King Richard is called upon to settle a dispute between his cousin Henry Bolingbroke and Thomas Mowbray. Richard calls for a duel but then halts it just before swords clash. Both men are banished from the realm. Richard visits John of Gaunt, Bolingbroke's father, who, in the throes of death, reprimands the king. After seizing Gaunt's money and land, Richard leaves for wars against the rebels in Ireland. Bolingbroke returns to claim back his inheritance. Supported by his allies, Northumberland and the Duke of York, Bolingbroke takes Richard prisoner and lays claim to the throne.
Quest roles:
Ben Whishaw(King Richard), Patrick Stewart(John of Gaunt), Rory Kinnear(Bollingbroke), David Suchet(Duke of York), David Morrissey(Earl of Northumberland), Tom Hughes(Duke of Aumerle), James Purefoy(Thomas of Mowbray), Lindsay Duncan(Duchess of York), Clémence Poésy(Queen Isabella), Ferdinand Kingsley(Sir John Bushy), Samuel Roukin(Bagot), Harry Hadden-Paton(Sir Henry Green), Tom Goodman-Hill(Sir Stephen Scroop), Adrian Schiller(Lord Willoughby), Peter De Jersey(Lord Ross), Finbar Lynch(Lord Marshall), Lucian Msamati(Bishop of Carlisle), Richard Bremmer(Abbot of Westminster), David Bradley(Gardener), Isabella Laughland(The Queen's Serving Lady), Rhodri Miles(Welch Captain), Simon Trinder(Gardener's Assistant), Daniel Boyd(Groom)