From her 70 years of public service to her private passions and pastimes, look back on the extraordinary life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II with these fascinating documentaries.
As the longest-serving monarch in British history, there are few individuals who had such an impact upon the UK as Queen Elizabeth II. Her life spanned an extraordinary period of change and upheaval in British history, from the outbreak of the Second World War to the death of Princess Diana, and the Queen passing at the age of 96 after an unprecedented 70 years on the throne marks the end of an era.
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BBC’s Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen will tell the story of the Queen’s life in her own words
As well as her devotion to public service and the unique diplomatic role she occupied on the world’s political stage, the Queen had a richly fascinating personal life. From her close relationship with her sister, Princess Margaret, to her passion for horses and corgis, there are a wealth of fascinating documentaries that delve deep into the Queen’s life, reign and legacy. Here are a few of the best.
Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen
Drawing on rare footage and never-before-seen home movies from the Queen’s personal collection, this unique BBC film tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II through her own eyes and in her own words, from her earliest childhood memories and coronation to significant moments throughout her 70-year reign.
These include private moments including the Queen’s family life, her engagement to Prince Philip at Balmoral in 1946, behind-the-scenes footage of her first tour abroad with her family to South Africa the following year and a closer insight into her own wedding and pivotal royal tours.
Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now
Queen Elizabeth II – The Longest Reign
Presented by Jonathan Dimbleby, this comprehensive documentary is a tribute to the Queen, charting her historic reign from its unlikely beginnings and the splendour of the coronation, through to the triumphs and tragedies of the 20th century.
Drawing upon fascinating archive footage, the programme examines the vital role the Queen has played both at home during a period of rapid social and cultural change, and abroad, leading Britain and the Commonwealth on the international political stage.
Queen Elizabeth II – The Longest Reign is available to watch on ITV Hub now
The Young Elizabeth
Brought up in a close and loving family, the Queen became the heir presumptive in 1936 at the age of 10 when her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated the throne and her father, George VI, became king.
This film explores how the Queen’s early life shaped the woman and the monarch she would eventually become.
The Young Elizabeth is available to watch on ITV Hub now
The Queen & Us
This fascinating docuseries remembers the Queen through five decades of her reign through the words of famous Britons who recall how she navigated times of political upheaval, economic unrest and radical social and political change, always balancing our enthusiasm for modernity with the reassurance of tradition.
Beginning in the 1950s with the Queen’s coronation against the backdrop of post-war austerity through to the upheaval of the 1990s, which saw both the death of Princess Diana and Britain transformed by technology – each episode contextualises how the monarch came to represent both the certainty of the past and the excitement of a changing, modern Britain.
Our Queen: The People’s Stories
In this moving documentary narrated by Nicola Walker, people from all walks of life reflect on meeting the Queen and share how those special moments affected their lives.
Our Queen: The People’s Stories is available to watch on ITV Hub now
The Longest Reign: The Queen & Her People
This BBC documentary explores how the reign of Queen Elizabeth II has been a thread of continuity running through 70 tumultuous years of British history.
A thorough exploration of the highs and lows of the Queen’s seven decades on the throne, the documentary looks at how the Queen wore the crown during an era in which the country changed beyond all recognition, with shifts in politics, the economy, industry, technology, our working lives and our family lives.
It reveals how, during these shifting times, the crown moved with the ages as the Queen led the way during great moments of social change.
The Longest Reign: The Queen & Her People is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.
Elizabeth And Margaret: Love And Loyalty
This intimate docuseries takes a closer look at the complex, widely misunderstood relationship between the Queen and her sister, Princess Margaret.
Elizabeth And Margaret: Love And Loyalty is available to stream on Netflix now
Elizabeth: Her Passions And Pastimes
Away from the Queen’s life in the public eye, this film celebrates the life of the monarch by giving a deeper insight into her passions and pastimes.
From horses and dogs to TV, film, music and theatre, the tastes and affections that gave the Queen the most pleasure are unravelled through fascinating interviews with friends, members of the royal household, yachtsmen from royal yacht Britannia and celebrities who have all shared in her personal life.
Elizabeth: Her Passions And Pastimes is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now
Images: Getty; BBC
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