Overview
- Released in December 2025 after two years of reporting, the BBC series uses archival footage and interviews with historians, palace press officers, government advisers, Republic, Jacob Rees-Mogg and David Cameron.
- One episode reassesses publication of Prince Charles’s letters to ministers, concluding they did not alter policy yet signaled an intent to influence where possible.
- The programme revisits the 2019 prorogation of Parliament, stating Queen Elizabeth II acted under Boris Johnson’s pressure before the Supreme Court ruled the move unlawful.
- Dimbleby says the BBC has acted as “royal ringmasters,” helping the royal family manage how it is seen.
- The series notes republicanism remains a minority yet is growing, quoting historian Anna Whitelock on the monarchy’s reliance on public affection or apathy.