The Royals

Although some of the commentators and footage overlaps here, Anglophiles will nevertheless line up to watch this six-part miniseries focusing on the less historical and more titillating aspects of the British royal family. Narrated by Alistair Appleton, The Royals explores the lives of the Windsors, serving up lots of somewhat common knowledge but also more off-the-beaten-track observations. The episode “Royal Weddings,” for instance, obviously draws quite heavily on the fairytale aspects and parallels between the nuptials of Charles/Diana and William/Kate, but also mentions an interesting tidbit about the reason why brides now customarily wear white (namely, Queen Victoria really wanted to stand out in the middle of the crowd). Also including segments on “Royal Scandals,” “Young Royals” (cheeky Prince Harry receives plenty of airtime for his antics), “Royal Funerals,” “Royal Pets,” and “Royal Babies” (the heir Prince George is also featured), this is recommended. Aud: P. (J. Williams-Wood)