The Queen sat down to breakfast in her small sitting room and was shortly joined by Philip. He remarked on the red telephone, set by her at the table. 

 "Well," he said and there was a bright gleam of mischief in his eyes, "our prime minister has certainly put the cat among the pigeons, has he not? Set off another  damn constitutional crisis I shouldn't wonder."

The Queen smiled benignly. She loved Philip's genial irascibility. "difficulties certainly", she replied and found that she too was slightly relishing this challenge to the recent boring days of 'lockdown'. It would be a change from playing scrabble with Phillip-he always got sulky when she won, and the 1000 piece puzzle on the monarchs of England was also becoming tedious.                      

She had spoken by telephone to Catherine earlier and it was all arranged. A suitable toaster would be delivered to Lambeth palace that afternoon.  Without the looming mountain of communication that was undoubtedly about to descend upon her, and her private secretary, that would have been the most exciting project of the day. Now, however, she foresaw a long day of telephone calls and zoom meetings ahead.  Her boiled egg and toast, followed by fruit would have to sustain her long past lunchtime she thought. 

Philip was just catching a broken strip of toast in his starched white napkin and wiping egg from his chin. Privately she wished that he would cease his 'soldier habit'. It had begun when Charles was four years old and had needed to be  steeped in military speak to 'prepare him', and Philip had never relinquished it. 

"I suppose I shall have another long day alone then." As he spoke the red telephone rang and he threw his napkin down in exasperation. 

The receiver to her ear, the Queen frowned slightly at him. "Yes, Richard, of course. Please connect him"  She held her hand over the receiver and whispered towards her husband, "Cabinet secretary" Philip rose and blowing her a kiss, quietly left the room, hearing Elizabeth's bright, courteous voice ringing in his ears. "Ah good morning Sir Mark."

The Queen heard a scuffle and a slightly panicked voice said "Oh.. er yes, good morning your Majesty, I'm so sorry to trouble you at this early hour, but er.. things are.."

"I quite understand, Sir Mark. Have you a plan for quickly electing a new leader?"  Dead silence! "Hello,  are you still there?"

"A breathless "Yes. yes,  mm'am, but, but er  the shi.... oh gosh the er, feathers are... " 

 "Hitting the fan" the Queen supplied in her sweetest gentle tone. She thought, 'Good Lord, when will they learn I do live in the real world!'

"Yes, yes, indeed feathers are flying" was the cabinet secretary's inane response. 

"Pray why so? Of course it's a great inconvenience to the Tory party and even more to the country, but I'm sure Mr Raab will step up to the plate. It must of course happen with all due speed. No long wrangling or elections" she  added.  "This will mean meetings and discussion with the cabinet, no doubt. Today."

"Oh but you don't understand," was the gabbled response.

"Then please enlighten me" The Queen allowed a sliver of ice into her voice. 

"He says he's going to be prime minister still, and that his crossing the House floor doesn't change anything."

"Except the whole idea of democracy. How can even Mr Johnson take this attitude? " The Queen was aware that Sir Richard, her Private Secretary had silently entered the room and was at an appropriate distance the other side of the table -now clear of breakfast. She looked up at him, shaking her head in utter bewilderment. 

Sir Mark Sedwill's voice was calmer. "The cabinet and some of the  back benchers are gathering for a meeting now."  

"I see. What exactly do you hope to achieve and how can I be of immediate assistance? Perhaps the prime minister will see sense and resign." She glanced up as she saw Sir Richard shaking his head and heaving an enormous sigh. She felt she must know more what this meant. He was a most reliable and clever man. "Please keep me informed, Sir Mark. I am meeting with my secretary now." 

"Excellent, your Majesty, he has evidently received my request." The cabinet secretary's voice was now quite under control. Much more appropriate to an alumnus of St Andrew's, thought the Queen, replacing the receiver. 

Sir Richard Longhurst, her Private Secretary now for four years and a great favourite, wasted no time. "The cabinet and several Tory members are in the Commons Chamber having a meeting- It's the only place large enough for them to all be there at a distance from each other. Sir Mark has arranged a conference video for you to "be there" but not on visual, so they won't know you are present so to speak" 

"How exciting. I've always rather wanted to be a fly on the Commons wall!"  The Queen relished this heresy and gave Richard one of her broadest smiles. Not for the first time his heart warmed to this extraordinary woman. "I shall be mute, invisible and inactive. Where is the monitor?"

"In the study Ma'am." and he lead the way, opening the adjoining door, and standing clear indicated a seat with headphones in front of a large screen, on which already an  assembly of people was visible and when she applied the earphones, the noise was not unlike a cattle auction or rather a Newmarket horse sale. She watched, and listened intently to the remarks flying around, able to hear one or two clearly. However, she particularly enjoyed trying to identify the ones coming from speakers who were out of view of the camera.  

Centre stage was poor Mr Raab, next to Michael Gove, Matthew Hancock and Pritti Patel. Each of them blustered something like 'Extraordinary circumstances'; ' perhaps he's still unwell'; ' not inconceivable that this can work' (Michael Gove, of course).  'Outrageous'; then off camera came a languid upper middle class drawl, ' shares will drop through the floor' "Ah," thought the Queen, "Mr Rees Mogg"  (Philip called him Mr Teas Made) No doubt he had kept away from the camera so that he could sprawl on the bench. 

Another furious voice off camera, "Absolutely typical"  

"Now who would that be? Oh, of course, Jeremy Hunt."  

Mr Raab called the 'rabble' to order." As the party of Government we have to decide upon a new leader immediately" He appeared as wooden as ever, but quite clearly assumed everyone would agree at once and appoint him

. More shouting and protests. 'Boris is our leader'.' We can't do anything without him'  Two back benchers, unknown to the Queen had spoken. She was inclined to think the second remark was absolutely correct. 

An idea came to her, she turned to Richard  "May I break with protocol and speak?"  He hesitated and she added, "Call Sir Mark and say,.... let me think now. Yes, that's it.. I'm asserting the Royal Prerogative, to intervene in a private Party meeting. Regrettable but these are regrettable times"

Richard Longhurst was surprised to have the cabinet secretary's ready agreement on his mobile phone connection. Desperation perhaps. 

Her Majesty needed no guidance to  connect the audio visual capacity of her monitor, saying as she did so,  "Good morning ladies and gentlemen" in her very best, familiar cut glass, Queen's accents

The effect was both astonishing and comic! 'Ah, that's what Mark wanted to see', thought Richard suppressing rising laughter. 

The babble of voices ceased.  Those standing up waving their arms, flopped down in immediate submission;  papers they had been waving for attention flew into the air. Those who had been pointedly sitting calmly,  jumped to their feet, upright, arms by their sides. A now visible Jacob Rees Mogg  bowed slightly! Andrea Leadsome bobbed a curtsey and her knees shunted Pritti Patel along the row.  Heads turned to the chamber's various monitors, mouths hung open. Dead silence.

The Queen wasted no time. "Mr Johnson is insisting on remaining as prime minister, I hear. In our current situation with the corona virus pandemic., there is no time for the luxury of the Tory party electing a new leader to continue as the majority party in parliament. Thus, in my view,  this can only be resolved then by the creation of a  Government of National Unity.  I shall be holding a video conference meeting shortly with Mr Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer. You will be informed of the outcome of this meeting by the Foreign Secretary, who will, himself be given news of the outcome by the cabinet secretary." Dominic Raab positively glowed.

The Queen continued. "That is all ladies and gentlemen. We must all work together for the good of our country. I'm certain you will all do your bit. So, in that overused saying, Keep calm and carry on. Thank you." She switched off and turned to Richard.  "Satisfactory?"

"Very, ma'am."

"Pease convene the meeting as quickly as possible."