It doesn't look like John is going to steamroll through this question. He's going to FINALLY burn a Lifeline. Hoping that one definitive answer will jump out, he'll take the 50:50.

John admits that he doesn't follow the doings of the royal family. Thinking this is more of a pop-culture issue, he'll throw this one to the tension-wraught audience.

The audience favors B, but barely. And John isn't convinced with a 14% spread. So, to clinch this question's status as a true stumper, he'll burn his final Lifeline and call someone. The question is, who's he gonna call?

And the first person to say "ghostbusters!" will be ordered out of the gene pool.

He needs someone who's up on current events...

The person who fits that role best seems to be John's father-in-law, Ben. Here's what they had to say, once all the obligatory stuff was done:

John: "What do you think, Dad?"
Ben: "Uh, I guess it's, uh, Sussex."
John: "Sussex? Are you sure about that?"
Ben: "Uh, not really."
John: "OK. All right." (Burp burp)

So all three Lifelines are gone on one question. Neither the audience nor the phone-a-friend were decisive, and they both go in two different directions.

With $93,000 down the tubes if he's wrong, John is not going to take the risk. He's walking.
John LaMantia gets clocked on the thirteenth question, and takes home $125,000.

True to their form, the audience was right. The answer was B. Earl of Wessex.
(It still counts against them, since John didn't answer the question.)

LOOGAROO LAMENTS: Ouch. All three Lifelines coming in doesn't mean a thing when they don't give you the answer. This might have been better suited even higher up. The only flaw John performed was using the 50:50 prior to asking the audience, but I doubt it would have made a difference in this case.