A trailer for Victoria and Abdul, which focuses on a real-life friendship between Queen Victoria and one of her clerks, Abdul Karim, has been released. Dame Judi Dench stars at the monarch in the later years of her reign, and the film looks at how her friendship with Abdul brought her joy while bringing tensions into the royal household. In one scene from the trailer, the Queen is arguing with one of her sons as he threatens to have her declared insane because of her friendship with Abdul. After he tells her: "Mother, you are bringing the monarchy to crisis. You will drop this Indian peasant or we will have you certified insane," she responds: "I am cantankerous, greedy, ill-tempered and disagreeably attached to power. But I am anything but insane. How dare you look down on Abdul."
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The official synopsis for the film, which will be released 15 September, reads: "The extraordinary true story of an unexpected friendship in the later years of Queen Victoria's remarkable rule. When Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal), a young clerk, travels from India to participate in the Queen's Golden Jubilee, he is surprised to find favour with the Queen herself. As the Queen questions the constrictions of her long-held position, the two forge an unlikely and devoted alliance with a loyalty to one another that her household and inner circle all attempt to destroy. As the friendship deepens, the Queen begins to see a changing world through new eyes and joyfully reclaims her humanity."
The film will be released in cinemas in September
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People were quick to discuss the exciting trailer, with one tweeting: "The trailer of #victoriaandabdul is lovely. Has a very 'King's Speech' vibe to it," while another added: "This #victoriaandabdul trailer gave me goosebumps. It's so touching & poignant. Definitely an academy material."