Royal and Not-So-Royal Venues

Even though the whole movie takes place in Britain, it really spans two different worlds: the world of royalty and the world of the commoner.

When Elizabeth first tracks down Lionel Logue, she's confronted with the lack of politeness that exists for common people. When she asks where Logue is, he casually answers, "I'm just in the loo." It's safe to say that no one in the royal family would ever shout from a bathroom.

One of the first arguments we see in this movie is all about setting. Elizabeth wants Lionel Logue to come to her home to treat her husband. But even though they are royalty, Logue won't budge on his policies of having people come to his office. As he tells Elizabeth,

LOGUE: I can cure your husband. But for my method to work there must be trust and total equality in the safety of my consultation room. No exceptions.

It's not like Logue is overflowing with pride and wants to show the royal family who's boss. He just knows that his techniques won't work if he takes them outside his office. His techniques depend on creating a setting in which his patients feel safe and trust him, and he feels that his dingy office if the only place where that can happen.

Logue's testiness about having the setting his way comes to a head when he argues with Archbishop Cosmo Lang before Bertie's coronation ceremony. When Logue says he needs time with Bertie, Lang answers,

LANG: My dear fellow, this is Westminster Abbey! The Church must prepare his Majesty.

Lang can't believe that a commoner like Logue would walk in and insist that his preferences are just as important as Lang's. But that's exactly what he does. Again, it's important to remember that he doesn't do this out of pride, but because it's what is best for Bertie.