约克郡公爵（柯林·菲尔斯 Colin Firth 饰）因患口吃，无法在公众面前发表演讲，这令他接连在大型仪式上丢丑。贤惠妻子伊丽莎白（海伦娜·邦汉·卡特 Helena Bonham Carter 饰）为了帮助丈夫，到处寻访名医，但是传统的方法总不奏效。一次偶然的机会，她慕名来到了语言治疗师莱纳尔罗格（杰弗里·拉什 Geoffrey Rush 饰）的宅邸，传说他的方式与众不同。虽然公爵对罗格稀奇古怪的招法并不感兴趣，首次诊疗也不欢而散。但是，公爵发现在聆听音乐时自己朗读莎翁竟然十分流利。这让他开始信任罗格，配合治疗，慢慢克服着心理的障碍。乔治五世驾崩，爱德华八世继承王位，却为了迎娶寡妇辛普森夫人不惜退位。艾伯特临危受命，成为了乔治六世。他面临的最大挑战就是如何在二战前发表鼓舞人心的演讲……

In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in history, I send to every household of my peoples, both at home and overseas, this message, spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you as if I were able to cross your threshold and speak to you myself. 

For the second time in the lives of most of us, we are at war. 

Over and over again, we have tried to find a peaceful way out of the differences between ourselves and those who are now our enemies; but it has bee in vain. 

We have been forced into a conflict, for which we are called, with our allies to meet the challenge of a principle which, if it were to prevail, would be fatal to any civilized order in the world. 

It is a principle which permits a state in the selfish pursuit of power to disregard its treaties and its solemn pledges, which sanctions the use of force or threat of force against the sovereignty and independence of other states. 

Such a principle, stripped of all disguise, is surely the mere primitive doctrine that might is right, and if this principle were established through the world, the freedom of our own country and of the whole British Commonwealth of nations would be in danger. 

But far more than this, the peoples of the world would be kept in bondage of fear, and all hopes of settled peace and of security, of justice and liberty, among nations, would be ended. 

This is the ultimate issue which confronts us. For the sake of all that we ourselves hold dear, and of the world order and peace, it is unthinkable that we should refuse to meet the challenge. 

It is to this high purpose that I now call my people at home and my peoples across the seas, who will make our cause their own. 

I ask them to stand calm and firm and united in this time of trial. 

The task will be hard. There may be dark days ahead, and war can no longer be confined to the battlefield, but we can only do the right as we see the right, and reverently commit our cause to God. If one and all we keep resolutely faithful to it, ready for whatever service or sacrifice it may demand, then with God's help, we shall prevail. 
 

在这个庄严时刻 
也许是我国历史上最生死攸关的时刻 
我向每一位民众 
不管你们身处何方 
传递这样一个消息 
对你们的心情 我感同身受 
甚至希望能挨家挨户 向你们诉说 
我们中大多数人将面临第二次战争 
我们已多次寻求通过和平方式 
解决国家间的争端 
但一切都是徒劳 
我们被迫卷入这场战争 
我们必须接受这个挑战 
如果希特勒大行其道 
世界文明秩序将毁于一旦 
这种信念褪去伪装之后 
只是对强权的赤裸裸的追求 
为了捍卫我们珍视的一切 
我们必须接受这个挑战 
为此崇高目标 
我呼吁国内的民众 
以及国外的民众以此为己任 
我恳请大家保持冷静和坚定 
在考验面前团结起来 
考验是严峻的 
我们还会面临一段艰难的日子 
战争也不只局限于前线 
只有心怀正义才能正确行事 
我们在此虔诚向上帝祈祷 
只要每个人坚定信念 
在上帝的帮助下 
我们必将胜利