Bertie checks the microphone and receives Lionel’s last reassurance as the broadcast begins.

Scene 90 of 100 · ≈ 2 min on screen · Act three

Bertie
Elizabeth
Lionel
Wood

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:23 into a 1:31 film

The story so farBefore scene 90

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.
Scenes 65–67
The accession speech fails, and Bertie feels the loss of private family closeness and confidence.
Scenes 68–78
Bertie returns to Logue, repairs their friendship, and claims the right to speak as a man and king.
Just before
Scene 87
Hardinge meets Lionel on the stairs and hands him the speech.
Scene 88
Bertie and Lionel rehearse the war address; Bertie panics, then begins the long walk toward the broadcast room.
Scene 89
In the state rooms, Bertie exchanges final words with Chamberlain and Churchill before Lionel guides him onward.
Scene 90
This scene

90INT. BROADCASTING BOOTH - DAY

The dreaded BBC microphone, in a surprisingly small room. It is arranged so Bertie can stand up as he speaks, the way Logue likes it. The ceiling has been lowered and it has been decorated in cheerful colours. As a podium for the speech an old school desk has been propped up on wooden blocks so it’s the right height for Bertie.

Logue immediately opens the window to get the air circulating.

Bertie says nothing, but goes up and inspects the looming microphone.

He spreads the fingers of one hand, touches the apparatus with the little finger, thumb to chin.

BERTIE

I am thistle sifter, I have a sieve

of sifted thistles and a sieve on

unsifted thistles..

ELIZABETH

Bertie, darling, make sure it’s not

switched on!

LIONEL

Remember the red light will blink

three times and then I’ve asked

them to turn it off, because we

don’t want that evil eye staring at

you all the way through.

ELIZABETH

I am sure you will be splendid.

WOOD

One minute, sir.

Elizabeth steps back with a wonderful smile as Wood closes the door, sealing Bertie and Logue in the booth.

BERTIE

No matter how this turns out, I

don’t know how to thank you for

what you’ve done.

LIONEL

Knighthood?

They smile.

WOOD (O.S.)

Twenty seconds.

LIONEL

Forget everything else and just say

it to me. Say it to me, as a

friend.

The red light in the booth flashes.