‘A United Kingdom’ shocking, engaging story of the power of love

“A United Kingdom” is an epic story. What makes it both shocking and engaging is that it is based on facts that few Americans can probably remember and most Brits might choose to forget.

When the king of England abdicated his throne to be with Wallace Simpson, the woman he loved, the couple faded into oblivion. But when the lovers in “A Kingdom United” stood together, their union had far-reaching appeal and material consequences. Their love was so powerful that it birthed a nation.

When the film opens, Prince Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo) is completing his schooling in London in 1947. He is also the native heir apparent to the British protectorate Bechuanaland in southern Africa.

When he meets Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike), a white London office worker, at a church social, the attraction between the two jumps off the screen and only intensifies as the film progresses. It never diminishes throughout the film, which is good because this love bond is the glue that holds the couple and a burgeoning nation together.

Against the advice of Ruth’s racist parents, Seretse’s racist uncle who is running Bechuanaland, and both the British and South African governments, the couple wed. Once back in Africa, the union between the two lovers is a hard sell to everyone. The countrymen and women are dubious of having a white queen.

Seretse’s sister and aunt are both unwelcoming and rude to Ruth. Uncle Tshekedi Khama (Vusi Kunene) does not want to confirm kingship on Seretse unless he divorces Ruth. But Seretse decides to put the vote to the people who support his monarchy and their white queen.

Rather than cause overt fighting between the two factions of the family, the uncle moves off with his followers, leaving Seretse and Ruth to work matters out.

But this union is very unsettling to the British. They make covert and overt threats to both Seretse and Ruth.

To add intrigue, it seems that a mining company has come to this African country in the hope of finding diamonds or other precious minerals as were discovered in its neighboring South Africa. There is a question as to who will own the minerals if the king does not rule.

The Brits devise a plan to get the couple back to London in order to ban Ruth from her newly adopted country. But Ruth and Seretse see through this transparent plan and determine that Seretse will go to London alone and Ruth will stay in Africa.

By this time, Seretse’s supporters and his sister have warmed to Ruth and vow to protect her.

The British government has other plans once Seretse gets to London. They exile him from his homeland for a term of five years. This, they say, is at the behest of Uncle Tshekedi, although one wonders. There is much maneuvering of policies and politics, and it is all very gripping and appalling at the same time. Even Winston Churchill weighs in on the issue — and I will not tell you the extent of his betrayal.

This is a powerful film with incredibly fine acting on the parts of all players, but especially the Oscar-worthy performances of Oyelowo and Pike. Their love relationship is palpable and totally convincing — since it is either the stuff that will tear a nation apart or the glue that will hold it together. It is that compelling.

The intrigue and the arrogance of the British government during the age of its waning world dominance adds a great deal to the success of the script — ostensibly based in reality. To the south of the republic that would become Botswana, apartheid is a novel and persuasive concept. All of these factions weigh in on this couple and their people.

You don’t need to brush up on your history to relate to this film. It is about the promise of a more egalitarian future for all people and a break from paternalism in every form. But mostly, it is about the power of love. We can all understand that.

This story was originally published March 15, 2017 at 12:05 PM with the headline "‘A United Kingdom’ shocking, engaging story of the power of love."