MovieChat Forums > A Royal Night Out (2015) Discussion > About Those Guards **SPOILERS**

About Those Guards SPOILERS

posted 8 years ago by Hecate-3
4 replies | jump to latest

I figured that the movie would be largely fictional before it even began, and once the action began to unfold, I knew I had been right.

** SPOILERS AHEAD **

In my opinion, the actions of the guards assigned to chaperone the princesses are the biggest departure from reality. They were entrusted with the safety of the heir and the spare but they couldn't keep it in their pants for a few hours in order to do their duty? I get that VE Day was a huge deal and a party like no other and not even dutiful soldiers would want to miss it, but anyone with a functioning brain cell would realize that that party was going to be going on ALL NIGHT LONG. Meanwhile, the princesses were supposed to be returned to the palace at 1:00 AM on the dot, which would have left their chaperones plenty of time to cut loose once their duty had been honorably discharged.

If the events of the movie had actually occurred, what sort of consequences would the two men have faced? I assume that at the least, they would have faced a court martial and received dishonorable discharges. But given how spectacularly they betrayed their sovereign's trust, failed in their duty as servicemen, and showed absolutely no judgement or intelligence or self-control leaving no one of sense likely to feel much sympathy for their lapses even if no lasting harm was done (by sheer luck rather than diligence) -- I can't help thinking that they really would have been shot for such behavior. Deservedly so.

Am I wrong?

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Strip away the phony tinsel of Hollywood and you find the real tinsel underneath.

[–] mecham-173-366932 8 years ago

I agree! Their CO picked them for a reason (maybe even as a reward) to have the honor of supervising 2 royals. They should have known 1:00am was only hours away and held their post at the doors with plenty of time later to celebrate.

[–] louiseculmer 8 years ago

having two strange men acting as chaperones for two young girls is ridiculous, the makers of the film don't appear to know what a chaperone was. normally, a chaperone would be an older woman, mother aunt, governess, lady's maid etc. A man would only be considered suitable if he was a close relative or a trusted family servant. In fact the princesses were accompanied by chaperones when they went out, but they were the sort of people you would expect to be chaperones, like their governess etc.

[–] Hecate-3 8 years ago

I got the impression that the two men were there as guards more than as chaperones. And yes, the girls should have had chaperones too. But the point is that it seemed criminally negligent for the guards to leave their posts when they were responsible for the safety of the heir to the throne AND the spare to boot. I mean, that could even be said to rise to the level of treason.

_____
Strip away the phony tinsel of Hollywood and you find the real tinsel underneath.

[–] Popcorngal (4361) a year ago

True, King George and the Queen Mother would have given them hell!