| Bertie and Elizabeth | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Giles Foster |
| Written by | Nigel Williams |
| Starring | James Wilby, Juliet Aubrey, Alan Bates |
| Release date(s) | 2002 |
| Running time | 120min |
| Language | English |
Bertie & Elizabeth is a 2002 television film produced by Carlton Television. The film explores the relationship between King George VI and his wife Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) from their very first meeting to the King's death in the winter of 1952. Bertie & Elizabeth was commissioned especially for the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II and was first broadcast on ITV1 on 4 June 2002, only two months after the death of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
Contents |
King George VI is played by James Wilby, and Queen Elizabeth by Juliet Aubrey. There are also appearances from Sir Alan Bates and Dame Eileen Atkins, who play King George V and Queen Mary respectively.
The film begins with the initial meeting between the then Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and then moves on through their courtship, marriage, succession to the throne after the abdication of Edward VIII, and World War II.
The film portrays King George VI's struggle to overcome his stammer, the fear he felt towards his father, and the punishing stress the King was placed under during the abdication crisis of 1936 (see Edward VIII abdication crisis).