Commissions

Greenlit: The Queen’s Longest Reign: Elizabeth & Victoria, BBC1

To celebrate this remarkable milestone, presenter Sophie Raworth looks at the long reigns of these two extraordinary women, asking how they have managed to provide such enduring stability in an ever-changing world.

Including contributions from Professor Kate Williams, Lord Professor Peter Hennessy, Sir Roy Strong, William Shawcross, Lord Julian Fellowes, Robert Lacey, AN Wilson, and Matthew Dennison among others, the film highlights the challenges and achievements the Queen has faced – and compares her reign with that of her great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria.

Following the Queen on many of her recent public engagements both in the UK, and abroad, it will feature scenes at Buckingham Palace, Balmoral, Windsor Castle, Holyroodhouse and Kensington Palace as well as following her on a recent State Visit to Germany, where the Queen visits the site of the former Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp.

It will look at the similarities – and differences – of the two reigns, and how neither expected to ascend to the throne, yet, as the result of deaths and abdication, both found themselves crowned at remarkably young ages, Queen Elizabeth at 25, and Queen Victoria at just 18.

This comparison of the two reigns brings to light key questions regarding the nature of sovereignty, longevity, and stability during periods of significant social change, and how in a 1,000-year history of the British Monarchy only these two have celebrated their Diamond Jubilees after six decades on the throne.

Channel: BBC1

Producer: BBC

TX: 6th September 2015

Source: BBC press release