My story of romance with the British monarchy began way back in the late eighties when I was barely 10 years old; pictures showing crowns, sceptres, orbs and other items of regalia began to fascinate me. The dining room of the Presidential Palace in Valletta featuring portraits of the British monarchs who reigned over our island during the 164-year long rule was a place I wanted to visit every time I was in Valletta. Since then, my love of monarchy, especially for the British Royal Family, continued to grow. I will never forget watching the interesting documentary entitled Elizabeth R featured on TVM on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth’s official visit to our islands in 1992, which completely fascinated me and remains to this day my favourite British documentary.
When I got to know that a film was being made about the problems King George VI faced because of his stammer, I instantly remembered the first letter I ever wrote to a crowned head, addressed to the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, George VI’s wife. I was only 14 years old and, due to my excitement, I wrote and sent the letter to Clarence House without signing it; a fortnight later I received a reply with the letter addressed to ‘the fourteen year old boy’ followed by my address and signed by her lady-in-waiting Lady Ruth Fermoy (who happened to be Lady Diana’s maternal grandmother); I still cherish the letter in my little archive. Since then, I have bought tens of books about the monarchy. Tom Hooper and David Seidler’s The King’s Speech put me on the spot; I did remember reading about the Australian speech therapist who helped the late King George VI’s impediment but I had to go back to my books to refresh memory as to how ‘Doctor’ Lionel Logue had helped the English monarch, who awarded Malta the ‘George Cross’ medal, with his speech difficulties. I did remember immediately that it was the late King’s formidable wife who gave him the strength needed to be able to bear the burden of an unexpected role, a role that should have been played by his elder brother.
The first biography of the late Queen Mother I ever read was Penelope Mortimer’s 1995 book simply entitled Queen Mother. Though not a detailed study of the former Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Mortimer’s book was enough for me to get a glimpse of who the Queen Mother really was. The book has only two references to Lionel Logue, the first of which I shall quote. Referring to the Duke and Duchess of York – the titles previously bore by King George VI and his Scottish wife – Mortimer explains: “The Duke was sceptical – there had been too many ‘cures’, too many failures – but the Duchess insisted he should at least try” (page 97). Logue’s entry in his own diary about his first meeting has since the production of the films almost become a classical quote: “The Duke of York entered my consulting room at three o’clock in the afternoon. A slim, quiet man, with tired eyes and all the symptoms of the man upon whom habitual speech defect had begun to set the sign. When he left at five o’clock, you could see that there was hope once more in his heart” (Sir John Wheeler-Bennett, King George VI, London 1958). What happened next unfolds most beautifully in the film that received 12 Oscar nominations, more than any other film. There is no doubt that The King’s Speech is a masterpiece and of course a must for all those who hold the British monarchy dear to their heart.
Helena Bonham Carter played the role of the late Queen Mother beautifully; in a way she was next to perfect and her hairstyle was definitely very similar to the Queen Mother’s. Though Colin Firth does not look very much like the late King George VI, I believe he fitted in quite well though I am sceptical about the King’s sweating before his speech therapist Logue. The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Cosmo Lang’s stiff-upper lip and his dislike of Lionel Logue could have been real but were I thing a bit exaggerated. The bond between the King and Logue must have grown along the years since it is documented that they corresponded with each other.
From a historical point of view it is quite fascinating that Sir John Wheeler-Bennett, the distinguished military historian chosen to write the official biography of King George VI, had coincidentally been a pupil of Lionel Logue; this must have helped in the formation of a sympathetic depiction of Logue – a role well played by the renowned Geoffrey Rush – who becomes a likeable figure by the end of the movie. Wheeler-Bennett was given access do the diaries of the King by the Queen Mother herself. There is no doubt that the producers of The King’s Speech were familiar with Wheeler-Bennett’s biography and produced a film that was a balanced presentation of the life of the present Queen’s father.
All in all, The King’s Speech is a movie one enjoys watching. It is another gem in the crown of British movies that focus on the theme of monarchy. One may be a Republican but still be able to appreciate, after watching the film, the tremendous effort a Scottish lady made to make of her husband a beloved king who, aided by a dedicated wife on one side and a bright prime minister on the other, brought Britain victorious out of a devastating war.
Fr Geoffrey G. Attard