Episode 1

Deep in the British Library tucked into the slipcover of a book on the history of Blenheim Palace a packet of extraordinary letters has been discovered.

"Dear Marengo brackets (Napoleon's horse) close brackets, I've never written a letter like this before...."

Thus begins the first passionate letter from Copenhagen, the Duke of Wellington's horse, to his hero Marengo in this epistolary equine love story.

A story of two horses united by an uncommon passion, cruelly divided by a brutal conflict.

Stephen Fry stars as Marengo, the seasoned, famous and just-a-little-bit-short mount of Emperor Napoleon. Daniel Rigby stars as Copenhagen, the frisky young racehorse who as our story begins is about to be the new mount for the Duke of Wellington.

Introduced by Tamsin Greig.

In this opening episode, the early days of their romance and the early days of the Peninsular Campaign, and as their love blossoms the shadow of impending combat looms over our two heroes.

Marengo ..... Stephen Fry
Copenhagen ..... Daniel Rigby
Narrator ..... Tamsin Greig

Written by Robbie Hudson and Marie Phillips.

Director: Steven Canny

Producer: Gareth Edwards.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2011.