Mark Logue, grandson of Lionel Logue – the pioneering speech therapist celebrated in ‘The King’s Speech’ – goes on a cross-continental journey to discover the life of his fascinating grandfather and the unique experiences he had with the royal family.
As curator of the Logue family archive, Mark has a wealth of material at his fingertips, including family photographs and letters between Lionel and King George VI. All of these intriguing timecapsules unlock a past that was completely hidden until recently.
Mark investigates every period of Lionel’s life, from his early stage career in Australia to his arrival in London, and his tutorship of an amazing royal patient. Lionel witnessed King George VI’s rise – from his time as Duke of York, through the abdication crisis, to his unexpected elevation to king. Throughout this period Lionel was aware that he was witnessing history unfold and he meticulously kept diary notes of every time he visited the royal couple – recording everything from what Queen Elizabeth was wearing, to jokes the king made. He also kept personal letters between himself and the king, showing their tender friendship, trust and loyalty.
Mark then visits the acclaimed actor Geoffrey Rush – who portrays Lionel in the film – to find out how he used the diary entries to interpret the character. He also meets the movie’s screenwriter David Seidler to find out how he carved the story from the mass of materials available, and the method he used to tell the wider story of the abdication crisis through the story of the two men’s relationship.
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