Chenies Manor, Chenies, Bucks, UK – To Play The King (1993) - Movie Locations on Waymarking.com

The newly crowned King takes too keen an interest in politics. He goes behind the PM’s back and talks directly to opposition party leaders and the PM’s own back benchers. The PM, Francis Urquhart, becomes further enraged when the King produces a TV broadcast critical of the Government.

Stamper, Urquhart’s right hand man pressures the editor of the Daily Clarion, Sir Bruce Bullerby to get the memoirs of Princess Charlotte. The memoirs would normally be published after her death, but Stamper wants them as “Royal Insurance”. Meanwhile Urquhart meets with the King’s ex wife, assuring her that what ever happens to the King, her son will succeed to the throne.

Urquhart intends to hold an early general election over the King’s behaviour. He recruits Sarah Harding, a leading polling expert, to be his political advisor. Harding’s appointment, and her subsequent affair with Urquhart, riles Stamper, particularly as Stamper has not been promoted by Urquhart. Stamper starts a campaign against Urquhart. He arranges a mugging of Harding where the thugs tell her to ask Urquhart about Mattie STorrin, the journalist Urquhart killed in the run up to his leadership of the party.

Harding decides to investigate the Mattie Storrin case. She interviews John Krajewski, a fellow journalist friend of Mattie Storrin. He tells her all he knows and is later found murdered, allegedly by Irish republican terrorists.

Urquhart tries to get the King to back down, threatening to publish Princess Charlotte’s memoirs. The King refuses. Urquhart pressures Bullerby into publishing the photos. The opinion polls start to swing Urquhart’s way, however one of his MP’s, John Staines is arrested for sex with a minor, a short while after Stamper got Staines to issue an anti monarchist statement in the House. Urquhart blames Stamper as the polls reverse again. Mycroft, the King’s chief advisor, had been seen in a gay bar with Staines and decides to publicly resign his post.

There is an explosion in a tower block when a tenant taps into a gas main. The King in the wake of this goes on a tour of a deprived area, shunning security concerns. Urquhart gets Corder to organise the kidnapping of the King by thugs, whilst he arranges for the Parachute Regiment to rescue the King. The King is seen as foolish and Urquhart gets praise for the rescue.

Urquhart goes to the country and wins a 22 seat majority. He demands the King’s abdication, which he gets. Corder finds out that Stamper has been feeding information to Harding about Storrin. Corder is ordered by the Urquhart’s to assassinate both Stamper and Harding. The pair die in separate car bombings, the blame being placed on the Provisional IRA.

Francis Urquhart discusses security clearance of Mrs Harding with Corder in the grounds of Chenies Manor.

Movie or TV Show: To Play The King Year Released or First Aired: 1,993.00 IMDB Link: [Web Link]

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