Agatha Christie's Poirot Episode Guide - inaf iasf bologna

Agatha Christie’s Poirot Episode Guide
The Theft of the Royal Ruby
Season 3
Episode Number: 30
Season Episode: 8
Originally aired: Sunday February 24, 1991
Writer:
Agatha Christie, Anthony Horowitz, Clive Exton
Director: Andrew Grieve
Show Stars: David Suchet (Hercule Poirot), Philip Jackson (Chief Inspector James
Japp), Hugh Fraser (Captain Arthur Hastings)
Guest Stars: Peter Aldwyn (Durbridge), Tariq Alibai (Prince Farouq), Jonathan Bancroft
(Colin), Stephanie Cole (Mrs Lacey), John Dunbar (Peverill), Susan
Field (Mrs Ross), Siobhan Garahy (Annie Bates), Alessia Gwyther
(Bridget), Edward Holmes II (Michael), David Howey (Jesmond), Nigel
Le Vaillant (Desmond Lee-Wortley), Christopher Leaver (Parsloe), Helena
Michell (Sarah Lacey), Robyn Moore (Gloria Lee-Wortley/Iris Moffatt),
Iain Rattray (Head waiter), Gordon Reid (Dupré), James Taylor (I)
(waiter), Frederick Treves (Colonel Horace Lacey), John Vernon (David)
Summary: Poirot prepares to spend a quiet Christmas on his own with a box of
chocolates, but he has to give up his plans when the British government
asks for his urgent help. Prince Farouk, a young member of the
Egyptian royal family visiting London, has lost a famous ruby, and
this is deemed to be a matter of national security. The Prince unwisely
lent his jewel to a strange young lady who promptly vanished with it,
and Poirot forms a complicated plan to catch the thieves, harnessing
misdirected romantic urges.
Poirot is asked by a Mr Jesmond, who is acting as an
intermediary to an eastern prince, to help that unfortunate
young man with a problem he is having. The prince
is due soon to be married to a cousin and he has been
enjoying his final days of freedom with a dubious young
woman in London. The prince brought several expensive
jewels with him to London for resetting by Cartiers and
one of them, a fabulous ruby, was stolen by the young
woman. If it cannot be retrieved a scandal will ensue
and because of this the police cannot be involved. The
mystery can be solved at an old English country house
called Kings Lacey where it will be arranged for Poirot
to join a family there for their Christmas celebrations,
supposedly to experience a typical English Christmas.
On Christmas Eve at Kings Lacey, Poirot is told about
the other members of their party by Mrs Lacey, his elderly
host in the house. Joining them will be her husband,
Colonel Lacey; Sarah, a granddaughter by their
deceased son; Colin, a teenage grandson by their daughter;
Michael, a friend of Colin’s at school; Bridget who is
of the same age as Colin and Michael and is a great niece
of Mrs Lacey’s; Diana, a young cousin of Mrs Lacey’s;
and David Welwyn who is a family friend. Colonel and
Mrs Lacey are perturbed by a relationship that Sarah
is in with a young rake called Desmond Lee-Wortley. They both think him unsuitable for their
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