Behind PALACE doors

A new series explores the challenges faced by Queen Elizabeth II and the monarchy throughout her reign

- CAREN CLARK

THE REAL CROWN 

NEW FROM THURSDAY 20 APRIL, ITVX FACTUAL

The Royal Family is undergoing a pivotal moment in its history, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of her son, King Charles III.

But how has the dynasty survived the highs and lows of the past 70 years? A new five-part documentary on ITVX, The Real Crown, uses archive footage and testimony from key players to offer a fresh take on the dramas that made the headlines, as well as some of the lesser-known stories.

‘We interview the first-hand witnesses to history,’ says executive producer David Glover. ‘It looks at Queen Elizabeth’s in-tray, the decisions she made and how she steered the monarchy as each decade presented different problems.’

The series also explores the Windsors’ personal triumphs and tragedies. ‘The Royal Family is like a soap opera and there are dynamics we all relate to,’ adds producer and director Ella Wright. ‘But there is this mystique – it’s a family but a unique family.’

EPISODE ONE 

LOVE AND DUTY

The opening instalment looks at the times the royals have considered whether to put personal happiness before their allegiance to the crown. It recalls how, in the 1950s, Queen Elizabeth II’s younger sister, Princess Margaret, was unable to wed Group Captain Peter Townsend, a divorcee, and examines her subsequent rocky marriage to photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones.