Britain’s Royal family are still relevant today, as they were nearly a century ago, in this new three-part series. The Windsor monarchs, with the exception of Edward VIII, put service and duty towards their country and the Commonwealth before their own personal interests.
The House of Windsor: A Royal Dynasty chronicles the Royal Family’s lives from the late Victorian era to the present day. They, like their subjects, have celebrated the good times and shared sorrows against major events during the past ninety years. Archival footage includes rare coloured film of George V’s Silver Jubilee, George VI’s coronation and a Royal Tour of Canada.
Their story began when George V changed the family name of three generations – the German-sounding Saxe-Coburg-Gotha – to the very English Windsor during World War I’s darkest days.
The film also recalls how George V embraced the power of radio to reach out to all his subjects in Britain and abroad. Millions heard his speech on Empire Day. Edward VIII explains why he abdicated in a radio broadcast in December 1936.
George VI used radio broadcasts to address the nation, especially when war was declared in 1939, to boost morale, and to thank his subjects when it ended. (Newsreels show George VI and his queen Elizabeth visiting Londoners whose homes were bombed during the Blitz.)
Changes in technology meant Elizabeth II’s coronation was the first to be televised and broadcast. The Queen’s life now becomes public property.
This documentary also reveals the Royal Family’s reaction to Princess Diana’s death and how the public intruded upon their personal grief.
Other highlights include a brief interview with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor from the 1960s. Edward, as Prince of Wales wanted to be regarded as an honorary Canadian! Australian cricketing captain Don Bradman gives his opinion about Prince Philip’s talents as an off-spin bowler!
The First Windsors
George V and his queen Mary were a deeply conservative couple who were slow to embrace the new. Edward’s womanising and “calling in sick” for really boring assignments gave George V cause for worry.
Edward VIII abdicated after a ten-month reign.
The King Who Saved The Crown
Bertie, Duke of York, was the most unlikely man to become King. He was shy, he stammered and he hated public occasions. He was compelled to step up and do his royal duty when his brother abdicated.
He steered Britain though the Abdication crisis, the devastation of World War II and he restored stability to the monarchy. His daughter, Princess Elizabeth, was perfectly prepared for her future role when he died from cancer in 1952.
A Queen For All Seasons
Elizabeth II was only 25 when she became Queen. She was also a wife and mother, as she married Prince Philip in a lavish ceremony in November 1947.
She saw many changes, including the Swinging Sixties, four failed marriages, Diana’s death in 1997, and the loss of her sister and mother. She ruled with calm authority, even in incredibly difficult situations.
Elizabeth II was hailed as a great survivor—she celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 2002, and her 80th birthday in 2006.
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