Francis Urquhart

Francis Ewan Urquhart is a fictional character who is the villain protagonist of the British political thriller television serial House of Cards (1990) and its sequel serials, To Play the King (1993) and The Final Cut (1995). He is portrayed by Ian Richardson. The series was co-written by Michael Dobbs and adapted from his eponymous novel. Produced by the BBC, the 4 episodes of House of Cards were broadcast in the days preceding and following Margaret Thatcher’s resignation as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1990. Urquhart is a member of the Conservative Party, and is known to be a ruthless, Machiavellian politician who rises from Chief Whip of the Conservative Party to the office of prime minister through much treachery, deception, and murder. His wife, Elizabeth Urquhart, often persuades him to exploit a given situation to his advantage.

Urquhart's family has roots in the Scottish aristocracy. He served in the British Army in Cyprus for three years. After resigning his commission, Urquhart studies at the University of Oxford. Turning to politics later, Urquhart joined the Conservative Party and became the MP for the constituency of New Forest in 1974. He served in several ministerial positions before becoming Chief Whip in 1987. Some of Urquhart's dialogue throughout the series is presented in a direct address to the viewer, a narrative technique that breaks the fourth wall. These narrative asides are an invention of the television adaptation, as the novel uses third-person narration only.

Throughout the series he manipulates and destroys several people, including those he calls friends, for his own ends. He is depicted as being willing to go to any lengths, even personally committing murder, to see that his intricate schemes pay off. During the first series, he is the chief whip, before achieving his ambitious goal, becoming prime minister in the season finale. The follow-up serials, To Play the King (1993) and The Final Cut (1995), focus on Urquhart's premiership, as he refuses to relinquish his position until he has beaten Thatcher's record as the longest-serving post-war prime minister.

Urquhart is characterised by his catchphrase, "You might very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment", or a variation thereon, as a plausibly deniable way of agreeing with people and/or leaking information. The catchphrase has been referenced by real-world politicians in the House of Commons on many occasions, having entered the national political parlance.

Urquhart's character was adapted by Beau Willimon and Dobbs into the character Frank Underwood, portrayed by Kevin Spacey, the villainous protagonist of the American adaptation of House of Cards.