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Prominent Nazi, Joachim von Ribbentrop, visits the Londonderrys again – this time at Wynyard, their stately home in the North-East of England. But the German ambassador is on the point of giving a Nazi salute in Durham Cathedral and just in time Charles, Lord Londonderry, grabs his arm to avoid an embarrassing scandal. Charles’ friendly relations with senior Nazis are threatening to destroy his public reputation - and he is not the only one.
The Nazis prove to be a source of huge fascination for the Anglo-Irish aristocracy at this time; some are drawn to them while others are repelled. Charles Londonderry makes a total of six trips between 1936 and 1938 to meet senior Nazis. Yet his awareness of the threat that a strong, militarised Germany poses is acute. The Anschluss uniting Germany and Austria becomes one more example of this and German moves seem to constantly pull the rug from under Charles’ one-man diplomatic strategy.
Charles had previously lost his job as Air Minister in Westminster in 1935 when it emerged that he had seriously underestimated German military air strength. Charles was distraught and disputed that any fault lay with him until the end of his life. His sacking wounded him deeply and consequently he forms a plan with Edith to forge links with the Nazis to bring them into the European family of nations – following in the footsteps of Lord Castlereagh. Charles believes in diplomacy and negotiation – but injured pride also plays a huge part in his actions as the clouds of war gather.
When British PM Joseph Chamberlain flies to Munich to meet Hitler and sign a peace agreement in 1938, Charles believes he has finally been vindicated. But only a few weeks later Germany invades its neighbour, Czechoslovakia. Now, the world waits for war.