The Mitford Affair

At a church service in England, Diana notes how everyone stares at her and her children. She tries not to let it bother her: She believes that when Mosley and her plans for political upheaval are realized, her past scandals won’t matter. Winston Churchill approaches her: He complains that the Nazis have used the family’s relationship to Churchill as a way to embarrass him by referring publicly to Unity as “Churchill’s relative.” Churchill alludes to the rumors around Unity, such as that she is having an affair with Hitler or that she has many lovers in the SS. Diana defends Unity for living in a country whose progress she believes in and Churchill refutes this with an argument about the Nazi concentration camps. Diana grows angry. She reminds Churchill that Great Britain, with its history of colonialism, also has imprisoned people without trial. Diana is offended when Churchill suggests that Diana is as easily influenced as Unity.

Muv and Farve visit Unity in Germany and meet Adolf Hitler. Muv and Farve have changed their views about the Nazi Party and now agree with many of Hitler’s points. For example, Farve now thinks it’s not England’s business to judge Hitler for making new laws and rules for the Jewish community in Germany. Unity believes both she and Hitler dream of an alliance between Great Britain and Germany. Unity volunteers her father to help champion this cause as a Peer in the House of Lords.

Nancy’s communist sister Decca has run away to Spain with Edmond Romilly, another communist, to oppose the fascists in the Spanish Civil War. Nancy’s family sends Nancy to France to intercept Decca. Decca and Edmond’s plan has been front page news, so Nancy and Peter need to be cautious with the couple. Decca objects to double standards in the family. She points out that Unity lives in an apartment stolen from a Jewish couple, sleeping with various men, all for her political passions, and yet Decca is not allowed to go to Spain with her boyfriend to serve in the press corps and help an oppressed people.

Diana visits Berlin hoping to see Hitler alone. She wants to control any damage caused by the news about Decca. If Hitler stops liking the Mitford family, Mosley’s career will be threatened. Diana meets with Hitler alone, contemplating the absurdity and danger of the life she’s chosen. She asks Hitler if Goebbels (Nazi Chief Propagandist) dislikes her, and Hitler assures her that Goebbels complains about everyone and that no one could change Hitler’s high opinion of Diana. Diana needs Goebbels on her side because Britain recently passed the Public Order Act, which gives the police the authority to shut down protests and demonstrations. As rallies have been the BUF’s main source of income, Mosley and Diana need the Nazi Party to continue their donations. Diana tells Hitler about a commercial radio idea to raise more money.

Unity uses her connections with the Nazis to ensure that German newspapers don’t report on Decca. Unity and Decca were once close friends, and she wonders what has happened to her once-dear sister. One of Unity’s SS boyfriends, Erich, visits. As they have sex, Unity imagines that Erich is Hitler. Erich will do anything for Unity not only because she has sex with him but because of her closeness to Hitler. Hitler’s whereabouts are top secret, but Unity gets Erich to reveal that Hitler is in Berlin visiting Diana.

Decca marries Esmond with pressure from their parents when she becomes pregnant. Decca and Esmond renounce their family’s wealth and live in the East End of London, an impoverished area. Diana, Peter, and Nancy visit Decca to meet her new baby. Diana brings Decca a fancy baby gown which Decca refuses on the grounds that she can’t accept gifts from fascists, nor do she or Esmond want their child wearing clothing of the “bourgeoisie.” Decca is surprised that Diana and Nancy are still on good terms as Mosley refuses to speak to Nancy because of her novel. Decca blames Diana for taking Unity to Germany and indoctrinating her into Nazi beliefs so Diana could exploit Unity’s connections with Hitler.

Diana hosts a small New Year’s Eve for Hitler. She has become good friends with Magda Goebbels, also in attendance. Everyone in Hitler’s social circle, including Diana, is sure to compliment him whenever they can in social interactions. Hitler’s outbursts are famous within the inner circle. Hitler takes Diana aside to discuss her business proposal: a network of German-based radio stations broadcasting in Britain. Diana suggests that a benefit of these German-based stations is that they would already be installed in Britain to announce Hitler’s future rise to power in Britain.

At a party, Unity overhears two Nazis talking about her. They worry that she can’t be trusted because she may be a spy for the English. Unity recognizes one of the speakers as Putzi Hanfstaengl. Unity reports Putzi Hanfstaengl to Hitler directly.

Nancy’s parents celebrate the Nazi annexation of Austria, believing Unity’s argument that Austria wanted to be “reunited” with Germany. Unity watches her father speak in Parliament, championing the Nazi cause. Nancy is horrified that her family has become Hitler’s mouthpiece.

Diana listens to the radio news reportage of the annexation of Austria, which leaves out news of the thousands of anti-Nazi Austrians being rounded up and sent to concentration camps. Diana guesses this the camps are not public knowledge. Diana wishes she could be with Hitler on this momentous occasion, but she is at home, resting because she’s pregnant.

Unity is invited to Austria to stand with Hitler on the balcony as he announces his victory to the Austrian people. Unity is thrilled to be included and pro-Nazi Austrians stop her on the street to be close to someone who is close to Hitler. Hitler thanks Unity for her father’s passionate speech in Parliament on Germany’s behalf.

Nancy has been pregnant but has a miscarriage. Nancy rejects anyone’s support, including Peter, who is still having affairs with other women, a problem in their marriage Nancy no longer cares about. Decca’s baby has died in a measles epidemic, pushing Decca and Esmond to move to America. Nancy visits her parents and Diana. Unity is also visiting after recovering from an illness. Nancy cautions Unity against returning to Germany. The British Prime Minister, Chamberlain, is on the continent, trying to broker agreements to prevent war. Infuriated, Unity screams that Hitler hasn’t even shown everything he’s capable of yet but he will, in Czechoslovakia. Diana tries to defuse the conflict by bringing in her two sons, who perform a Hitler Youth song and dance. Nancy is disgusted and horrified, feeling that her sisters are traitors to Britain.

Diana is disappointed in Unity for revealing top-secret Nazi information about plans to invade former Czechoslovakia to the rest of the family. Diana loves Nancy, but she is cautious about Nancy knowing too much about her, including her radio programming plan with Hitler. Diana is happy when Mosley calls to check in on her; they still haven’t told anybody about their marriage because Mosley wants to keep his financial tie to Baba. What’s more, the marriage between Mosley and Diana would connect him to the radio stations Diana is developing and arouse British security’s suspicions. Mosley is about to go to Paris to meet with the Germans about the radio station.

Unity interrupts Diana and Mosley’s phone call because she has a message she wants Mosley to pass on to the Germans for her. Mosley is angry that Unity knows about his trip to Paris. As he and Diana argue about Unity, Unity listens in and reflects that Mosley is not the ally she thought, and that he’s not a very good leader. Unity has figured out that it’s Diana, not Mosley, who is truly committed to Hitler. Angry at Mosley and jealous of her sister, Unity disconnects the telephone, ending Diana and Mosley’s phone call.

As the Spanish Fascist leader General Franco orders mass executions, thousands of Spaniards flee to France where they are housed in makeshift refugee camps. Peter goes to France to help with the aid to the refugees and he is transformed by a sense of purpose. Nancy goes to join him, disturbed by the effects of fascism on the Spanish people but grateful to be able to take action. Though she’s been keeping a journal of her sisters’ journeys to Germany and any discussion points about Hitler or Germany, she hasn’t had the courage to hand over the journal to Churchill. In France, Nancy finally feels useful.

Hitler has violated the Munich Agreement and taken over former Czechoslovakia. The world is now terrified of what he will do next. Diana meets with Hitler and Unity in Germany, even though she doesn’t want to leave her newborn behind in England. Hitler tells Diana and Unity that they must leave Germany and return to England because it will soon be too dangerous to be British in Germany. Unity is devastated that Hitler was unable to keep peace between the two countries. She doesn’t want to leave because she considers Germany her home. Diana wonders if sending Unity home to England is yet another way of Hitler using her for propaganda: By sending her home, he sends a message to the British government that he is serious about conflict between their nations.

Unity screams and passes out, so Diana takes her away from Hitler. Unity has caused embarrassment for Hitler in public, which Diana reminds her is something that people have been killed for. The idea of dying comforts Unity. Unity blames herself for an impending war between the two countries she loves; she believes she could and should have done more to broker more understanding between Britain and the Nazis. Unity tells Diana that, if Britain and Germany go to war, she will kill herself.