the prime minister is on his way, ma'am.
yes. on the one hand his background is quite establishment. father a conservative. a public school education at fettes, where he was tutored by the same man as the prince of wales.
on the other, his manifesto promises the most radical modernisation and shake-up of the constitution in three hundred years.
i wouldn't put it past him. he's married to a woman with known anti- monarchist sympathies - you may remember her curtsey the first time you met. it could best be described as `shallow'.
and i spoke to the cabinet secretary who said he was expecting the atmosphere at downing street to be very informal. everyone on first name terms. at the prime minister's insistence.
yes.
robin janvrin.
tell sir guy i'd like everyone in. as soon as possible.
good evening, ma'am. i'm sorry to disturb.
good evening, sir.
right. ashen-faced) i see.
i've just spoken to our ambassador in paris, ma'am.
i'm sorry to disturb, ma'am, but i've the prime minister, for you. from his constituency.
a bit over the top, don't you think?
good morning, ma'am.
ma'am, there was a meeting at the palace this morning.
the lord chamberlain faxed over these plans for you to consider.
there is now general agreement, ma'am, that a public funeral would be more appropriate.
at the moment, they're suggesting.  and of course these are early days.
indeed, and the lord chamberlain was at pains to stress the spirit of the occasion will be quite different. a beat) for example, in place of four hundred soldiers marching behind the coffin, the suggestion is that four hundred representatives from the princess's various charities march behind the coffin.
and that instead of foreign heads of state and crown heads of europe, the guests would include a sprinkling of actors of stage and screen, fashion designers and other.  . celebrities.
o, ma'am.
oh, yes. one other thing. the police commissioner was keen that you consider the idea of a condolence book. it would give the growing crowds something to do. make marshalling them easier.
oh, and the flowers.
actually, the lord chamberlain was wondering whether we shouldn't leave the flowers, and send the guards through the north gate.
right, we'd better have a look at these papers.
god.
right.
yes, ma'am. just the letter of condolence to the widow of the ambassador to brazil.
ma'am, apparently the prime minister is on the phone for you.
prime minister, i understand how `difficult' her behaviour must seem to you. how `unhelpful'. but try to see it from her perspective.  she's been brought up to believe its god's will that she is who she is.
she won't have seen anything like this since the abdication. a beat)
i'm most grateful, prime minister.
i'm afraid he's rather insisting.
i've done a draft of your television address.
no, ma'am. landing in fifteen minutes.
you think you can say it?
prime minister.