Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen (2022) Movie Script
Cameras have always been
a part of our lives.
I think there's a difference
to watching a home movie
when you know who it is on
the other side of the lens,
holding the camera.
It adds to the sense of intimacy.
Like many families,
my parents wanted to keep a record
of our precious moments together.
And when it was our turn,
with our own family,
we did the same.
I always enjoyed capturing
family moments.
Private photos can often show
the fun behind the formality.
I expect just about every family
has a collection of
photographs or films
that were once regularly looked at
to recall precious moments,
but which over time are replaced
by newer images
and more recent memories.
You always hope that future
generations
will find them interesting,
and perhaps be surprised
that you, too, were young once.
To look back is not necessarily
to be nostalgic.
Winston Churchill,
my first Prime Minister,
said that,
"The further backward you look,
"the further forward you can see."
I remember my own childhood.
My mother always gave me support
and encouragement.
She had an infectious zest
for living...
..and an extraordinary capacity
to bring happiness into other
people's lives.
My father served in the Royal Navy
during the First World War.
He was a midshipman
in HMS Collingwood
at the Battle of Jutland in 1916.
The British fleet lost 14 ships
and 6,000 men in that engagement.
He wrote in a letter,
"How and why we were not hit
beats me."
BELL TOLLS
Like others,
he lost friends in the War,
but, of course, we would not grieve
if we did not love.
In my experience,
the positive value of
a happy family
is one of the factors of human
existence that has not changed.
Faith, family and friendship
have been not only
a constant for me,
but a source of personal comfort
and reassurance.
My grandfather couldn't have known
what was in store
for his grandchildren.
Yet his faith in the future gave him
a quiet confidence
that the stern tests
would be overcome.
GEORGE V: I look forward to the
future with faith and hope.
It is to the young
that the future belongs,
and when the time comes,
be ready and proud
to give to your country
the service of your work,
your mind and your heart.
NEWSREEL: Within eight months of
the Silver Jubilee,
King George lay dead.
King George V, greatly loved
and gratefully remembered.
I have lived long enough
to know that things never remain
quite the same for very long.
No-one can make
history stand still.
Events and situations change
with startling speed.
EDWARD VIII: I have found it
impossible to carry the heavy burden
of responsibility and to discharge
my duties as King
without the help
and support of the woman I love.
This decision has been made less
difficult to me
by the sure knowledge
that my brother,
with his fine qualities,
will be able to take my
place forthwith.
And he has one matchless blessing,
enjoyed by so many of you
and not bestowed on me -
a happy home,
with his wife and children.
God bless you all.
God save the King.
CHEERING
I remember my father making
me write down
what I remembered
about his Coronation.
It was very valuable.
ACTOR READS: We crouched
in the window,
looking onto a cold, misty morning.
We did not eat very much
as we were too excited.
NEWSREEL: Happy, excited crowds,
raining though it may be.
The police are having trouble
to keep the route clear.
Millions cheering themselves hoarse
this glorious Coronation day.
I cannot find words
with which to thank you
for your love and loyalty
to the Queen and myself.
If, in the coming years,
I can show my gratitude
in service to you,
that is the way, above all others,
that I should choose.
NEWSREEL: Those eight
magnificent greys
drawing on that almost
unbelievable state coach,
with Their Majesties
the King and Queen.
YOUNG ELIZABETH:
There are long periods
when life seems
a small, dull round...
..and then, suddenly,
we are caught up in some great event
which gives us a glimpse of the
solid and durable foundations
of our existence.
NEWSREEL: The members of the royal
family take their places.
The Princesses Elizabeth
and Margaret Rose.
Princess Elizabeth,
who is now heir to the throne.
I thought it all very,
very wonderful
and, I expect, the Abbey did too,
as Papa was crowned.
ALL: God save the King.
God save the King.
God save the King.
At the end, the service got rather
boring, as it was all prayers.
Grannie and I were looking to see
how many more pages to the end.
At the bottom of the page,
it said "Finis".
We both smiled at each other
and turned back to the service.
GEORGE VI: The Queen and I
will always keep in our hearts
the inspiration of this day.
I thank you from my heart,
and may God bless you all.
Balmoral is a place one looks
forward to very much.
I think that it has
an atmosphere of its own.
Families so often treasure
their routines
and embrace the roles,
traditions and values
that mean so much to us.
I see it in my own family,
and it is a source
of great happiness.
GEORGE VI: Europe is now
profoundly troubled.
I would end with
a special word of greeting
to those of my listeners
who are young...
..that the skies are overcast
in more than one quarter
at the present time.
Do not lose heart.
Life is a great adventure.
The key to all true progress
lies in faith, hope and love.
NEWSREEL: There are two aspects
of novelty
about the King's camp this year.
First, it was held in Scotland,
where the King himself is on
holiday,
and second, His Majesty
visited the camp
accompanied by the Queen
and the Princesses.
In this camp,
composed of an equal number
of working lads
and public schoolboys,
the same spirit
of comradeship prevailed,
and His Majesty sampled
all the amusements.
Of course, the amateur
cameras were very busy.
ALL SING
People matter.
And it is our relationship
with one another
that is most important.
What people are, and what people do,
does make all the difference.
The joint efforts of individuals
can defeat the evils of our time.
NEWSREEL: The King returns
to London.
Hitler and Stalin sign their pact.
On the fateful first Sunday
in September, Parliament meets
and the world knows
that Britain is at war.
At home,
we settle down to a new life.
All parents would like
their children
to grow up in peace
and tranquillity.
But for most of this century,
the people of this world
have had to live through bewildering
changes and upheavals.
Darling Grannie,
we have been very busy
knitting lately.
We made a blanket for
the evacuees,
also some jumpers and stockings.
I do hope we will not get
any air raids.
Hitler is a horrid man.
Let us hope that this war
will not last long.
Some cultures believe
a long life brings wisdom.
I'd like to think so.
Perhaps part of that wisdom
is to recognise some
of life's baffling paradoxes.
Such as the way human beings
have a huge propensity for good
and yet a capacity for evil.
NEWSREEL: Germany's wild attack
becomes more savage every hour.
AIR-RAID SIREN
Down swoop their bombers
on undefended towns,
down upon women and children.
The outlook seemed bleak.
GEORGE VI: The decisive
struggle is now upon us.
The issue is now plain.
It is life or death for us all.
For the very first broadcast I made,
helped by my sister,
we spoke to children who had been
evacuated from their homes
and sent away for their own safety.
YOUNG ELIZABETH: My sister, Margaret
Rose, and I feel so much for you,
as we know from experience
what it means
to be away from those we love
most of all.
My sister is by my side
and we are both
going to say goodnight to you.
Come on, Margaret.
Goodnight, children.
Goodnight and good luck to you all.
Darling Grannie,
I am so glad you liked
the broadcast.
Everyone has been saying
how like my voice is to Mummy's.
We have all-night air-raid warnings
every night
and the guns go occasionally,
and they make a very big noise.
The War affected everyone...
..and no-one was immune
from its impact.
NEWSREEL: From the humblest
dwellings of the poorest people
to Buckingham Palace,
this was the effect of
a time bomb that exploded
in the grounds
of the King's London home.
It fell close to
the King's sitting room.
Truly, this is a war of all
the people.
Darling Grannie,
poor old Buckingham Palace
looks very sad, with no windows
and bits here and there
gone completely.
ARCHIVE: When firebombs fell
on and around the Palace,
the home of our beloved sovereign
and his consort is again damaged.
Buckingham Palace for the third time
is hit by Nazi bombs.
We thank God that Their Majesties
were unhurt.
The news of the war
has been very bad lately.
But we will never give in.
Your very loving granddaughter,
Lilibet.
It is not enough
simply to do our jobs.
Service demands sacrifice.
ARCHIVE: We mourn the passing
of the King's younger brother,
who lost his life on active service.
The Duke, who was an airman
in his own right,
had undertaken duties concerning
the welfare of RAF personnel
and was on his way to Iceland
when the crash occurred.
Many people have had to cope
with family loss...
..sometimes in the most tragic
of circumstances.
Darling Grannie,
it was so very sad
about poor Uncle George.
His death was such an awful shock
and we will all miss him
a great deal.
He was always so very kind to us.
We sometimes think
the world's problems are so big
that we can do little to help.
On our own, we cannot end wars
or wipe out injustice.
But the cumulative impact of
thousands of small acts of goodness
can be bigger than we imagine.
ARCHIVE: The King and Queen
were setting an example
of untiring devotion. The King,
heartened by periodic visits
to all those fighting services
of the Empire,
of which he is Commander-in-chief.
By his visits to his forces,
my father brought encouragement
to those who had long been parted
from their homes and families.
He was the living symbol
of our steadfastness.
He never wavered in his faith
that, with God's help,
the cause of freedom would prevail.
In a broadcast to the nation,
my father said,
"What is demanded from us all
"is something more than
courage and endurance."
GEORGE VI: We need
a revival of spirit,
a new, unconquerable resolve.
I remember waiting for
the Prime Minister's announcement
of the end of the war in Europe.
CHURCHILL: Hostilities
will end officially
at one minute after midnight
tonight, Tuesday the 8th of May.
We may allow ourselves
a brief period of rejoicing.
We kept faith
that the cause was right,
and this belief carried us through.
Never give up, never despair -
that was the message of VE Day.
I vividly remember
the jubilant scenes
my sister and I witnessed with
our parents and Winston Churchill
from the balcony
of Buckingham Palace.
The sense of joy in the crowds
who'd gathered outside
and across the country
was profound.
My sister and I realised we couldn't
see what the crowds were enjoying,
so we asked my parents if we could
go out and see for ourselves.
I remember we were terrified
of being recognised.
I pulled my uniform cap
well down over my eyes.
We walked miles through the streets.
I remember lines of unknown people,
linking arms
and walking down Whitehall,
all of us just swept along
on a tide of happiness and relief.
I think it was one of the most
memorable nights of my life.
My father expressed undiminished
hope and trust in the future.
GEORGE VI: Have faith
in life at its best
and bring to it your courage,
your hopes
and your sense of humour.
Let us have no fear of the future
but think of it
as opportunity and adventure.
ARCHIVE: No official announcement
of the Princess' engagement had
yet been made.
The name of
Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten,
formerly Prince Philip of Greece,
has been repeatedly mentioned
throughout the world.
To inquiries about her engagement,
the Princess said,
"You must wait and see."
Thousands of cheering people
wish Godspeed to
the royal family as they arrive
for the beginning of their
South African journey
and, for the Princess,
the beginning of
the biggest adventure of her life,
for she has never been
abroad before.
For anyone else, this would be a
holiday, but she is the future Queen
on the eve of her 21st birthday,
and she has exacting duties
ahead of her.
I and all my family have always felt
that one of
our most important duties is
to express in our visits overseas
the goodwill of our country towards
friends abroad, near and far.
My sister and I were very glad
to have been able
to accompany our parents.
Before our eyes,
history is being made.
His Majesty King George VI is the
first reigning monarch of England
ever to set foot
on South African soil.
CHEERING
My first and highly memorable
experience of South Africa
was in 1947.
You can imagine how vivid
the contrasts between that visit
and my next were,
nearly half a century later.
ARCHIVE: After the Royal Family's
reception in Cape Town,
they embarked on
an extensive tour inland.
We share the same world...
..but we do not share
the same opportunities.
A tolerant society actively develops
the people who belong to it
and enriches their lives
because it values their diversity.
The most important contact
between nations is usually
contact between its peoples.
The Princess's attendance
was a prelude to
a big moment in her life,
her dedication to
the service of
the British Commonwealth,
made on her birthday in Cape Town
and broadcast to
a worldwide audience.
Darling Grannie, I'm now preparing
for my Empire broadcast
on my birthday, which is
rather a terrifying prospect.
ARCHIVE: The royal family went
to the lovely Natal National Park
for a few days' well-earned rest
away from the cheering crowds,
with not a single camera
to disturb them.
Africa has a unique place
in my affections.
I remember
my own lifelong commitment,
made in 1947, at the age of 21.
YOUNG ELIZABETH: I declare before
you all that my whole life,
whether it be long or short,
shall be devoted to your service
and to the service
of our great Imperial family,
to which we all belong.
I know that your support
will be unfailingly given.
God help me to make good my vow,
and God bless all of you
who are willing to share in it.
Although that vow was made
in my salad days,
when I was green in judgment...
..I do not regret nor retract
one word of it.
CHEERING
CHURCH BELLS RING OU ARCHIVE: The day is
November 20th, 1947.
The time, 11 o'clock.
A nation and a world watch.
If I'm asked today
what I think about family life
after years of marriage,
I can answer
with simplicity and conviction.
I'm for it.
ARCHIVE: Once only in 1,100 years
of British kingship
has there been such a day -
an heiress presumptive to
the throne marries
the man of her choice.
This relationship between two
people, however deep at the time,
needs to develop and mature
with the passing years.
CHURCH BELLS RING OU For that, it must be held firm...
..in the web
of family relationships.
He has quite simply been my strength
and stay all these years.
CROWD CHANTING OUTSIDE
CHEERING
Joy and sadness
are part of all our lives.
Indeed, the poet William Blake
tells us,
"Joy and woe are woven fine
"A clothing for the soul divine
"Under every grief and pine
"Runs a joy with silken twine."
His sense of service
intellectual curiosity
and capacity to squeeze fun
out of any situation
were all irrepressible.
That mischievous, inquiring twinkle
was as bright at the end
as when I first set eyes on him.
ARCHIVE: An excited crowd
outside the Palace.
Her Royal Highness
Princess Elizabeth
was safely delivered of
a prince at 9:14pm.
The boy born to be King.
The Prince has arrived.
For parents, a birth
is time for reflection
on what the future holds
for the baby...
..and how they can best ensure
its safety and happiness.
ARCHIVE: Princess Elizabeth
and Prince Philip
spend a happy afternoon
with the world's most famous baby.
These are the first newsreel
pictures taken since his christening
of Prince Charles,
now eight months old,
as he will undoubtedly become
the most photographed child
in the world.
The birth of a baby
brings great happiness.
But then the business
of growing up begins.
It is a process that starts
within the protection
and care of parents
and other members of the family,
including the older generation.
As with any team, there is
strength in combination.
What grandparent does not wish for
the best possible upbringing
for their grandchildren?
ARCHIVE: The whole nation
rejoices at the good news
for which it has been waiting.
To the Princess, a daughter is born.
Often, a child's helplessness
and vulnerability
brings out the best in us.
Each one of us has a primary
and personal responsibility
for our own children,
the children entrusted to our care
and for all the children
in our own communities.
My father watched his grandchildren
take their first steps.
And he knew that all the sacrifices
and anxiety of the dark days
of the war had been worthwhile.
ARCHIVE: The King became unwell
on May the 24th.
A further announcement on June 4th
said that the King,
on the advice of his doctors,
had reluctantly decided
to cancel all his public engagements
for at least four weeks.
The King's doctors had advised
a prolonged convalescence.
Good health is a precious gift.
There is a traditional proverb
which says,
"He who has health has hope,
"and he who has hope
has everything."
It is in times
of stress and difficulty
that we most need to remember
that in the end,
we all depend upon each other,
and that we are therefore
responsible for each other.
FANFARE AND CHEERING
NEWSREEL: Many Londoners gathered
at the approach to Buckingham Palace
to see Their Majesties leave
for their summer holiday.
After staying at Royal Lodge,
Windsor, and Sandringham,
the King went to Balmoral Castle
on August the 2nd.
The crowd,
like the rest of his subjects,
hoped that the King would continue
to make good progress
towards complete recovery.
In times of doubt and anxiety,
the attitudes people show
in their daily lives
are of supreme importance.
The comradeship of adversity
brings out the best in us.
NEWSREEL: His Majesty
returned to London,
his holiday at Balmoral cut short
on the advice of his doctors.
The King suddenly returned
to Buckingham Palace for
an immediate lung operation.
NEWSREEL: A royal Princess flew
across the sea to Canada.
14 million loyal subjects waited
to greet the daughter
of their beloved monarch,
His Majesty King George VI.
Service and duty are not just
the guiding principles
of yesteryear.
They have an enduring value
which spans the generations.
As Princess Elizabeth and the Duke
of Edinburgh set foot in Canada,
the eyes and ears
of press, film and radio
record the welcome
for people far away.
We made personal contact
on behalf of the King
with Canadians of all walks of life,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
In the thousands
of miles we travelled,
we saw many aspects
of Canada and Canadian life.
PHILIP: No two marriages
are quite alike.
However, I think that
the main lesson that we've learnt
is that tolerance is
the one essential ingredient
of any happy marriage.
By trial and experience,
I believe we have achieved
a sensible division of labour
and a good balance between our
individual and joint interests.
Prince Philip is, I believe,
well-known for declining
compliments of any kind.
But throughout, he has been
a constant strength and guide.
Wherever we went,
I was deeply touched to find
an affectionate concern for
the health of my father.
Speaking on behalf of
the Canadian people,
we appreciate your coming to Canada,
after the anxious days
through which you have just passed.
Darling Papa,
I do hope you are feeling
really better again.
On the telephone, Mummy has told me
that you are now up in
the audience room during the day.
There have been
so many messages to you
from every part of this country...
..and from so many people that
I couldn't possibly
tell you all of them.
ARCHIVE: Warm hearts defy the cold
winds and icy spray of the sea.
Goodbye for all of us.
Goodbye to a sailor and his wife,
homeward bound across the sea.
The experience of growing older,
the joys and emotions which
it brings, are familiar to us all.
We are all visitors
to this time, this place.
We are just passing through.
Our purpose here is to observe,
to learn, to grow, to love.
And then we return home.
ARCHIVE: And now we end 1951
as the new year dawns
and each lengthening day brings
His Majesty greater strength.
Led us end with the old, old toast -
long live the King.
CHEERING
ARCHIVE: Less than three months
after returning from
their Canadian tour, Princess
Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh
were off on another Commonwealth
journey.
The crowds cheers heralded
the arrival of the King's car,
bringing Their Majesties and
Princess Margaret to the airport
for a last farewell
to the Royal travellers.
CHEERING
It was His Majesty's first
major public appearance
since last September.
The journey, which, but for his
illness, the King himself would have
undertaken, was almost under way.
When people face a challenge,
they sometimes talk about
taking a deep breath
to find courage or strength.
In fact, the word "inspire"
literally means to breathe in.
For all of us, each year is
an adventure into the unknown.
We shall need the faith
and determination of our forebears
to guide us on our journeys.
NEWSREEL: After fulfilling several
official engagements in Nairobi,
they left the capital
for Sagana Lodge.
From her car, the Princess took many
feet of film with her cine camera.
The Earth is a gift to us all,
whoever we are, wherever we live.
In the words of our Poet Laureate,
"Though you have conquered
Earth and charted sea
"And planned the courses
of all stars that be
"Adventure on,
more wonders are in thee."
We must adventure on if we are
to make the world a better place.
ARCHIVE: Seldom had a
Royal tour begun more happily.
For two days,
the Royal couple relaxed
in the grounds of their house.
Life, of course, consists of final
partings as well as first meetings.
ARCHIVE: This is London.
It is with the greatest sorrow that
we make the following announcement -
at 10:45 today,
February the 6th 1952,
that the King, who retired to rest
last night in his usual health,
passed peacefully away
in his sleep.
She was on the veranda at Treetops,
where she and the Duke
had spent the previous 19 hours
watching wild game.
About as far removed from
normal civilisation as possible.
How tragic to think that at such
a moment, she should become Queen.
There is no magic formula that will
transform sorrow into happiness.
I rely on my own faith
to guide me through
the good times and the bad.
It was a tragic homecoming.
On the same spot where, a week ago,
there had been a happy departure,
there stepped down from the plane
a figure in mourning.
Elizabeth II, Queen of this realm
and of all her other realms
and territories,
Head of the Commonwealth,
Defender of the Faith.
When all your world is torn
with grief and strife,
think yet.
When there seems nothing left
to mend the frail
and timeworn fabric of your life,
the golden thread
of courage has no end.
In a way,
I didn't have an apprenticeship.
My father died much too young.
It was all a very sudden kind of...
..taking on
and making the best job you can.
ARCHIVE: 15 years ago, a little girl
who called herself Lilibet
wrote her own account
of Coronation morning.
Today, the writer of these lines
is about to come forth
from Buckingham Palace,
a young mother and a reigning Queen.
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
Each day is a new beginning.
I know that the only way
to live my life
is to try to do what is right,
to take the long view,
to give of my best
in all that the day brings,
and to put my trust in God.
Whether we believe in God or not,
I think most of us have
a sense of the spiritual...
..that recognition of a deeper
meaning and purpose in our lives.
And I believe that
this sense flourishes
despite the pressures of our world.
ARCHIVE: The words echo out of
the history of the land.
We have resolved by the favour
and blessing of Almighty God
to celebrate the solemnity of
our Royal Coronation
upon Tuesday, the second day of June
in the Year of Grace 1953.
The Coronation of Her Royal Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II.
It's a question of maturing
into something
that one's got used to doing,
and accepting the fact that here you
are and it's your fate.
Because I think
continuity's very important.
It is a job for life.
The years have slipped
by so quickly.
There is no point
in regretting the passage of time.
Growing older is
one of the facts of life.
And it has its own compensations.
One of the joys of living a long
life is watching one's children.
Then grandchildren.
We can't be certain
what lies ahead for them.
But we should know enough
to put them on the right path.
We can do this if we have
the good sense to learn
from the experience of
those who've gone before us.
ARCHIVE: Queen Elizabeth
going forth to her crowning.
I don't know that anyone had
invented the term platinum for
a 70th anniversary when I was born.
You weren't expected
to be around that long.
CHEERING
I mean, I've seen one coronation
and been the recipient in the other,
which is pretty remarkable.
CHOIR: # Vivat Regina
# Vivat Regina Elizabetha
# Vivat! Vivat! Vivat! #
It's a pageant of chivalry
and an old-fashioned way
of doing things, I think, really,
but it's quite interesting
to have it done again.
God crown you with
a crown of glory and righteousness,
that having a right faith
and manifold fruit of good works,
you may obtain the crown
of an everlasting kingdom
by the gift of him
whose kingdom endureth for ever.
Amen. Amen.
ALL: God save the Queen.
God save the Queen.
God save the Queen.
FANFARE PLAYS
I here present unto you
Queen Elizabeth,
your undoubted queen.
It's inevitable that I should seem
a rather remote figure
to many of you.
A successor to the kings
and queens of history,
someone whose face may be
familiar in newspapers and films,
but who never really touches
your personal lives.
In the old days,
the monarch led his soldiers
on the battlefield
and his leadership at all times
was close and personal.
I cannot lead you into battle.
I do not give you laws,
or administer justice.
But I can do something else.
I can give you my heart
and my devotion
to these old islands,
and to all the peoples
of our brotherhood of nations.
I hope my Platinum Jubilee
will be an opportunity
for people everywhere to enjoy
a sense of togetherness,
a chance to give thanks for
the enormous changes
of the last 70 years,
and also to look ahead
with confidence.
Over the years, I have tried
to follow my father's example
and to serve you as best I can.
a part of our lives.
I think there's a difference
to watching a home movie
when you know who it is on
the other side of the lens,
holding the camera.
It adds to the sense of intimacy.
Like many families,
my parents wanted to keep a record
of our precious moments together.
And when it was our turn,
with our own family,
we did the same.
I always enjoyed capturing
family moments.
Private photos can often show
the fun behind the formality.
I expect just about every family
has a collection of
photographs or films
that were once regularly looked at
to recall precious moments,
but which over time are replaced
by newer images
and more recent memories.
You always hope that future
generations
will find them interesting,
and perhaps be surprised
that you, too, were young once.
To look back is not necessarily
to be nostalgic.
Winston Churchill,
my first Prime Minister,
said that,
"The further backward you look,
"the further forward you can see."
I remember my own childhood.
My mother always gave me support
and encouragement.
She had an infectious zest
for living...
..and an extraordinary capacity
to bring happiness into other
people's lives.
My father served in the Royal Navy
during the First World War.
He was a midshipman
in HMS Collingwood
at the Battle of Jutland in 1916.
The British fleet lost 14 ships
and 6,000 men in that engagement.
He wrote in a letter,
"How and why we were not hit
beats me."
BELL TOLLS
Like others,
he lost friends in the War,
but, of course, we would not grieve
if we did not love.
In my experience,
the positive value of
a happy family
is one of the factors of human
existence that has not changed.
Faith, family and friendship
have been not only
a constant for me,
but a source of personal comfort
and reassurance.
My grandfather couldn't have known
what was in store
for his grandchildren.
Yet his faith in the future gave him
a quiet confidence
that the stern tests
would be overcome.
GEORGE V: I look forward to the
future with faith and hope.
It is to the young
that the future belongs,
and when the time comes,
be ready and proud
to give to your country
the service of your work,
your mind and your heart.
NEWSREEL: Within eight months of
the Silver Jubilee,
King George lay dead.
King George V, greatly loved
and gratefully remembered.
I have lived long enough
to know that things never remain
quite the same for very long.
No-one can make
history stand still.
Events and situations change
with startling speed.
EDWARD VIII: I have found it
impossible to carry the heavy burden
of responsibility and to discharge
my duties as King
without the help
and support of the woman I love.
This decision has been made less
difficult to me
by the sure knowledge
that my brother,
with his fine qualities,
will be able to take my
place forthwith.
And he has one matchless blessing,
enjoyed by so many of you
and not bestowed on me -
a happy home,
with his wife and children.
God bless you all.
God save the King.
CHEERING
I remember my father making
me write down
what I remembered
about his Coronation.
It was very valuable.
ACTOR READS: We crouched
in the window,
looking onto a cold, misty morning.
We did not eat very much
as we were too excited.
NEWSREEL: Happy, excited crowds,
raining though it may be.
The police are having trouble
to keep the route clear.
Millions cheering themselves hoarse
this glorious Coronation day.
I cannot find words
with which to thank you
for your love and loyalty
to the Queen and myself.
If, in the coming years,
I can show my gratitude
in service to you,
that is the way, above all others,
that I should choose.
NEWSREEL: Those eight
magnificent greys
drawing on that almost
unbelievable state coach,
with Their Majesties
the King and Queen.
YOUNG ELIZABETH:
There are long periods
when life seems
a small, dull round...
..and then, suddenly,
we are caught up in some great event
which gives us a glimpse of the
solid and durable foundations
of our existence.
NEWSREEL: The members of the royal
family take their places.
The Princesses Elizabeth
and Margaret Rose.
Princess Elizabeth,
who is now heir to the throne.
I thought it all very,
very wonderful
and, I expect, the Abbey did too,
as Papa was crowned.
ALL: God save the King.
God save the King.
God save the King.
At the end, the service got rather
boring, as it was all prayers.
Grannie and I were looking to see
how many more pages to the end.
At the bottom of the page,
it said "Finis".
We both smiled at each other
and turned back to the service.
GEORGE VI: The Queen and I
will always keep in our hearts
the inspiration of this day.
I thank you from my heart,
and may God bless you all.
Balmoral is a place one looks
forward to very much.
I think that it has
an atmosphere of its own.
Families so often treasure
their routines
and embrace the roles,
traditions and values
that mean so much to us.
I see it in my own family,
and it is a source
of great happiness.
GEORGE VI: Europe is now
profoundly troubled.
I would end with
a special word of greeting
to those of my listeners
who are young...
..that the skies are overcast
in more than one quarter
at the present time.
Do not lose heart.
Life is a great adventure.
The key to all true progress
lies in faith, hope and love.
NEWSREEL: There are two aspects
of novelty
about the King's camp this year.
First, it was held in Scotland,
where the King himself is on
holiday,
and second, His Majesty
visited the camp
accompanied by the Queen
and the Princesses.
In this camp,
composed of an equal number
of working lads
and public schoolboys,
the same spirit
of comradeship prevailed,
and His Majesty sampled
all the amusements.
Of course, the amateur
cameras were very busy.
ALL SING
People matter.
And it is our relationship
with one another
that is most important.
What people are, and what people do,
does make all the difference.
The joint efforts of individuals
can defeat the evils of our time.
NEWSREEL: The King returns
to London.
Hitler and Stalin sign their pact.
On the fateful first Sunday
in September, Parliament meets
and the world knows
that Britain is at war.
At home,
we settle down to a new life.
All parents would like
their children
to grow up in peace
and tranquillity.
But for most of this century,
the people of this world
have had to live through bewildering
changes and upheavals.
Darling Grannie,
we have been very busy
knitting lately.
We made a blanket for
the evacuees,
also some jumpers and stockings.
I do hope we will not get
any air raids.
Hitler is a horrid man.
Let us hope that this war
will not last long.
Some cultures believe
a long life brings wisdom.
I'd like to think so.
Perhaps part of that wisdom
is to recognise some
of life's baffling paradoxes.
Such as the way human beings
have a huge propensity for good
and yet a capacity for evil.
NEWSREEL: Germany's wild attack
becomes more savage every hour.
AIR-RAID SIREN
Down swoop their bombers
on undefended towns,
down upon women and children.
The outlook seemed bleak.
GEORGE VI: The decisive
struggle is now upon us.
The issue is now plain.
It is life or death for us all.
For the very first broadcast I made,
helped by my sister,
we spoke to children who had been
evacuated from their homes
and sent away for their own safety.
YOUNG ELIZABETH: My sister, Margaret
Rose, and I feel so much for you,
as we know from experience
what it means
to be away from those we love
most of all.
My sister is by my side
and we are both
going to say goodnight to you.
Come on, Margaret.
Goodnight, children.
Goodnight and good luck to you all.
Darling Grannie,
I am so glad you liked
the broadcast.
Everyone has been saying
how like my voice is to Mummy's.
We have all-night air-raid warnings
every night
and the guns go occasionally,
and they make a very big noise.
The War affected everyone...
..and no-one was immune
from its impact.
NEWSREEL: From the humblest
dwellings of the poorest people
to Buckingham Palace,
this was the effect of
a time bomb that exploded
in the grounds
of the King's London home.
It fell close to
the King's sitting room.
Truly, this is a war of all
the people.
Darling Grannie,
poor old Buckingham Palace
looks very sad, with no windows
and bits here and there
gone completely.
ARCHIVE: When firebombs fell
on and around the Palace,
the home of our beloved sovereign
and his consort is again damaged.
Buckingham Palace for the third time
is hit by Nazi bombs.
We thank God that Their Majesties
were unhurt.
The news of the war
has been very bad lately.
But we will never give in.
Your very loving granddaughter,
Lilibet.
It is not enough
simply to do our jobs.
Service demands sacrifice.
ARCHIVE: We mourn the passing
of the King's younger brother,
who lost his life on active service.
The Duke, who was an airman
in his own right,
had undertaken duties concerning
the welfare of RAF personnel
and was on his way to Iceland
when the crash occurred.
Many people have had to cope
with family loss...
..sometimes in the most tragic
of circumstances.
Darling Grannie,
it was so very sad
about poor Uncle George.
His death was such an awful shock
and we will all miss him
a great deal.
He was always so very kind to us.
We sometimes think
the world's problems are so big
that we can do little to help.
On our own, we cannot end wars
or wipe out injustice.
But the cumulative impact of
thousands of small acts of goodness
can be bigger than we imagine.
ARCHIVE: The King and Queen
were setting an example
of untiring devotion. The King,
heartened by periodic visits
to all those fighting services
of the Empire,
of which he is Commander-in-chief.
By his visits to his forces,
my father brought encouragement
to those who had long been parted
from their homes and families.
He was the living symbol
of our steadfastness.
He never wavered in his faith
that, with God's help,
the cause of freedom would prevail.
In a broadcast to the nation,
my father said,
"What is demanded from us all
"is something more than
courage and endurance."
GEORGE VI: We need
a revival of spirit,
a new, unconquerable resolve.
I remember waiting for
the Prime Minister's announcement
of the end of the war in Europe.
CHURCHILL: Hostilities
will end officially
at one minute after midnight
tonight, Tuesday the 8th of May.
We may allow ourselves
a brief period of rejoicing.
We kept faith
that the cause was right,
and this belief carried us through.
Never give up, never despair -
that was the message of VE Day.
I vividly remember
the jubilant scenes
my sister and I witnessed with
our parents and Winston Churchill
from the balcony
of Buckingham Palace.
The sense of joy in the crowds
who'd gathered outside
and across the country
was profound.
My sister and I realised we couldn't
see what the crowds were enjoying,
so we asked my parents if we could
go out and see for ourselves.
I remember we were terrified
of being recognised.
I pulled my uniform cap
well down over my eyes.
We walked miles through the streets.
I remember lines of unknown people,
linking arms
and walking down Whitehall,
all of us just swept along
on a tide of happiness and relief.
I think it was one of the most
memorable nights of my life.
My father expressed undiminished
hope and trust in the future.
GEORGE VI: Have faith
in life at its best
and bring to it your courage,
your hopes
and your sense of humour.
Let us have no fear of the future
but think of it
as opportunity and adventure.
ARCHIVE: No official announcement
of the Princess' engagement had
yet been made.
The name of
Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten,
formerly Prince Philip of Greece,
has been repeatedly mentioned
throughout the world.
To inquiries about her engagement,
the Princess said,
"You must wait and see."
Thousands of cheering people
wish Godspeed to
the royal family as they arrive
for the beginning of their
South African journey
and, for the Princess,
the beginning of
the biggest adventure of her life,
for she has never been
abroad before.
For anyone else, this would be a
holiday, but she is the future Queen
on the eve of her 21st birthday,
and she has exacting duties
ahead of her.
I and all my family have always felt
that one of
our most important duties is
to express in our visits overseas
the goodwill of our country towards
friends abroad, near and far.
My sister and I were very glad
to have been able
to accompany our parents.
Before our eyes,
history is being made.
His Majesty King George VI is the
first reigning monarch of England
ever to set foot
on South African soil.
CHEERING
My first and highly memorable
experience of South Africa
was in 1947.
You can imagine how vivid
the contrasts between that visit
and my next were,
nearly half a century later.
ARCHIVE: After the Royal Family's
reception in Cape Town,
they embarked on
an extensive tour inland.
We share the same world...
..but we do not share
the same opportunities.
A tolerant society actively develops
the people who belong to it
and enriches their lives
because it values their diversity.
The most important contact
between nations is usually
contact between its peoples.
The Princess's attendance
was a prelude to
a big moment in her life,
her dedication to
the service of
the British Commonwealth,
made on her birthday in Cape Town
and broadcast to
a worldwide audience.
Darling Grannie, I'm now preparing
for my Empire broadcast
on my birthday, which is
rather a terrifying prospect.
ARCHIVE: The royal family went
to the lovely Natal National Park
for a few days' well-earned rest
away from the cheering crowds,
with not a single camera
to disturb them.
Africa has a unique place
in my affections.
I remember
my own lifelong commitment,
made in 1947, at the age of 21.
YOUNG ELIZABETH: I declare before
you all that my whole life,
whether it be long or short,
shall be devoted to your service
and to the service
of our great Imperial family,
to which we all belong.
I know that your support
will be unfailingly given.
God help me to make good my vow,
and God bless all of you
who are willing to share in it.
Although that vow was made
in my salad days,
when I was green in judgment...
..I do not regret nor retract
one word of it.
CHEERING
CHURCH BELLS RING OU ARCHIVE: The day is
November 20th, 1947.
The time, 11 o'clock.
A nation and a world watch.
If I'm asked today
what I think about family life
after years of marriage,
I can answer
with simplicity and conviction.
I'm for it.
ARCHIVE: Once only in 1,100 years
of British kingship
has there been such a day -
an heiress presumptive to
the throne marries
the man of her choice.
This relationship between two
people, however deep at the time,
needs to develop and mature
with the passing years.
CHURCH BELLS RING OU For that, it must be held firm...
..in the web
of family relationships.
He has quite simply been my strength
and stay all these years.
CROWD CHANTING OUTSIDE
CHEERING
Joy and sadness
are part of all our lives.
Indeed, the poet William Blake
tells us,
"Joy and woe are woven fine
"A clothing for the soul divine
"Under every grief and pine
"Runs a joy with silken twine."
His sense of service
intellectual curiosity
and capacity to squeeze fun
out of any situation
were all irrepressible.
That mischievous, inquiring twinkle
was as bright at the end
as when I first set eyes on him.
ARCHIVE: An excited crowd
outside the Palace.
Her Royal Highness
Princess Elizabeth
was safely delivered of
a prince at 9:14pm.
The boy born to be King.
The Prince has arrived.
For parents, a birth
is time for reflection
on what the future holds
for the baby...
..and how they can best ensure
its safety and happiness.
ARCHIVE: Princess Elizabeth
and Prince Philip
spend a happy afternoon
with the world's most famous baby.
These are the first newsreel
pictures taken since his christening
of Prince Charles,
now eight months old,
as he will undoubtedly become
the most photographed child
in the world.
The birth of a baby
brings great happiness.
But then the business
of growing up begins.
It is a process that starts
within the protection
and care of parents
and other members of the family,
including the older generation.
As with any team, there is
strength in combination.
What grandparent does not wish for
the best possible upbringing
for their grandchildren?
ARCHIVE: The whole nation
rejoices at the good news
for which it has been waiting.
To the Princess, a daughter is born.
Often, a child's helplessness
and vulnerability
brings out the best in us.
Each one of us has a primary
and personal responsibility
for our own children,
the children entrusted to our care
and for all the children
in our own communities.
My father watched his grandchildren
take their first steps.
And he knew that all the sacrifices
and anxiety of the dark days
of the war had been worthwhile.
ARCHIVE: The King became unwell
on May the 24th.
A further announcement on June 4th
said that the King,
on the advice of his doctors,
had reluctantly decided
to cancel all his public engagements
for at least four weeks.
The King's doctors had advised
a prolonged convalescence.
Good health is a precious gift.
There is a traditional proverb
which says,
"He who has health has hope,
"and he who has hope
has everything."
It is in times
of stress and difficulty
that we most need to remember
that in the end,
we all depend upon each other,
and that we are therefore
responsible for each other.
FANFARE AND CHEERING
NEWSREEL: Many Londoners gathered
at the approach to Buckingham Palace
to see Their Majesties leave
for their summer holiday.
After staying at Royal Lodge,
Windsor, and Sandringham,
the King went to Balmoral Castle
on August the 2nd.
The crowd,
like the rest of his subjects,
hoped that the King would continue
to make good progress
towards complete recovery.
In times of doubt and anxiety,
the attitudes people show
in their daily lives
are of supreme importance.
The comradeship of adversity
brings out the best in us.
NEWSREEL: His Majesty
returned to London,
his holiday at Balmoral cut short
on the advice of his doctors.
The King suddenly returned
to Buckingham Palace for
an immediate lung operation.
NEWSREEL: A royal Princess flew
across the sea to Canada.
14 million loyal subjects waited
to greet the daughter
of their beloved monarch,
His Majesty King George VI.
Service and duty are not just
the guiding principles
of yesteryear.
They have an enduring value
which spans the generations.
As Princess Elizabeth and the Duke
of Edinburgh set foot in Canada,
the eyes and ears
of press, film and radio
record the welcome
for people far away.
We made personal contact
on behalf of the King
with Canadians of all walks of life,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
In the thousands
of miles we travelled,
we saw many aspects
of Canada and Canadian life.
PHILIP: No two marriages
are quite alike.
However, I think that
the main lesson that we've learnt
is that tolerance is
the one essential ingredient
of any happy marriage.
By trial and experience,
I believe we have achieved
a sensible division of labour
and a good balance between our
individual and joint interests.
Prince Philip is, I believe,
well-known for declining
compliments of any kind.
But throughout, he has been
a constant strength and guide.
Wherever we went,
I was deeply touched to find
an affectionate concern for
the health of my father.
Speaking on behalf of
the Canadian people,
we appreciate your coming to Canada,
after the anxious days
through which you have just passed.
Darling Papa,
I do hope you are feeling
really better again.
On the telephone, Mummy has told me
that you are now up in
the audience room during the day.
There have been
so many messages to you
from every part of this country...
..and from so many people that
I couldn't possibly
tell you all of them.
ARCHIVE: Warm hearts defy the cold
winds and icy spray of the sea.
Goodbye for all of us.
Goodbye to a sailor and his wife,
homeward bound across the sea.
The experience of growing older,
the joys and emotions which
it brings, are familiar to us all.
We are all visitors
to this time, this place.
We are just passing through.
Our purpose here is to observe,
to learn, to grow, to love.
And then we return home.
ARCHIVE: And now we end 1951
as the new year dawns
and each lengthening day brings
His Majesty greater strength.
Led us end with the old, old toast -
long live the King.
CHEERING
ARCHIVE: Less than three months
after returning from
their Canadian tour, Princess
Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh
were off on another Commonwealth
journey.
The crowds cheers heralded
the arrival of the King's car,
bringing Their Majesties and
Princess Margaret to the airport
for a last farewell
to the Royal travellers.
CHEERING
It was His Majesty's first
major public appearance
since last September.
The journey, which, but for his
illness, the King himself would have
undertaken, was almost under way.
When people face a challenge,
they sometimes talk about
taking a deep breath
to find courage or strength.
In fact, the word "inspire"
literally means to breathe in.
For all of us, each year is
an adventure into the unknown.
We shall need the faith
and determination of our forebears
to guide us on our journeys.
NEWSREEL: After fulfilling several
official engagements in Nairobi,
they left the capital
for Sagana Lodge.
From her car, the Princess took many
feet of film with her cine camera.
The Earth is a gift to us all,
whoever we are, wherever we live.
In the words of our Poet Laureate,
"Though you have conquered
Earth and charted sea
"And planned the courses
of all stars that be
"Adventure on,
more wonders are in thee."
We must adventure on if we are
to make the world a better place.
ARCHIVE: Seldom had a
Royal tour begun more happily.
For two days,
the Royal couple relaxed
in the grounds of their house.
Life, of course, consists of final
partings as well as first meetings.
ARCHIVE: This is London.
It is with the greatest sorrow that
we make the following announcement -
at 10:45 today,
February the 6th 1952,
that the King, who retired to rest
last night in his usual health,
passed peacefully away
in his sleep.
She was on the veranda at Treetops,
where she and the Duke
had spent the previous 19 hours
watching wild game.
About as far removed from
normal civilisation as possible.
How tragic to think that at such
a moment, she should become Queen.
There is no magic formula that will
transform sorrow into happiness.
I rely on my own faith
to guide me through
the good times and the bad.
It was a tragic homecoming.
On the same spot where, a week ago,
there had been a happy departure,
there stepped down from the plane
a figure in mourning.
Elizabeth II, Queen of this realm
and of all her other realms
and territories,
Head of the Commonwealth,
Defender of the Faith.
When all your world is torn
with grief and strife,
think yet.
When there seems nothing left
to mend the frail
and timeworn fabric of your life,
the golden thread
of courage has no end.
In a way,
I didn't have an apprenticeship.
My father died much too young.
It was all a very sudden kind of...
..taking on
and making the best job you can.
ARCHIVE: 15 years ago, a little girl
who called herself Lilibet
wrote her own account
of Coronation morning.
Today, the writer of these lines
is about to come forth
from Buckingham Palace,
a young mother and a reigning Queen.
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
Each day is a new beginning.
I know that the only way
to live my life
is to try to do what is right,
to take the long view,
to give of my best
in all that the day brings,
and to put my trust in God.
Whether we believe in God or not,
I think most of us have
a sense of the spiritual...
..that recognition of a deeper
meaning and purpose in our lives.
And I believe that
this sense flourishes
despite the pressures of our world.
ARCHIVE: The words echo out of
the history of the land.
We have resolved by the favour
and blessing of Almighty God
to celebrate the solemnity of
our Royal Coronation
upon Tuesday, the second day of June
in the Year of Grace 1953.
The Coronation of Her Royal Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II.
It's a question of maturing
into something
that one's got used to doing,
and accepting the fact that here you
are and it's your fate.
Because I think
continuity's very important.
It is a job for life.
The years have slipped
by so quickly.
There is no point
in regretting the passage of time.
Growing older is
one of the facts of life.
And it has its own compensations.
One of the joys of living a long
life is watching one's children.
Then grandchildren.
We can't be certain
what lies ahead for them.
But we should know enough
to put them on the right path.
We can do this if we have
the good sense to learn
from the experience of
those who've gone before us.
ARCHIVE: Queen Elizabeth
going forth to her crowning.
I don't know that anyone had
invented the term platinum for
a 70th anniversary when I was born.
You weren't expected
to be around that long.
CHEERING
I mean, I've seen one coronation
and been the recipient in the other,
which is pretty remarkable.
CHOIR: # Vivat Regina
# Vivat Regina Elizabetha
# Vivat! Vivat! Vivat! #
It's a pageant of chivalry
and an old-fashioned way
of doing things, I think, really,
but it's quite interesting
to have it done again.
God crown you with
a crown of glory and righteousness,
that having a right faith
and manifold fruit of good works,
you may obtain the crown
of an everlasting kingdom
by the gift of him
whose kingdom endureth for ever.
Amen. Amen.
ALL: God save the Queen.
God save the Queen.
God save the Queen.
FANFARE PLAYS
I here present unto you
Queen Elizabeth,
your undoubted queen.
It's inevitable that I should seem
a rather remote figure
to many of you.
A successor to the kings
and queens of history,
someone whose face may be
familiar in newspapers and films,
but who never really touches
your personal lives.
In the old days,
the monarch led his soldiers
on the battlefield
and his leadership at all times
was close and personal.
I cannot lead you into battle.
I do not give you laws,
or administer justice.
But I can do something else.
I can give you my heart
and my devotion
to these old islands,
and to all the peoples
of our brotherhood of nations.
I hope my Platinum Jubilee
will be an opportunity
for people everywhere to enjoy
a sense of togetherness,
a chance to give thanks for
the enormous changes
of the last 70 years,
and also to look ahead
with confidence.
Over the years, I have tried
to follow my father's example
and to serve you as best I can.