I have seen three great monarchies brought down through their failure to separate personal indulgences from duty. You must not allow yourself to make similar mistakes.
With George VI's health declining, Elizabeth and Philip set off on a tour of the Commonwealth in his place, making their first stop in Kenya. Back home, several Cabinet ministers express growing concerns over Churchill's ability to govern, prompting his deputy, Anthony Eden, to ask the King to persuade Churchill to step down. He declines. After a day out shooting and an evening spent singing with his youngest daughter Margaret and watching a news report on Elizabeth and Philip in Kenya, the King dies in his sleep. Upon hearing of his death, Elizabeth and Philip return to London, where she assumes the role of Sovereign.
This episodes contains examples of:
- Arcadian Interlude: Elizabeth and Philip's Kenyan trip, which ends abruptly when news of the King's death reaches them.
- Armour-Piercing Question: Delivered by the King to Eden when the latter claims that getting Churchill to step down is in the national interest.King George VI: The national interest? Or Anthony Eden's interest?
- Badass Bureaucrat: This episode is the first one in which Tommy Lascelles has a prominent scene — in which he lays into Peter Townsend, strongly advising him to return to active duty in the RAF rather than stick around in the royal household. Townsend doesn't take the hint.
- Bearer of Bad News: When Martin Charteris arrives at the lodge with news of the King's death, Philip declines Charteris' offer to be the one who tells Elizabeth and insists on doing it himself. Their conversation goes unheard — we just see Philip holding her and kissing her forehead. In Real Life, it was Mike Parker who broke the news to Philip, who told Elizabeth himself.
- Though Martin bowing his head to her as he leaves tells Elizabeth all she needs to know.
- Big Damn Kiss: Between Peter Townsend and a grief-stricken Princess Margaret.
- Call-Back: The Kenyan tribal king who greeted Elizabeth and Philip when they arrived in Kenya returns after the news of George VI's death and locks eyes with Elizabeth, who's now Queen, as she departs for London.
- Deliberate Values Dissonance: Elizabeth sings the praises of British colonialism during her trip to Kenya, taking of the 'savage' land that existed before.
- Enemies Equals Greatness: Over in 10 Downing Street, Winston Churchill tells Venetia Scott that he's a monster because that's what he needed to be to beat Hitler; after the King's death, when he has to do a eulogy on the radio while knowing full well that his party will chuck him out if he botches it, he's able to rise to the occasion only because he knows that Eden (his protégé) is trying to get him to step down. Just like in World War II, Churchill needed an opponent to bring out the best in him. On hearing the broadcast, Eden smiles as he realises this.
- Everyone Has Standards: The reporters who follow Elizabeth and Philip on their tour are very restrained, especially when compared to their 1990s counterparts. They don't intrude on the grieving couple when Martin waves them off, and respectfully doff their hats to the new Queen when she emerges from the lodge. When her car drives off some of them attempt to give chase, only for one of their own to persuade them to knock it off.
- Everybody Knew Already: Lascelles informs Townsend that contrary to what he might think, his affair with Princess Margaret is a common subject of gossip among the Royal household.
- Gorn: Princess Margaret walks into her father's bedroom during the embalming process, and is visibly distressed by what she sees.
- Grande Dame: Queen Mary, so very much.
- Jerkass: The popular image of Prince Philip as a man who says insensitive things while on royal visits gets an airing here, as he reacts with disbelief towards a Kenyan tribesman who's wearing several medals, including the Victoria Cross note , and totally misses the point of another's headgear.Philip: Nice hat.Elizabeth: It's a crown.
- Meaningful Rename: Subverted; when Charteris asks her what she wants her regnal name to be, Elizabeth says that she'll just keep her own. Both Charteris and Philip immediately realise the significance of that.Martin Charteris: Then long live Queen Elizabeth.
- Nerves of Steel: Displayed by Philip in Kenya. He and Elizabeth are making their way to Treetops when a huge, aggressive bull elephant smashes its way though the bush, blocking their path. Without any thought for his own safety, he commands their guide to take Elizabeth to safety while he distracts and stares down the elephant, who eventually wanders peacefully away.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero
- Eden has to get rid of Churchill when, as he points out, he was the one who got the Conservatives to make him their leader in the first place.
- Lascelles tries to intimidate Townsend into refusing a job offer that will let him stay at the Palace, but only succeeds in getting his back up.
- Older and Wiser: Queen Mary has some invaluable advice for her grand-daughter, the new Sovereign. She writes it in a letter, but we hear it via the voice-over.Queen Mary: Dearest Lilibet, I know how you loved your papa, my son. And I know you will be as devastated as I am by this loss. But you must put those sentiments to one side now, for duty calls. The grief for your father's death will be felt far and wide. Your people will need your strength and leadership. I have seen three great monarchies brought down through their failure to separate personal indulgences from duty. You must not allow yourself to make similar mistakes. And while you mourn your father, you must also mourn someone else. Elizabeth Mountbatten. For she has now been replaced by another person, Elizabeth Regina. The two Elizabeths will frequently be in conflict with one another. The fact is, the crown must win. Must always win.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Queen Mary outlives her son George VI.
- Pose of Supplication: When Elizabeth returns home as Queen, she finds that her husband must walk behind her and her sister and mother must curtsy to her. However, it's not until she encounters Queen Mary that the realisation that she is the Sovereign sets in. Queen Mary's pronounced curtsy (despite her advanced age and ill health) and the intense look between grandmother and grand-daughter are both meant to portray the sudden, dramatic change in dynamic. Elizabeth has curtsied to her grandmother for her entire life, as her rank (first as Queen Consort, then as Queen Dowager after 1936) deserves. Now, her grandmother is deferring to her, emphasising that Elizabeth is the Queen, while Mary is just a Queen.
- Race Against the Clock: When the King dies, Elizabeth is staying at the Treetops Hotel in rural Kenya. 1950s international communications being what they were, palace and government officials (both in London and Nairobi) scramble to find her and inform her before she learns of it from the press. Churchill even tries to get the BBC to delay its announcement until she has been informed.
- Stealth Insult: Tommy Lascelles does this to Peter Townsend simply by addressing him by his rank, Group Captain (the RAF equivalent of a full Colonel). If Townsend missed that insult, he certainly didn't miss the pointed reference to his family that comes afterwards.
- Spy Speak: The phrase "Hyde Park Corner" is used to alert senior officials that King George VI has died so the news won't leak to the media before Elizabeth can be informed and an official announcement made.
- The Starscream: Anthony Eden, to Winston Churchill.
- State Visit: Elizabeth's Commonwealth tour is effectively this, as she's doing it on her father's behalf.
- Stiff Upper Lip: Averted; when the King dies his household and family are noticeably upset. Even Tommy Lascelles has a quaver in his voice when his mentions the deceased King.
- Stylistic Suck: The band that greets Philip and Elizabeth in Kenya clearly hasn't been acquainted with European music for that long. The crowd tries to hide their winces with plastic smiles.
- That Man Is Dead: When Eden goes to the King to try and persuade him to persuade Churchill to retire as his friend instead of as the King, the King's reply is essentially this.Anthony Eden: Well, as Sovereign, of course, there is nothing you can do from a constitutional standpoint. But, as a friend, as Albert Windsor, you are the one person I can think of to whom he might listen.King George VI: Well, that is where we run into difficulties, I'm afraid. I no longer am Albert Windsor. That person was murdered by his elder brother when he abdicated. And, of course, Albert Windsor would dearly love to say to his old friend, Winston Churchill, "Take a step back. Put your feet up. Let the younger generation have a go now." But he is no longer with us and that void has been filled by George VI who, it turns out, is quite the stickler, and will no more allow the sovereign to interfere with the Prime Minister than stand for office himself.
- Title Drop: As stated above, "Hyde Park Corner" is the code phrase used to alert senior officials of the King's death.
- Wham Episode: King George VI dies, and his daughter ascends to the British throne as Queen Elizabeth II.
- Widow's Weeds: The royal women all don black to mourn the King; a black dress is taken onto Elizabeth's plane just after it lands at London Airport note so that she can be appropriately dressed when she disembarks. Queen Mary has the most awe-inspiring veil.
- Wrench Wench: Elizabeth gets to display the mechanical skills she learned during World War II when the Land Rover breaks down.
