Mrs Brown Page #2

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PONSONBY (V.O.)

... He is arriving by boat this

afternoon, by which time it is hoped

Her Majesty will be in a fit state to

consider riding out...

INT. OSBORNE HOUSE, PRIVATE SECRETARY'S ROOM - DAY

SIR HENRY PONSONBY, the Queen's Private Secretary, is

sitting at his writing desk, completing a letter.

PONSONBY (V.O.)

... As to that decision, along with

all others, we remain, as ever,

prisoners of the Queen's grief.

(beat)

Ever your devoted husband, Henry.

He folds the letter and slips it into an envelope. He is a

middle-aged man in a dark mourning suit; tall, Saturnine

and with a civil servant's stoop. As he looks up, we see a

white-stockinged FOOTMAN standing to attention by the door.

PONSONBY hands the letter to him.

PONSONBY (CONT'D)

Windsor.

CUT TO:

CAPTION:
"OSBORNE HOUSE, ISLE OF WIGHT"

INT. OSBORNE HOUSE, CORRIDOR AND QUEEN'S DINING ROOM - DAY

A series of windows are being slammed open by white

stockinged FOOTMEN as members of the ROYAL FAMILY and UPPER

HOUSEHOLD hurry by in silence, all dressed in mourning and

rushing to make the luncheon hour.

INT. OSBORNE HOUSE, QUEEN'S DRAWING ROOM - DAY

Queen VICTORIA heads down the empty corridor with two

ladies-in-waiting, LADY ELY and LADY CHURCHILL, hurrying

along a pace behind.

INT. OSBORNE HOUSE, QUEEN'S DINING ROOM - DAY

Members of the Royal family and upper household hurry into

the icy dining room and take their designated places at the

luncheon table. Everybody is dressed in mourning and

nobody speaks. Wind whistles through the open windows.

Silence.

Among the diners we catch our first glimpse of BERTIE, the

Prince of Wales. He is in his mid-twenties, plump, stiff

dressed and balding. He stands next to his young wife,

PRINCESS ALEXANDRA, who fiddles nervously with her shawl,

trying to keep warm.

As BERTIE smooths down his thinning hair, DOCTOR JENNER

bustles into the dining room, stands himself next to

PONSONBY and proceeds to conduct a hurried conversation

with the Prince of Wales, entirely in whispers.

JENNER:

Congratulations, Your Royal Highness!

BERTIE:

Thank you, Doctor.

JENNER:

A boy, I hear. Excellent, excellent.

BERTIE:

Yes.

(beat)

Albert Victor. Eddie for short. What

do you think?

PONSONBY:

A fine choice, sir.

JENNER:

Excellent!

EXT. DOCKSIDE, ISLE OF WIGHT - DAY

JOHN BROWN leads his pony gently up the ramp and into the

carrier bearing the Royal coat of arms. The DRIVER leans

in.

DRIVER:

Are you riding up front?

BROWN looks straight at this man, quiet and reserved.

BROWN:

I'll stay with the pony, thank you.

She's all the way from Deeside and

she's not sure she likes you yet.

The DRIVER shrugs and slams the doors on them.

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