Just over a year ago, Mark Airey, Deputy Operations Manager at The Harley Street Clinic bumped into a gentleman by the name of David Broder who was standing outside the Hospital. David said he was urgently researching locations for a new film that was going to be shot. Mark took him round to see Malcolm McCoskery, Marketing Manager and David explained all about the film and the stars who were booked to play the lead roles.

The Harley Street Clinic often get requests to film and due to the nature of filming - the time spent and inconvenience in particular – we usually decline. However, there was something about this film that caught the imagination, and a further meeting was arranged between David, Mark, Malcolm and Vic Hensher, Estates Manager to see how we could proceed.

The film company had already arranged for Harley Street to be closed on a Sunday and we agreed a very nice fee – which was paid to The British Red Cross charity. Also, the film company had to make the buildings look much older – about 60 odd years older. But they agreed to completely refurbish everything “as new” afterwards.

Filming day arrived. Harley Street was suitably dressed and the action took place both outside – with much “smog” to hide the modern day attire - and inside where a scene including one of the stars was shot using one of our older style of lift.

The film crew put the day’s events “into the can” and after the refurbishments took place we all forgot about it all and got on with our normal “day jobs”.

Encouraging snippets about the film came out – as it was released in the USA first - and a few of us where invited to a special showing at BAFTA to thank all the people at locations that had helped the production company do the filming.

And then in January 2011 the film was finally released in this country.

The rest, as they say in the classics, was history, and The King’s Speech has just won 4 Oscars, including Best Film and Best Male Actor, 7 BAFTAs, and a Golden Globe!

As is usual with many films, much of what was taken in Harley Street the previous January remained on the cutting room floor, but we can still say that we played our small part in cinematic history with the brief outside shots and Helena Bonham-Carter in one of our lifts!!