Editorial Review:

Description:
Royal reality in a landmark series produced for the BBC.

For the first time ever, cameras go behind the scenes at Windsor Castle, the largest inhabited castle in the world and home to Queen Elizabeth since childhood. The result is an intimate glimpse of castle life above and below stairs over the course of a year that includes a historic state banquet and the wedding of Prince Charles to Camilla Parker-Bowles.

Meet some of the 300 people who live and work in the castle’s 900 rooms: the Queen’s housekeeper, grooms, fendersmiths, and military knights, to name just a few. Accompany HRH Prince Philip, the ranger of Windsor’s 15,000-acre Great Park, as he tours the grounds and speaks candidly about the ups and downs of running this amazing public space.

Bonus Footage! Includes over two hours not seen on the PBS broadcast, including exclusive new footage of the wedding of Charles and Camilla.

Amazon.com:
Fans of England's royal family will eat up this amazing yearlong documentary series on the inner workings of Windsor Castle, the official residence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. The series, originally broadcast on BBC (and picked up in the States by PBS), invites viewers inside the most intimate areas of the castle, as intricate, well-choreographed preparations are undergone for occasions large (a state dinner for French President Jacques Chirac; the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles) and small (the queen's return for her usual weekend stay). The gee-whiz details seem never-ending: we meet the team of fendersmiths who tend solely to the castle's '300 or 400' fireplaces; we visit the vast Royal Collection, where the royal librarian oversees a 300,000-piece collection of books, drawings and prints--from which she and her staff hand-select appropriate pieces to display during the visit of the French head of state; we watch dozens of chefs, furniture wranglers, and etiquette experts plan and execute the truly breathtaking state dinner. The nearly 1,000-year-old castle suffered severe fire damage in 1992 (caused by a light bulb, not an error by one of the fendersmiths), so much of the private quarters has been renovated to a new level of splendor, personally overseen by Prince Philip, who points out that it was his suggestion that the rebuilt chapel feature a new stained-glass window including images of firefighters helping save the castle. Other segments feature Prince Philip giving a tour of the vast grounds and park around the castle, and other occasions during the year, including Christmas, and some footage of the wedding of Charles and Camilla. The access the filmmakers were granted makes the series compulsively watchable; who wouldn't want to be a fly on the wall inside one of the world's most storied structures? --A.T. Hurley









Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

---

Related Items:
     see more

Related Items:

• A Year with the Queen
• The Queen
• Portrait of a Great Lady: Queen Elizabeth
• Visions of England
• Days of Majesty / Queen Elizabeth II
• see more

---

Rating: - * Fascinating.....and the British can keep 'em!! ... I bought this as I am both fascinated and repelled by the British monarchy. The pomp and ceremony are quite interesting and way over the top (Christmas caroling to the queen's horses in the royal stables!). QE2 comes off as stodgy and not in touch with the real world. As an American, after viewing this DVD, I really cannot decide which is worse -- spending thousands of dollars for a toilet on a US government jet or having a guy on the government payroll whose entire career is dedicated to raising the flag once a week at the exact moment the Queen's limo is entering Windsor Castle. What a great gig! The volunteer bell ringers were also funny -- ringing away in honor of the birthdays of various members of the royal family. Very entertaining. Rating: - * Fascinating Inside Look at the Royals ... As an American, I never gave much thought to the British Royal Family and their ongoing soap opera. The insane outpouring of grief by the British public after the death of Princess Diana left me bewildered. I happened to watch part of this series on PBS one night and was fascinated by the inner working of Windsor Castle and the Royal Family. Well produced with an off-screen narrator speaking perfect RP and selections from Bach's Brandenberg concerto tinkling in the background, the viewer is transformed Cinderella-like from humdrum existence to honored-guest status at Windsor Castle. The Queen remains an aloof figure, never once speaking to the camera. It is said she has never given a press interview. Prince Philip plays a large role in one segment; the cameras follow him as he attends to his duties as Ranger of Windsor Park. In his late eighties he is still active with strong opinions about minor controversies relating to the Castle. He comes across as an endearing down-to-earth figure not at all like the distant, aloof cartoon caricature Royals that the tabloids portray. One of the segments of the documentary details the preparation for the celebration of the 100 year anniversary of the Entente Cordiale. An extraordinary amount of preparation is needed to make ready for a large banquet. The musical Les Miserable was performed at the Castle to entertain the Queen and president Chirac. Another episode shows the festivities surrounding Royal Ascot. The Queen has always been a horse racing enthusiast and has never failed to attend during her reign. Ascot is a chance for British society to dress up; much attention is paid to the dresses worn by the women. On that particular day, the narrator is scandalized by excessive displays of cleavage. The episode that looks at the Garter Day ceremonies is especially good. At one point Prince Philip acknowledges the absurdity of dressing up in medieval costumes. The Queen and her Knights of the Garter, dressed in their ceremonial robes, proceed slowly from the Castle to Windsor Chapel. Afterwards they take lunch at the Castle dressed less formally. The robes and the heavy gold ceremonial livery collars are so valuable that the Garter Knights store them at the Castle rather than risk their loss. There is a DVD extra feature that briefly shows the Wedding Day of Charles and Camilla. Highly recommended. Rating: - * Well Oiled Machine ... It was facinating to see all of the support staff that makes the Monarchy run like a well oiled machine. We're always seeing pictures of the Royal family, but how many people have seen the chap who winds the clocks or the women who keep that huge castle clean? Rating: - * Unappreciative Queen ... Bravo to the stars of this documentary, the staff of Windsor Castle. They cheerfully work under the haughty, condescending, unappreciative eye of the Queen-- a woman who looks down her nose at everyone with an air of boredom and superiority. This documentary celebrates the commoners who create magnificent banquets for the Royals while the Queen marches around looking scornful. After seeing this documentary, one can easily imagine her to be a lonely, unhappy woman, poisoned by her own snottiness. No wonder she hated Princess Diana. If the Queen were vinegar, Diana would be honey. Rating: - * Love it ! ... EXCELENT! I give it five stars. This is the best documentary about english royal home and different events at Windsor Castle and it's surroundings.