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The Crown: What was the royal documentary that was ‘BANNED by the Queen’?


The fourth episode of The Crown focused on the documentary which was filmed of the Royal Family back in 1968. Millions of viewers sat down to watch this when it aired but is it now no longer available for public viewing. Here’s what viewers need to know about the real story behind the episode.

In season three episode of The Crown called Bubbikins, Prince Philip (played by Tobias Menzies) and William Heseltine came with the idea of filming a documentary to improve the Royal Family’s image.

This came after public opinion was seemingly turning against the royals in the media and in protests at the time.

This storyline was based on a real-life documentary which the BBC and ITV teamed up to film back in 1968.

The one-off film was entitled Royal Family and aimed to portray the royals in their normal family life.

READ MORE: The real TRUTH behind Prince Philip’s mother Princess Alice

He continued: “In the end, she became enormously expert at being filmed and seemed very interested in the whole process.”

When the documentary was released on June 21, 1969, it followed a day in the life of the Queen as she has lunch, hosts a garden party and then attends an opera.

Other documented scenes included the royal family watching television as well as showing events like the royal tour to South America.

The film eventually aired in the UK and was watched by 30.6 million people with an estimated 350 million seeing it around the world.

In the episode of The Crown, the Queen is shown to stop the documentary airing again.

However, it is thought this is not exactly how the events played out and there was no record she reacted as she did.

The documentary did air again in 1972 on the BBC but this was the last time it was shown and viewers are unable to see it now.

According to the Radio Times, by the 1990s the film could only be watched at the BBC with permission from Buckingham Palace.

The Crown season 3 is currently available to watch on Netflix.



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