When George III’s behaviour begins to seem odd, even for Royalty, the collapse of government is imminent. The King is subjected to the horrors of eighteenth-century medicine, the Ministers scrabble to remain in office and the Prince of Wales prepares to take power.An exploration of the nature of kingship, the screenplay for The Madness of King George is based on the successful stage play, The Madness of George III.Alan Bennett’s entertaining introduction to the screenplay includes his production diary, notes comparing his stage and screen versions, and the political background to the Court of George III. Also included are a selection of stills from the film.