One of the most intimate looks ever at the British royal family was shown to the public in the 1960s—but has been reportedly sitting in a vault ever since. It’s a documentary called Royal Family, and it hasn’t been seen in full for decades.
Richard Cawston’s BBC documentary team followed the royal family for 18 months as they went about their days. Their activities ranged from Prince Philip grilling sausages at Balmoral to the Queen making small talk with U.S. President Richard Nixon. On ABC’s new special, The Story of the Royals, experts say the documentary kicked off the intense scrutiny the royals now receive from the public and the press.
“I think the monarchy, in a very interesting way in the 1960s, tried to get out ahead of this notion they were out of tough or they were unapproachable,” Laura Mayhall, co-editor of Women’s Suffrage in the British Empire, said in the special. “It’s really a vehicle for us to see a little bit behind the scenes, so we can understand the monarchy as people like us.”
And when the Queen watched it, she enjoyed the finished product—with some reservations. “We were all a little bit nervous of showing it to the Queen because we had no idea what she would make of it,” Michael Bradsell, the film’s editor, told the Smithsonian channel in a separate special last year. “She was a little critical of the film in the sense she thought it was too long, but Dick Cawston, the director, persuaded her that two hours was not a minute too long.”
It was originally broadcast on June 21, 1969, to rave reviews and major audiences in the U.S. and in the U.K. Three quarters of the British public tuned in, according to The Telegraph.
The documentary was considered a public relations success. But even though it was a huge achievement, the Queen reportedly ordered it to be put away in a vault—and it has never been seen in its entirety since then.
In retrospect, the reason why makes sense. It was the first time the royals were seen as real people; it was almost a reality show before reality shows became popular. And that opened them up to an uncomfortable kind of celebrity.
“They realized that if they did something like that too often, they would cheapen themselves, letting the magic seep out,” Robert Lacey, historical consultant on The Crown, said in the ABC special.
“Some people say that this would open the floodgates, and therefore after that all the sort of tabloid interest in them [would come after],” royal biographer Hugo Vickers said in the special. “They would want to know more, and more, and more.”
In 2011, 90 seconds of the film were released for an exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery. In that clip, the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, and Princess Anne are sitting at the breakfast table while the Queen talks about a time a dignitary fell in front of Queen Victoria. But hours of unaired footage, plus the rest of the film itself, still remains hidden away.
Part 2 of ABC’s The Story of the Royals, coproduced with People magazine, airs Thursday night at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.
RELATED STORIES
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
Megan Friedman is the former managing editor of the Newsroom at Hearst. She's worked at NBC and Time, and is a graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism.
-
Both Kim Kardashian and Blake Lively Appeared to Spoof the Kate Middleton Photoshop Scandal Over the Weekend
Yep, they went there.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Can Reformation Join You on Vacation?
The label is re-entering the swimwear chat just in time for summer.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
Prince William Likely Feels "Guilty" for Not "Protecting" Princess Kate Amid Royal Drama, Expert Claims
Jennie Bond says William wants to avoid repeating history.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Omid Scobie: Princess Kate’s Photoshop Scandal Exposes Just the Tip of the Iceberg of “Years of Deceit, Coverups, and Lies”
His comments come after news agency AFP said Kensington Palace is no longer a "trusted source."
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
British Royal Lady Gabriella Windsor's Husband Has Died at 45
Lady Gabriella is King Charles' second cousin.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Your Next Must-Watch Royal Film Hits Netflix on April 5, and the Trailer Was Just Released
‘Scoop’ depicts Prince Andrew’s catastrophic November 2019 BBC 'Newsnight' interview.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Queen Elizabeth’s Most Iconic Fashion Moments
From her coronation dress to her rainbow daywear.
By Katherine J. Igoe Published
-
Queen Elizabeth II's Childhood Drawing, Which Her Mom Called "Very Poor," Is Up for Auction
Savage.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Omid Scobie Knows His Explosive New Book Might Be the End of His Career as a Royal Correspondent
He opens up exclusively to Marie Claire about why he chose to report on the royal family “completely fearlessly” in “Endgame.”
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
George, Charlotte and Louis Will Be Laden With Gifts as Prince William Returns From New York
He was handed so many souvenirs for the little ones.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Prince William and Princess Kate Will Be in Wales Today to Pay Tribute to the Queen on the Anniversary of Her Death
The Queen had a special connection with the cathedral they're visiting.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published