05x02 - The System

[bunniefuu]

[bird screeches]

[horses whinnying]

[woman speaking Polish]

- [in English] Sir?
- I'm sorry.

I'm going to have to ask you
to speak up a little. I...

I can't hear you very well.

- [woman] Okay. No problem.
- Yes?

Well, what's your first question?

[woman] I wanna know more how it started.

Well, it... I... [huffs]

It started by accident.

- Well, with an accident, I...
- [bird screeches]

[screeches]

Yes, I'd been injured
once too often playing polo.

[indistinct announcement on PA]

Do you understand what I'm saying?

Yes, I understand.

Good. Good.

And so, at age , I decided
to give up the big love of my life

and look elsewhere for some fun.

No, that didn't come out right. Um...
I'm going to insist we do that again.

Excuse me?

We're going to go again.

Again!

[speaking Polish]

- You ready?
- [woman] Yes.

- Yes.
- [bird screeches]

And so, at age , I decided to give up
the big sporting love of my life

and look for new challenges...

Come on! Hyah!

[frivolous classical music playing]

[Philip] ...which is how
I ended up carriage driving.

[horses snort]

[Philip shouts]

There you go!

Come on!

- [horses nicker]
- [Philip] Brrrrr. Brrrrrrr.

[Philip] Come on!

[horse snorts]

Come on!

- [applause]
- [indistinct announcement]

[Philip] We've become quite a g*ng.

Traveling up and down the country
from competition to competition.

It's become something of a second family.

What?

[indistinct whispering]

When?

[indistinct whispering]

Right. Thank you.

["Amazing Grace" playing on piano]

[indistinct whispering]

[Diana sighs]

[congregation] ♪ Amazing grace ♪

♪ How sweet the sound ♪

♪ That saved a wretch ♪

♪ Like me ♪

♪ I once was lost ♪

♪ But now am found ♪

♪ Was blind ♪

♪ But now I see ♪

♪ The Lord... ♪

Thank you, Peggy.

["Amazing Grace" fades out]

[door closes]

There's a school
of progressive medical thought

that suggests we bring cancer
upon ourselves

as a result of repressed emotion
or unresolved psychological trauma.

Then a perfectly angelic
five-year-old dies of it,

and you realize
what utter rubbish that is.

Poor Norton.

Yes.

Why don't you pay him a visit?

He could probably do
with some support from his godfather.

Yes.

Yes, right.

What's that look?

I've never seen so many thoughts
go on behind someone's eyes.

Gratitude.

Appreciation.

What for?

You make a better person of me.

And you of me.

Isn't that the point of marriage?

Good night.

[chuckles softly]

[Elizabeth] Good night.

[footsteps departing]

[theme music playing]

[indistinct overlapping chatter]

Hello?

Hi. You, um...

You are coming?

Sorry, one of those mornings.
We're there in...

- [man] One minute.
- One minute.

- One minute.
- [crowd cheering]

One minute away, and she apologizes.

Was that actually her?

Yes, that was "actually her."

[tense music builds]

[scattered cheers]

- [motorcade approaches]
- [cheers rise]

[clamoring]

- [shouting]
- [camera shutters clicking]

[reporter] How's the prince?

[clamoring continues]

[woman ] Up here!

[woman shouts] Diana!

- Thanks for agreeing to this.
- Of course.

[chuckles]

- We saw the pictures of you in Italy.
- [man] Diana!

Well, you all looked so happy.

- If only you knew.
- Really?

It's honestly worse than ever.
I'm at a loss for what to do.

Is that your work?

- No.
- No.

Come on. Squish in.

- [cameras clicking]
- [clamoring]

[cheers echoing]

All right.

James Colthurst, isn't it?

- Uh... yes.
- Do you have a moment?

Which one?

Tall with glasses?

[Colthurst on phone] Mmm.

Mm, I know the one.

Clark Kent.

- He said his name was Andrew.
- That's just what I call him, silly.

- [Colthurst chuckles]
- Andrew Morton.

He's one of the friendly ones.

He's written nice things
about me in the past.

Well, now he wants to write
a whole book about you,

and what it's really been like
marrying into the royal family.

The truth behind the fairy tale.

I said you'd never agree
to be involved in something like that.

Oh, no.

Then we arranged to play squash.

What?

He saw my racket in my office
and suggested a game.

- James.
- Don't worry.

I said any further discussion of you
was totally off-limits.

It had better be.

I'll call you after I've seen him.

[line disconnects]

[line clicking, rattling]

[dial tone]

[receiver clacks]

- [line clicking]
- [dial tone]

Hello?

[light clattering]

[receiver clacks]

- [bird screeches]
- [vehicle approaching]

[bird screeches]

- Thank you.
- [bird screeches]

Hello!

Hello?

Oh no.

- [chuckles] What have I done now?
- Well, you're here. Today.

Norton said you were coming tomorrow.

He just left for London
for meetings with the bank.

Um...

Well, let me see if I can reach him.

Oh, don't go to any trouble.

Ah...

What can I get you?

- Are you hungry?
- Oh God, no. No. Nothing like that.

No, I, uh...

I just came by to see how you were coping.

That's kind.

And to bring these.

Daisies.

For Leonora.

You mentioned at the memorial
that they were her favorite.

That's so kind of you.

[sighs]

Shall we take them to her?

[birds chirping]

Norton thought it was morbid
to have her so close, but...

I wanted somewhere
I could see her every day.

Be near to her every day.

It also means I can never leave here.

- [sighs]
- Why would you want to?

It's not always easy.

[inhales sharply]

[sighs softly]

[sniffles]

[exhales]

[clears throat]

You know, one of the many, many things
that attracted me to Lilibet

was that the commitment
would necessarily be lifelong.

And to a young man who'd had
such an unsettled... nomadic childhood,

the clarity of that permanence
felt so reassuring.

It still does.

But it brings its problems too.

Because it doesn't take into account
the one thing human beings do

the minute they make a commitment
to a life together.

Which is?

Grow in separate directions.

[sighs deeply]

[Philip] Tell Norton I'll be sure
to be in touch soon

for a godfatherly chat.

And as for you, there's...
there's two things you might consider.

Why not start a charity in Leonora's name?

Yes, I'd already had that idea.

[Philip] And you might
find yourself a hobby.

Eh, something that has nothing
to do with any of this.

Oh, not a hobby. Um...

An escape.

- A passion.
- I'll bear that in mind.

Good.

Oh, speaking of hobbies,

Norton said that you'd given up polo

and developed a thing
for carriage driving.

[chuckling] I have, yes.

- I'm obsessed.
- [chuckles]

Why?

Look at that.

[chuckling] An old four-in-hand.

- Norton wanted to sell it.
- You can't do that!

We've been told it's beyond repair.

Then he thought
if you could make use of it...

Well, she may be a bit dusty...

Oh, I think the damage is worse than that.

All right. A bit cracked in places.

Norton was told,
"structurally irreparable."

No, no, no. She's a beauty.

And part of the family heritage.

I tell you what.

Why don't we do this?

I'll send someone to collect her.

We'll clean her up, take a look at her,
and then we can talk again.

We don't need to talk again.

This could be a hobby for you.

Oh. No, it's really not for me.

[Philip] Ah, well,
that was my attitude at first.

But then I tried it, and...

I saw the light.

[both laughing]

- [ambient music playing]
- Um... [chuckles]

[men grunting]

[chuckling]

- [ambient music builds]
- [indistinct conversation]

- [grunting]
- [ball thwacking]

[exclaiming]

[background chattering]

[indistinct conversation continues]

[bike rattling]

[guard] Mr. Colthurst.

Hello.

[brakes squeak]

- I'll take that.
- Thank you.

Thank you. [chuckles lightly]

[door shuts]

- [Diana] How was it?
- Oh.

Bloody hell.

Very evenly matched.

He moves infuriatingly well
for a tall man.

Quick to the T. Plenty of nasty little
drop sh*ts and boasts.

We played the best of three games.
Pipped him in the third.

I wasn't asking about the squash.
I want to know about the lunch.

Ah, a little Italian place
near the squash club.

La Barca? Run by a husband and wife.

Not where you had lunch.

[Colthurst] Oh, sorry.

Or what you ate.

Linguine.

[chuckles]

[chuckles]

Let's start with who paid.

- He did.
- James. He's a tabloid journalist.

And he bought lunch because he lost.

And if you are worried about indiscretion,
he got nothing from me. Not a word.

Whereas I got plenty out of him.

Revelation number one. [exhales]

- He's already started writing.
- What?

He thinks there's another book
coming out about you

that's likely to be a hatchet job,

based on sources
close to the Prince of Wales.

Oh God.

Anyway, Morton's view is that his version
would at least give you some control.

Like, uh, be sympathetic.

He'd even let you have final approval.

I'd love to have a book out so everyone
understands how difficult it's been,

but I don't wanna be responsible
for starting a w*r.

Morton said that
you'd never need to meet him. Ever.

There'd be no connection
between you that anyone could prove.

It would all be totally deniable.

How would that even work?

Tape recordings.

You'd record your side of the story,
saying only what you want to say,

all in your own words,
and then Morton would...

write the book from those recordings.

If he and I don't meet,
how would he get the recordings?

[exhales deeply]

There would have to be a middleman.

A go-between.
Someone who you both trusted.

Someone who thought it was important.

And you would do that?

If you wanted me to.

[exhales softly]

[light choral music builds slowly]

[foreman] Give it
a little bit more on that side.

[workers chattering indistinctly]

Morning.

Oh, marvelous. Marvelous.
You got the hickory in time.

[foreman] Hope this is all right.

[Philip] I've taken the liberty
of sketching a few ideas.

[speaking indistinctly]

[Philip] Let's bring the axle
so we can maneuver...

You missed a bit.

- Drawings...
- Yes, sir.

[torch crackling]

[energetic music builds]

[workers chattering]

[worker] Wood ready.

[steam hissing]

- [Philip] Absolutely marvelous.
- Thank you, sir.

- They said it couldn't be done.
- We pulled all the stops out, sir.

- Certainly did.
- Everybody worked hard.

- What do you think?
- Is it even the same carriage?

[Philip chuckles]

The original paintwork was a dark black.

I thought we'd add these dashes of gold
and this nice, sloping footboard.

Go on.

[Philip chuckles]

Now grab here.

A foot here.

The other foot here.

How does it feel?

[Penny] Fine.

Largely because it's not moving.

[chuckles]

- [birds chirping]
- [horses snorting]

You try.

These two reins control the leaders.
Those are the horses at the front.

And these two, the wheelers.

They control the horses nearest to us.

Feel free to nod or say yes
to let me know you're still alive.

[chuckling] Yes.

The trick is to keep these both together.
Put between these two fingers. There.

Now, with these two reins,
you have control over all four horses.

To turn left, make a loop. That's it.

Turn to the left.

And to turn right...

Very good.

Off you go.

[playful classical music playing]

Here. Let me take them.

[Philip] Brrr. Brrrrr.

Wh... Where are we going?

- [playful classical music builds]
- [laughing]

- [Philip] Brrr. Brrrrr.
- [laughing]

[Philip] Hang on!

- [Penny laughing]
- [horses snorting]

[chuckles]

Surprising, isn't it?

Yes!

More fun than it looks.

[chuckling] Yes!

[music fades]

[Colthurst] The princess
is intrigued by the proposition

and is willing to consider it.

But as her friend...

I want to make sure this will actually
make her life better, not just yours.

You understand why I ask?

She can be a little naive at times,
and you stand to become a rich man.

I feel protective.

As a royal correspondent,

I've had a ringside seat
to this marriage for a while.

Most recently, her... second honeymoon.

And I can't stand to see
someone being crushed like this.

- You think she is being?
- I do.

Take this book that's being written...

With the Prince of Wales' cooperation?

Maybe not him directly,
but his friends, for sure.

They want what they see as the truth
about Diana to be told.

Trust me. It won't be pretty.

I just wanna do what's right for her.
She's like a sister to me.

[jazz music playing in background]

And I give you my word.

No one will ever know
she had anything to do with it.

Let's take it one step at a time.

Get a draft written.

The princess can always k*ll it later
if she wants.

Here's a list of questions for her.

Bye, Mummy.

Bye.

James Colthurst.

Thank you.

Ready?

[Diana exhales]

I'm suddenly incredibly nervous.

Uh, Andrew wanted you to start
by explaining why you're doing this.

Because I've tried everything.

I've confronted my husband
about his mistress,

and I've been dismissed.

I've gone to the Queen.

It's like facing a blank wall.

And it finally dawned on me

that unless I get
my side of the story out there,

people will never understand
how it's really been for me.

And I thought about...
moving abroad with the boys,

but the Crown could take
legal custody of any heirs to the throne.

And I'd have the boys taken away from me.

Which is what happened to my mother.

And I couldn't survive that.

[Morton] Can you tell me something
about your childhood?

[Diana] It was a very unhappy childhood.

My parents were always wrapped up
in their own problems.

And my mother was always in tears.

And my father...
never telling us what was going on.

And there was always
a succession of nannies

who I hated.

[chuckles]

[Morton] Prince Charles famously replied,
"Whatever 'in love' means"

when asked if he was in love with you.

How did that make you feel?

Absolutely traumatized.

My self-worth was cut in two.

But

I was too scared to ask him what he meant.

And then it was too late.

[Morton] From the outside,
it was the fairy-tale wedding.

How did it feel on the inside?

[inhales sharply] Like a bad dream.

The night before the wedding,

I was... suddenly overwhelmed,

and I sobbed my eyes out.

I ate everything in sight.

I was sick all over the place,

which was a big sign
that all was not well.

While walking down the aisle, I was
overwhelmed with love for my husband.

And then I saw Camilla

in her gray suit and her pillbox hat.

And I just felt chilled to the bone.

[Morton] How quickly
did things start to go sour?

[Diana] Well, I started to unravel
at the honeymoon.

And at night, I was having
these dreadful nightmares about Camilla.

When the Queen was there,
I always felt second place...

Charles barely looked at me...
I felt like a fish out of water...

And I was so thin,

my bones were sticking out
all over the place...

When I talked to him about
photographers hounding me,

he talked about Camilla...

When I tried to be brave
and make a speech in Welsh...

I got no support...
I felt like a lamb to the slaughter.

[Morton] Did you feel your husband
was committed to the marriage

in the same way that you were?

Well, there was always the other one.

From the word go.

I couldn't compete.

And I'd overhear him on the phone to her.

And he used a voice
I'd never heard him use with me.

Tender, caring, adoring.

When I was pregnant with William,

I threw myself down the stairs
at Sandringham.

- [inaudible dialogue]
- [somber music playing]

[breathing shakily]

- [door opens]
- [footsteps approaching]

Ah...

[door shuts]

- Andrew's listened to the tapes?
- He has.

And, um, drafted some follow-up questions.

What did he think?

I think he was shocked.

He said he had to look up
"bulimia nervosa" in Kumar and Clark's.

[bag unzips]

I have to admit,

there have been a few surprises for me
in all this too.

I wish you'd have told me before.

About the...

The su1c1de attempts?

[Colthurst] I'm so sorry.

Why didn't you call us?

[exhales softly]

He wants to know
if he can speak to any of your friends.

- Why?
- It would help with the deniability.

If he can show he has other sources
for all this, then it gives you cover.

He'd ask the same questions
I've asked you,

and they'll be corroborating witnesses.

All right.

[chair scrapes]

We can start with Sue.

- [Colthurst] Who's Sue?
- My aromatherapist.

And Felix Lyle.

[Colthurst] Felix Lyle.

My astrologer.

And... Oonagh Shanley-Toffolo.

Oh, don't tell me.
She's your Reiki healer. [chuckles]

My acupuncturist.

And Stephen Twigg, my bodyworker.

It's like an osteopath.

[Colthurst] Right.

[scribbling notes]

[birdsong]

[Philip] Good. Good.
You're doing really well.

[Penny laughs]

[Philip] Excellent.

Here we are.

Now, I've had a go

at the governing instrument
for the charity.

These are the trust deeds.

The memorandum.

And the articles.

What do you think
of a research fellowship?

[Philip, softly] Ah...

Eh, to study cancer in children.

They were all so good to us at Barts.

Made such a difference
to Leonora's final days.

I think that's a lovely idea.

Getting registration
can be a bit of a slog, but...

Well, I'm on good terms
with some of the charity commissioners.

Let me talk to them.

[Penny] Hmm.

You know, a long time ago,
I lost my favorite sister.

Cecile.

In an airplane crash.

I learned then what grief was.

True grief.

How it moves through the body.

How it inhabits it.

How it becomes part of your skin.

Your cells.

And it makes a home there.

A permanent home.

[breathes shakily]

But you learn to live with it.

And you will be happy again.

[chuckles lightly] Mm.

Though never in the same way
as before, but...

But that's the point. Hmm?

To keep finding... new ways.

[sighs softly]

Yes.

[exhales softly]

- [door shuts]
- [street traffic noises]

[horn honking]

[honking continues]

[tires squeal]

[pedestrians] Oh!

- [baby crying]
- [woman] Are you all right?

- See that?
- Come out of nowhere. See that?

[tires skid]

[bike clatters]

[panting]

[gasps softly]

[sighs]

[pen clatters]

[indistinct chatter]

Thank you.

Don't be silly.

Anything you need, you have the number
that gets straight through to me.

Avoids the operator and all that nonsense.

Oh, I almost forgot,
something Norton wanted me to pass on.

Apparently, there's a book being written
about the Princess of Wales,

with her cooperation.

What kind of book?

One that claims how badly
she's been treated by the family.

Everyone's failure to understand her.

The jealousy everyone feels
about her popularity and success.

Norton said he'd had several calls
from people saying

that either they'd been approached
or knew someone else who had.

Probably just gossip.

Norton should know better.

Send him my best.

I will.

[engine turns over]

[sighs deeply]

You don't think
the two incidents are related?

You get knocked off your bike,
then Andrew's house gets broken into.

Not the first time I've been driven
into the gutter by "White Van Man,"

and break-ins happen in London
hundreds of times a day.

- Besides, nothing was stolen.
- [phone ringing]

I'm not answering that. I'm not speaking
on this thing again, ever.

I heard a click on our line this morning.
On this end.

Patrick.

[phone ringing]

[ringing continues]

[phone beeps]

Jephson.

Miles, good afternoon.

Right. Of course.

We'll come right back to you.

Miles Hunt-Davis,
the Duke of Edinburgh's private secretary,

requesting a meeting with you
as soon as possible.

[newsman on radio] ...three miles
from Castlederg in County Tyrone

when at least two t*rrorists
were frightened off

as they planned to ambush
an off-duty member

of the Royal Irish Regiment at his home.

...by security forces
in the early hours of the morning.

According to police,
the fierce exchange of g*nf*re...

[Philip] Ah...

Well,

it's been a while
since I've been in Kensington Palace.

[Diana] The leper colony.

Is that what you call it?

I think of it as the depot
where we put all the mad old aunts.

All watching each other's comings
and goings through net curtains.

Is there any privacy at all?

- None.
- Ghastly.

Because privacy's so important, isn't it?

Yes.

Confidentiality too.

I suppose that's what I've come
to see you about today.

Please.

I won't if that's all right.

Yes, I, uh, I can be a tough old nut,

but I've always had a soft spot for you.

Maybe because you're young.
Maybe because you're a beautiful woman.

[chuckles softly]

Maybe because I often share
your frustration with your husband.

I've always felt protective of you.

Fond of you. There, I've said it.

So when I see you
making errors of judgment,

I want to lean across the table
and remind you,

I'm on your team.

What am I trying to say?

You're not a novice anymore.

You're long past the point
of thinking of us as a family.

That's the mistake people make
in the beginning,

but you understand,
I think, it's a system.

And we're all in this system.

You, me, the Boss.

The cousins, the uncles, the aunts.

- The lepers.
- [chuckles softly]

[Philip] For better or for worse.

We're all stuck in it.

And we can't just air our grievances

and throw bombs in the air
as in a normal family,

or we end up damaging
something much bigger

and something much more important.

The system.

So the tip I want to give you is this.

I mean, just... just be creative.

You can break as many rules as you like.
You can do whatever you want.

You can make whatever arrangements
you need to find your own happiness.

As long as you remember the one condition.

The one rule.

You remain loyal to your husband
and loyal to this family

in public.

You mean silent?

[Philip] Yes.

Don't rock the boat.

Right.

[Philip] Ever.

To the grave.

You're not saying anything.

I don't think there's anything to say.

[sighs]

Then I think that's the wisest thing
I've ever heard come out of your mouth.

[bird screeches]

[screeches]

[Philip] She'll be fine.

Good.

[Philip] Yes.

I told her that if she were
a little more clever,

a little more strategic,

she could find all the happiness
she needs in this system...

[liquid pouring]

...without anyone being any the wiser.

[lid clinks, bottle thuds]

Is that the solution, do you think?

That husbands and wives
should keep secrets from one another?

Secrets? That's not a very nice word.

No. Um...

No, what I mean is, you know,
if people were... well, more considerate,

more mature, more... discrete,

it can actually be the glue
that binds it all together.

[chuckles softly]

You see, I think in a marriage,
one should aim to exist

without secrets or accommodations.

Yes, well, that's because
you are who you are.

And not just because any husband or wife
can feel when something is awry,

but ultimately,
it's not what I know about you

or even what you know about me.

It's what He knows.

About all of us.

I think He has the night off occasionally.

[Elizabeth] Good night.

Good night.

["My Destiny" by Lionel Richie plays]
♪ You're an angel in disguise ♪

♪ With your power of love
You just hypnotize ♪

♪ I just love the magic of your spell ♪

♪ How much joy... ♪

[woman on TV] Tonight I'm joined
by Andrew Morton, one-time royal watcher

and now author of the book
that everyone is talking about.

- Andrew, good evening.
- Good evening.

[woman] For anyone
who's been living under a rock,

and doesn't know,
could you tell us what your book is about?

My book is an intimate portrait
of Princess Diana.

An attempt to tell the story
of what her life,

and particularly her marriage,
is really like.

And the fact is,
behind the glamorous public facade,

what we have is
a woman who is deeply unhappy.

Which you go into in great detail

in a book that seems
to be channeling Diana herself,

and yet which you claim
she was in no way involved.

I can say categorically
that I did not interview the princess,

but I spoke to her friends, associates,
anyone who was willing to talk.

Many not just willing, they were desperate
to tell the world how it really is.

[man on TV] And we really are talking
about the whole world.

I mean, this book is breaking
all kinds of publishing records.

[woman on TV] In France,
Holland, Germany, Japan,

and is making you a rich man
in the process.

Do you feel a sense of guilt
or responsibility

for throwing the royal family into crisis?

Honestly, I think the royal family
have been throwing themselves into crisis.

They knew what they were getting into
with Diana. They knew she was vulnerable.

They knew she'd had a difficult childhood.

[tense choral music playing]

[Morton] They knew she needed love
and security and reassurance.

But did they give it to her? No.

They gave her the total opposite.

So they can't be surprised

she wants people to understand
why she hasn't been happy.

[man on TV] So, where does that leave us?

That leaves us
in one of those cyclical moments

where the royal family
is in genuine crisis,

but where the fragile truce between Diana
and the royals is clearly not working.

There are two alternatives to a truce.

Either you have
a long-term negotiated peace,

which... I don't see happening.
The two sides are too entrenched.

Or you escalate.

[woman on TV] Into what?

[Morton] All-out w*r.

Which, sadly, seems to be
where this is currently headed.

[haunting choral music swells]

[music fades out]

[light instrumental music playing]