The King is seen as foolish for his negligence in the matter of security, and Urquhart seems like a hero for having protected him. Meanwhile, Corder discovers that Stamper has passed information on Mattie's murder to Harding as insurance. With urging from Elizabeth, Urquhart orders Corder to assassinate them. The Conservatives subsequently win the general election with a 22-seat overall majority. With his policies vindicated by the electorate, despite the King's public opposition, Urquhart demands his abdication. Harding's car explodes when she is en route to meet Chloe, while Stamper's car explodes outside New Scotland Yard. The media interpret the car bombings as Provisional IRA attacks. The end credits of the final episode roll with images of the crowning of the new teenaged king, showing that Urquhart had succeeded in obtaining the abdication of the previous king. At the end of the credits, Urquhart smirks at the camera and triumphantly says, "God Save the King", ending the series. Breaking the fourth wall As in House of Cards, Urquhart occasionally speaks directly to the audience. He takes the viewer into his confidence, and at the end of the series, as at the end of the first, he challenges the viewer to condemn him. Novel differences In the novel, but not in the television series: The storyline follows on directly from those of House of Cards, in that Urquhart has just taken over as Leader of the Conservative Party. (In the television series Urquhart is well-established as prime minister.) Tim Stamper takes over as Party Chairman at the beginning of the novel rather than as the plot unfolds as it is Urquhart's plan to call a snap election to increase his party's parliamentary majority. After Urquhart stops his business interests expanding, Ben Landless becomes an opponent of Urquhart and an ally of the king. (Landless does not appear in the television series.) Chloe Carmichael was created for the television adaptation. Sarah Harding does not appear. Her character is represented by Sally Quinn, an American who also feeds information about Urquhart to Ben Landless. Tim Stamper does not betray Urquhart and therefore is not murdered. Mattie Storin's and Roger O'Neill's murders are not directly mentioned nor used as a plot device. It is implied that Urquhart is responsible for his and his wife's childlessness. Indeed, their relationship is less close than in the television series. When Landless threatens to expose Elizabeth's affair, Francis