The Royal Visit –  The episode opens with Father Brown (Mark Williams) informing Brenda Palmer (Ruby-May Martinwood) of a call from the headmistress, Amanda Clement (Sarah Smart). As he starts to tell her the news, an excited Isabel Devine (Claudie Blakley) rushes in saying Kembleford is getting a royal visit. He tells them that Clement has invited them to join her at the grand opening of the new school library.

Chief Inspector Sullivan (Tom Chambers), Inspector Neil Becket (Tristan Gemmill), and Princess Margaret’s personal assistant, Elizabeth Barnes (Kara Tointon) arrive in Kembleford. Amanda Clement (Sarah Smart) tries the door to the new library to find it locked. Sergeant Goodfellow (John Burton) suggests Raymond “Ray” Harrison (Gary Lilburn) overslept after a night out at the pub. While walking to Ray’s place, Clement tells Father Brown that they need a mayor that cares about their community. They find him fast asleep.

Barnes asks if Ray has a living quarters inside the school. Clement says it’s only temporary. They enter the library to see books, chairs, and desks scattered everywhere. She accuses Ray of leaving the door unlocked. He doesn’t remember stopping at the library before going to the pub. Mayor Anthony Wood (Howard Ward) suggests canceling the royal visit. Sullivan says children vandalized the library. Father Brown believes the damage can be easily mended. Barnes realizes her lighter is missing before running back into the library. Brenda says the lighter must be really important.

During the rehearsal, Brenda discovers Ray deceased inside the library. Beckett finds the rear entrance door locked. Pulling the keys out of Ray’s pocket, Goodfellow tells them that the assailant entered through the front entrance. Sullivan and Father brown find Clement in the office. She slams a desk drawer shut as they enter the room. Sullivan opens the drawer to find a hammer hidden inside. Clement is taken away. Beckett injects himself into the investigation against Sullivan’s wishes. Divine asks Father Brown if he believes Clement killed Ray. He says she doesn’t look guilty but confused and anguished.

Sullivan complains about Beckett taking his office at the police station. A lock with a photo of a woman is discovered on Ray’s person. Goodfellow tells them that Ray never said anything about a family. Beckett informs them of Ray’s extensive criminal record. He was imprisoned for eight years at HMP Gloucester. Father Brown claims Ray admitted to having a checkered past.

Father Brown informs Clement of the lock found on Ray’s body. He identifies the woman in the photo as her. She tells him that it was taken after she and her mother moved to Kembleford. He says Ray is her father. Ray was in prison most of her childhood. After release, he reached out to her to make amends. She hired him knowing his felony record put her job at risk. She denies killing Ray. He admits to believing her. She claims to have seen Ray and Mayor Wood having a verbal argument regarding money.

Mayor Wood claims to have paid upfront for Ray to do some work that was never completed. Father Brown asks if Ray was paid to vandalize the school to prevent his mayoral competitor from basking in the glory. Mayor Wood reminds him that the vandalism was minor. Father Brown suggests that is why he wanted Ray to repay the money. Mayor Wood assures him that it’s only politics.

Father Brown enters Ray’s room to find Sullivan and Goodfellow already investigating. He points out that Ray’s old newspaper is missing. Sullivan suggests he threw it away. Ray had a collection of stolen jewelry. When Father Brown leaves, Sullivan orders Goodfellow to find Ray’s newspaper.

Father Brown informs Barnes of Ray’s collection of pickpocketed goods. He asks if Ray pickpocketed her gold lighter outside the school. She removes the lighter with the anagram MRM from her pocket. He says the lighter belongs to Princess Margaret Rose Windsor (Olivia Benjamin). Beckett claims Ray handed the lighter over to him. Father Brown points out that he’s the last person to see Ray alive. Barnes assures him that she only borrowed it. Beckett says the royal family would have terminated her position if he hadn’t got the lighter back. She promises to return it and never take anything else. Goodfellow tells them that Clement has been charged with murdering Ray.

Sullivan tells Father Brown that the murder weapon (hammer) had Clement’s fingerprints on it. Father Brown reminds him that they knew she picked it up. Sullivan says she also threatened Ray. Scotland Yard contacted Sullivan to demand someone be charged for Ray’s murder or the royal visit would be canceled.

Divine says with Clement locked behind bars, Mayor Wood will take center stage at the royal visit. Brenda says it’s a good motive. Devine assures them that the lighter could’ve been easily traced back to Barnes if it ended up at a pawnbroker. Brenda reminds her that Beckett got the lighter back, not Barnes. Devine says that Beckett’s story. Father Brown suggests the motive for Ray’s murder is much more than a lighter.

Beckett asks Devine out for dinner.

Father Brown finds Sullivan with a stack of newspapers. Sullivan assures him that he only wants to be open-minded. Farther Brown informs that Ray’s newspaper headlined a football match between Bristol and Gloucester City. Sullivan says it was the first round of the FA Cup in 1937.

A constable drops off a copy of the newspaper at the police station. “Felons Fix Flattened Factory” shows a photo of Ray and Beckett who is really Neville Kerswell.

Devine picks up Beckett as Father Brown and Sullivan pull up. She emerges from the car as Beckett drives away. The chase ends when Beckett crashes the vehicle. Sullivan charges him and wrestles the gun away from him. Farther Brown informs Devine that Beckett took an alias to escape his prison years for a life of luxury. He suggests Beckett saw his old cellmate, Ray in the pub but Ray never recognized him.

In a flashback, Beckett finds Ray’s newspaper. He hits Ray with the hammer, grabs Barnes’ lighter, and conceals the hammer in Clement’s desk drawer.

Father Brown informs Devine of Mayor Wood’s resignation. She tells him that she’ll be voting for Clement. Princess Margaret and her entourage arrive. She announces the grand opening of Saint Arilda’s Library as the episode comes to an end.

 

Father Brown Review

School caretaker, Ray is murdered inside a school preparing for a grand opening. Princess Margaret is to officiate the grand opening.

Mayoral candidate, Amanda Clement is upset with Ray because he didn’t lock up the school or organize the library. Ray spent the light drinking at a local pub. She confronts him before Brenda finds him murdered inside the library. The murder weapon, a hammer is discovered in Clement’s desk drawer. Sullivan’s under pressure from Mayor Wood to charge the murderer or cancel the royal visit.

Inspector Beckett, royal security, injects himself into Ray’s murder case. Sullivan charges Clement with Ray’s murder.

Father Brown believes Clement is innocent. He sets out to find an old newspaper in Ray’s room before he was murdered. Princess Margaret’s assistant, Barnes enters the school in search of her lighter. Since the rear entrance door was locked when Ray was killed, Barnes is questioned. She took the lighter that belongs to Princess Margaret without her knowledge. Ray, Clement’s father, has an extensive felony record with an 8-year prison stint. He pickpocketed Barnes’ lighter outside the school.

Sullivan and Father Brown order a copy of Ray’s newspaper that contains a photo of prison inmates, Ray and Beckett whose real name is Neville Kerswell. Beckett kills Ray to keep him from revealing his true identity.

Another good investigation is hindered by poor cinematography. While the clarity is perfect, the camera angles and shots are poorly executed. It seems unnatural and difficult to ignore.

The episode deserves a 6.2. Get more Father Brown recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link. Learn more about our advertising packages by contacting our support team.