"Royal Family" (1969) - Ground-breaking TV Doco about the Windsors

[Iluvbertie]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...cades-on.html\

It is a pity that only 90 seconds of this show going to be included in this exhibition but it was the end of the way the royals had been seen - as different and separate.

I remember watching it with my family - in black and white of course - and how we enjoyed it then but looking back I think I would cringe to see it again.

[Trubie]

What happen on the show? I've heard of this before, but could never get any good explaination.

[Princejohnny25]

Wasn't this the program that showed us the Queen eating cereal out of plastic container?

[Iluvbertie]

I don't remember seeing anything about the plastic container (I actually thought that that was revealed by a footman in about 2003 'Footman' exposes Tupperware secret of the Queen's table - Telegraph) although the tupperware might have been visible.

In the show we saw the family doing normal things. The scenes I remember most are the ones of the Queen taking Edward (aged 4/5) into a shop near Balmoral, the family having a BBQ cooked by Philip, also at Balmoral, and Andrew kicking a soccer ball in a game (my teacher at the time even commented to us on the Monday morning after it was shown about his technique and the boys in the class laughed - we were only a few years older than Andrew so he was able to relate the skills to our boys). It was shown here in Australia (at least in my small country town) about the same time as Charles' Investiture as Prince of Wales and as far as I am aware has only been shown the once here.

It really showed the family doing ordinary things and I do remember some of my classmates asking 'why are they special when they do the same things we do?' I also remember that we noted that Andrew and Edward didn't tend to eat breakfast with the rest of the family (although Andrew was of course at boarding school at the time).

It was groundbreaking at the time but in hindsight I do think it was a mistake as it started people wanting to know more about the private lives, whereas before that they had been content with what the family felt like giving us about them.

[Trubie]

Thank you for sharing this with us. Seems interesting. Shame it will never air again.

[cmkrcwi]

They showed them watching "I Love Lucy."

I think The Queen was setting the table while Philip barbecued.

[Mermaid1962]

Yes, I agree. Prince Charles' first interview happened at about the same time, didn't it? I don't know whether it's possible to "put the genie back into the bottle", but I think that William would like to.

Originally Posted by Iluvbertie

It was groundbreaking at the time but in hindsight I do think it was a mistake as it started people wanting to know more about the private lives, whereas before that they had been content with what the family felt like giving us about them.

[queenofthelight]

The home movie one doesn't want you to see: Why is the Queen STILL keeping under wraps the fly on the wall film that changed our view of the Royals | Mail Online (14/01/2011).

[Iluvbertie]

Originally Posted by queenofthelight

The home movie one doesn't want you to see: Why is the Queen STILL keeping under wraps the fly on the wall film that changed our view of the Royals | Mail Online (14/01/2011).

This article really sets out the arguments very well as to why the Queen regrets allowing this film.

I had forgotten the scene with Edward and Charles and the cello but it was actually quite a touching scene to see the nearly 21 year old Charles spending time with the 4/5 year old Edward.

[COUNTESS]

Do they think that in these days of communication, that they could have remained in the "hut"? By now, film, or no film, everyone would have known that they were just ordinary.

[Warren]

There was also a 30+ page soft-cover book titled "Royal Family" which was produced at the same time as the film. The book is subtitled "the story in pictures from the historic documentary film".

It's actually a pretty interesting book, divided into seasons with an informative commentary accompanied by an excellent selection of pictures. There's an evident sense of humour in places - the pic of HM and Pierre Trudeau would indicate they were very pleased to meet each other while HM appears po-faced when meeting Walter Annenberg, the somewhat stiff incoming US Ambassador to the Court of St James (to be fair, they actually got on very well and I believe HM later stayed at one of the Annenberg properties during a US visit).

[Lumutqueen]

Day that the Queen and George VI hid from Eisenhower under a table: the bizarre Royal conversations that didn't make it into landmark film | Mail Online

[Elly C]

Originally Posted by Warren

There was also a 30+ page soft-cover book titled "Royal Family" which was produced at the same time as the film. The book is subtitled "the story in pictures from the historic documentary film".

Yes I have just found my copy - some lovely stills from the film & transcript of a conversation with Nixon when he came for an official visit. The Queen is introducing Nixon to Princess Anne & Prince Charles (who Nixon says he has seen on tv - small talk at its most awkward )

[Kasumi]

When the Queen agreed to be the subject of a fly-on-the-wall television documentary in 1969, the nation watched in wonder.
The resulting film, Royal Family, was a sensation. First broadcast by the BBC, and a week later by ITV, it offered the public an unprecedented glimpse into the private world of the royals.
Three-quarters of the British population watched it, and it was replayed endlessly on television that same year.
According to one Royal biographer, the Queen regretted her decision to allow the cameras in and it came to be seen as a "reinvention that went wrong".
Sir David Attenborough, then a BBC controller, allegedly told Cawston that his film was "killing the monarchy". Buckingham Palace withdrew it from public view at the end of 1969 and it has not been seen again in public.
More than 40 years on, the National Portrait Gallery has been granted permission to show part of the film in a forthcoming exhibition celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. It shows the Queen sitting down to breakfast at Buckingham Palace with the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and Princess Anne, and regaling them with an anecdote about a dignitary falling over in front of Queen Victoria.
The Palace has restricted the clip to just 90 seconds, and the majority of the documentary remains off-limits to the public. - The Telegraph

[IloveCP]

I would love to this.I wonder what the family is like when they are not working.

[Amy Lares]

Hi, Anybody know where can I see this film? It was made for BBC in 1969.

I only found a very short clip of the film in Youtube
http://youtu.be/PNgO31HUiFM

But I want to see the full movie.

Kisses and hugs from Mexico
Thanks a lot.

[HRHHermione]

I think we'd all love to see that film, unfortunately it's totally unavailable as far as I'm aware. I've looked.

This article claims that 90 second clip is all the palace has granted permission to show.

Royal family documentary revived four decades on - Telegraph

Oh, and how stunning does Princess Anne look in this still image from the film- the one next to Prince Phillip? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...ew-Royals.html

[Iluvbertie]

After it was shown The Queen banned it from being shown again.

[Molly2101]

I would love to see it all, but it will never happen. I do love the clips we have seen of it, and how adorable they all were as a family. I love the clip of Charles playing the cello to Edward and a string pops off and hits Edward and you can see he is trying so hard not to cry. "What did you do that for?" and Charles is very apologetic, "I'm sorry, sorry!" And the moment where Anne is telling Edward to jump out of the car but he's too scared to do it so she just grabs him and pulls him out. Such a normal sibling moment; the sister getting annoyed at her brother.

I also love the Christmas scenes of them putting decorations on the tree. Very family orientated and lovely to see.

[Amy Lares]

Oh really? Poor Edward, Where do yo see that clip?.