Paul Burrell
Days That Rocked the House of Windsor
In the annals of history, there are moments that redefine nations, shape destinies, and captivate the world's attention. Throughout the years, there have been several moments when the House of Windsor experienced great turmoil: the behind-the-scenes drama, scandals, triumphs, and crises that have tested the resilience of one of the most renowned royal families in history. From dazzling coronations to captivating love stories, from contentious family disputes to shocking betrayals, these are the moments that shaped the monarchy, leaving an indelible mark on the pages of British history.
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Queens and Princesses
Behind every great man, there is a great woman. Kings may rule over their kingdoms. However, every King needs a Queen. Throughout history, there have been several Kings and several Queens. Many ruled alone, and many more lost their partner. History has taught us that an individual's mental fortitude is much greater when the responsibilities outweigh the pain of loss. The duty of a Queen is not just to serve the King and Kingdom, a Queen must be a strong leader, diplomat and negotiator, a Queen must be able to show compassion for those in need but also take decisive action against those who pose a threat to the integrity of the nation. There have been young ruling Queens and old ruling Queens. The British Monarchy has had 62 ruling monarchs over 1200 years, of those ruling monarchs, only eight have been reigning Queens.
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Fergie & Di
Fergie and Di seemed promising additions to the royal household. Both characters, a unique fit, ready to be moulded into their new roles and the public eye. Diana with her youth and innocence was just 20 years old when she married, a shy young woman with a strong eagerness to please seemingly ready to one day become Queen and mother to an heir and spare. Sarah, in some ways, was the opposite, which was no bad thing. She had a strong head on her, a working career and a no-nonsense attitude. However, in 1992 the monarchy came burning down, in every sense of the phrase. It was a year that three royal marriages collapsed, a fire destroyed more than a hundred rooms in Windsor Castle, and Sarah’s extremely heated scandal spooked Britain and the monarchy. A huge shift in the monarchy was triggered by two young and seemingly harmless outsiders.
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Kings and Princes
Throughout history, the role of a leader has been adopted by the strongest of the group. An individual who has shown strength, courage and an iron will. These leaders were either chosen by their group or formed their tribes by adopting members themselves. Civilisation was built on the foundations of strong leadership and hardworking individuals who put their trust in their leaders. Great Britain has had many leaders who have held the title of King. Britain has had 62 reigning monarchs over the last 1200 years. The modern royal family, however, can trace their lineage back to as far back as 1066 with William, the conqueror. This long bloodline has been the backbone of the British monarchy and the burning centre of the Commonwealth.
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Charles & Diana: Never Meant to Be
The year is 1981. The unexpected announcement of Lady Diana’s engagement to the Prince set preparations in motion for a fairytale wedding, bringing the nation together in celebration of a lifelong commitment. But, was it ever meant to be? In the years following their solemn oaths of faithfulness, cracks began to emerge in the facade of the royal household that would shake the nation to its core.
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King Charles & Queen Camilla
Charles and Camilla. King and Queen. A new era has dawned. King Charles III inherits the heavy burden of the crown. At his side, dutiful, loving and stoic, Camilla, Queen Consort. Watch their journey, from the moment they first met, to the moment they became King and Queen.
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1997: Trouble & Tragedy
It is true that Diana’s life was complicated, and it ended tragically. There are still some unanswered questions around her death, but ultimately, fame killed her. Diana didn’t just accept the world around her for the way it was, and she used her role in the public eye to help causes that many others overlooked. Diana was proof that it is still possible to achieve and surpass the expectations placed on you by other people. Diana was glamorous, magnetic, photogenic, mercurial, manipulative and intuitive; media victim and perpetrator; the Real Princess of Kensington, a reality star before such a thing existed. She was and always will be a worldwide symbol of love, compassion and charity, and both her fame and public admiration were unprecedented. What made Diana so special to millions, if not billions of people, was her innate ability to offer comfort to those who needed it and by always doing what she believed was right, even when it went against societal norms or royal tradition.
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Charles Before Diana
“Whatever love is” those rather telling words were spoken by the king in waiting as he revealed his bride-to-be to the world’s media, but little did he know those words would come back to haunt him, and would unknowingly be the harbinger of the sad end to their marriage. A castle, a carriage and a crown. Charles, the prince of Wales, is destined to one day be king. Heirs to the throne and a member of the royal family. The firstborn son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Patriarchs adored him and stood by him with the knowledge he would one day inherit the throne. Prince Charles; the most eligible bachelor in the world. Determined to marry by the age of 30, and to continue the noble and ancient lineage through his own heirs.
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Diana: August in Paris
Paris, France August 31st 1997. At the back door of the Ritz Hotel four people get into a black Mercedes sedan. One of those people is the most famous woman in the world… Princess Diana. Often described as the worlds most photographed woman, Princess Diana lived and died through the camera and ultimately the public’s lens. In her whirlwind life and premature death, the paparazzi were never far behind.
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Prince Harry: Bridge Over Troubled Water
A life in the royal family is one of duty, service and privilege. But for Harry, the most important thing is his freedom. Harry has chosen the life he wanted, rather than the life everyone wanted for him. It is a choice that he made, and one with consequences for everyone involved.
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Princess Diana: Life After the Palace
Throughout the 80s and 90s, there was one name and one face you couldn’t avoid. Diana, Princess of Wales. When her whirlwind marriage and subsequent divorce from Prince Charles thrust her into the public spotlight, she took it in her stride and grew into her new role as a global celebrity. When freed from the shackles of royal restrictions, Diana’s life after the palace allowed her to connect with millions of people worldwide as a mother, humanitarian and fashion icon. Her unrivalled capacity for moving the dial and changing the narrative on causes and issues she cared about became the catalyst that legitimised her posthumous sobriquet, the People’s Princess. And even today, 25 years on, Diana’s legacy continues to influence people worldwide, and she remains one of the most popular members of the royal family.
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Charles & Diana: The Split
Once the golden couple, the world's greatest wedding. What a setback for the marriage of the first heir to the British throne and why can't they just make it work!
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The Tragedy of Princess Diana
Marrying a prince is perhaps one of the most romantic things in the world, and becoming a Princess of Wales and future queen is even more unthinkable. It is a beautiful and dangerous reality, and Diana's tragic life begins here.
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Marrying a prince is perhaps one of the most romantic things in the world, and becoming a Princess of Wales and future queen is even more unthinkable. It is a beautiful and dangerous reality, and Diana's tragic life begins here.
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Princess Diana: A Dangerous Game
A trailblazer in her own right, Princess Diana captured the hearts of millions across the globe. She challenged royal norms frequently- sometimes simply by refusing to wear gloves when meeting with members of the public. Her generosity and empathy made the royal family more relatable and set a new precent for the next generation of royals. From bold fashion choices to writing her own wedding vows, Princess Diana was lovingly named the People’s Princess- but the role came with a price.
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The Legacy of the Princess of Wales
The Princess of Wales is a courtesy title used since the 14th century by the wife of the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. The new monarch King Charles III passed down the titles of Prince and Princess of Wales to William and Kate in his first televised speech. The bestowal of the title was both emotional and profound, welcoming a new era of royal life. When marrying into the royal family, it was inevitable that Catherine Middleton would have her fair share of comparisons to the late Princess Diana, the last person to hold the title before Catherine. Due to Diana’s untimely death, her image has been preserved forever and this new living, breathing Princess of Wales is in a very different place. As Kate moves into her forties, and with the support of a loving family, there is a potential for her to use the role as a powerful tool for change.
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Christmas With the Windsors
Christmas is the most magical time of the year. As the days get shorter the twinkle of lights and decorations fill the night with a beautiful glow. A festive joy… For the royal family, Christmas is a time of tradition and reunion. The extended family comes together to share in their deep Christian faith and celebrate the birth of their lord. But as with any family, the coming together on Christmas day can sometimes bring disagreements to light. This was especially true for Princess Diana. As highlighted in the film Spencer, starring Kristen Stewart, Princess Diana endured a less than merry Christmas in 1991. From mistletoe to misery, this is Diana’s Christmas With The Windsors.
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Crown in Crisis: Tragedy
The tale of Princess Diana and Prince Charles began as what most believed to be the perfect fairytale. However, time slowly unmasked the cracks in their relationship a revealed that they were incompatible from the very beginning. Diana’s scandalous BBC interview with Martin Bashir shocked the nation and was shortly followed by the couple’s turbulous divorce. However both of these tragedy’s were trumped by Diana’s sudden death on the 31st of August 1997 in Paris.
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Harry & Meghan the Complete Story: The Meeting
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are the modern-day fairytale we deserve - and yet, it's hard to believe we’ve been swooning over their magical marriage for four years now. But as Harry and Meghan celebrate their anniversary, we find that we’re quite possibly just as in love with their love story as they are. From the first whispers of a possible romance between the former Suits actress and former bad-boy of Kensington Palace to a wedding straight out of a Disney cartoon, the royal power couple has captured hearts across the globe. After all, don’t all little girls daydream of being set up on a blind date with a real-life prince? This is Harry and Meghan… The Complete Story… The Meeting.
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Princess Diana: Romance & Rivalry
What the world saw as the perfect marriage following a fairytale romance, the reality behind palace doors was a life full of rivalry, distrust, and loneliness. Princess Diana was a new kind of royal, a young woman thrust into the spotlight into a position of great influence and scrutiny. Diana would come to be known as the people’s princess, but her personal life was rarely without conflict and rivalry, with her sister, her husband, her husband’s mistress, and the royal household itself.
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