Top 250 Tv Shows Like The Queen And Her Prime Ministers
A list of the best tv shows similar to The Queen and Her Prime Ministers. If you liked The Queen and Her Prime Ministers then you may also like: The Crown, Slow Horses, The Great, House of Cards, Kings and many more great tv shows featured on this list.
Queen Elizabeth has worked with 14 Prime Ministers, including holding confidential weekly meetings. It is not known whether she has influenced her Prime Ministers, or what happens when they clash.
Slow Horses
This quick-witted spy drama follows a dysfunctional team of MI5 agents—and their obnoxious boss, the notorious Jackson Lamb—as they navigate the espionage world’s smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces.
House of Cards
Frustrated at a new moderate Conservative government and deprived of a promotion to a senior position, chief whip Francis Urquhart prepares a meticulous plot to bring down the Prime Minister then to take his place.
The Lost Prince
The life of Prince John, youngest child of Britain's King George V and Queen Mary, who died at the age of 13 in 1919.
The Royals
Drama about a fictional British Royal family set in modern day London, who inhabit a world of opulence and regal tradition that caters to any and every desire, but one that also comes with a price tag of duty, destiny and intense public scrutiny.
Secret Diary of a Call Girl
It's her business doing pleasure with you. A witty and provocative series based on the real-life adventures of a high-class escort. Juggling her own reality with her clients' fantasies can be difficult, but this savvy sweetheart knows every trick in the book, and she's doing it in style.
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
Series of television plays written by six different authors. Each play is a lavish dramatization of the trials and tribulations surrounding Henry and his wives. Keith Michell ties the episodes together with his dignified and magnetic performance as the mighty monarch.
The Thick of It
Set in the corridors of power and spin, the Minister for Social Affairs is continually harassed by Number 10's policy enforcer and dependent on his not-so-reliable team of civil servants.
Till Death Us Do Part
Following the chronicles of the East End working-class Garnett family, headed by patriarch Alf Garnett, a reactionary working-class man who holds racist and anti-socialist views.
The Tudors
The Tudors is a history-based drama series following the young, vibrant King Henry VIII, a competitive and lustful monarch who navigates the intrigues of the English court and the human heart with equal vigor and justifiable suspicion.
Victoria
The story of Queen Victoria, who came to the throne at a time of great economic turbulence and resurgent republicanism – and died 64 years later the head of the largest empire the world had ever seen, having revitalised the throne’s public image and become “grandmother of Europe”.
The White Princess
The story of Elizabeth of York, the White Queen's daughter, and her marriage to the Lancaster victor, Henry VII. Based on the Philippa Gregory book of the same name.
The White Queen
Set against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses, the series is the story of the women caught up in the protracted conflict for the throne of England.
Yes Minister
Satirical sitcom set in the office of a UK Cabinet minister, Jim Hacker MP, who struggles with Civil Service bureaucracy and political machinations as he tries to get on with government business.
Doctor Who Confidential
Doctor Who Confidential is a documentary series created by the British Broadcasting Corporation to complement the revival of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Each episode was broadcast on BBC Three on Saturdays, immediately after the broadcast of the weekly television episode on BBC One. The running time of the first two series was 30 minutes, being extended to 45 minutes in the third. BBC Three also broadcast a cut-down edition of the programme, lasting 15 minutes, shown after the repeats on Sundays and Fridays and after the weekday evening repeats of earlier seasons. Described as focusing on the human element of the series, Confidential features behind-the-scenes footage on the making of Doctor Who through clips and interviews with the cast, production crew and other people, including those who have participated in the television series over the years of its existence. Each episode deals with a different topic, and in most cases refers to the Doctor Who episode that preceded it. There have also been two episodes of Doctor Who Confidential broadcast apart from the showing of Doctor Who episodes: in November 2006 an edition subtitled "Music and Monsters" was produced going behind the scenes of a televised concert of soundtrack music produced as part of that year's Children in Need appeal, and on 3 January 2009, a special edition was broadcast to announce the actor chosen to play the Eleventh Doctor.
Monarchy
Monarchy is a Channel 4 British TV series, 2004-2006, by British academic David Starkey, charting the political and ideological history of the English monarchy from the Saxon period to modern times. The show also aired on PBS stations throughout the United States, courtesy of PBS-member station WNET. In Australia, all four seasons were broadcast on ABC1 from May 2005 onwards.
Yes, Prime Minister
James Hacker MP the Government's bumbling minister for Administrative Affairs is propelled along the corridors of power to the very pinnacle of politics - No. 10. Could this have possibly have been managed by his trusted Permanent Private Secretary, the formidably political Sir Humphrey Appleby who must move to the “Top Job” in Downing Street to support him, together with his much put upon PPS Bernard Wolley. What could possibly go wrong?
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I is a two-part 2005 British historical drama television miniseries directed by Tom Hooper, written by Nigel Williams, and starring Helen Mirren as Elizabeth I of England. The miniseries covers approximately the last 24 years of her nearly 45-year reign. Part 1 focuses on the final years of her relationship with the Earl of Leicester, played by Jeremy Irons. Part 2 focuses on her subsequent relationship with the Earl of Essex, played by Hugh Dancy. The series originally was broadcast in the United Kingdom in two two-hour segments on Channel 4. It later aired on HBO in the United States, CBC and TMN in Canada, ATV in Hong Kong, ABC in Australia, and TVNZ Television One in New Zealand. The series went on to win Emmy, Peabody, and Golden Globe Awards. The same year, Helen Mirren starred as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen, with which she dominated the award season.
Gunpowder, Treason & Plot
Mini series depicting the turbulent and bloody reigns of Scottish monarchs Mary, Queen of Scots and her son King James VI of Scotland who became King James I of England and foiled the Gunpowder Plot.
A Very British Coup
A Very British Coup is a British political thriller series based on the novel by Chris Mullin. It stars Ray McAnally as the newly elected left-wing prime minister Harry Perkins, who soon finds himself up to his neck in conspiracy.
Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work
Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work is a fly on the wall documentary TV series made by the BBC and RDF Media which follows the British Royal Family over the course of a year. The promotion for the documentary caused a controversy in 2007 when the BBC showed a group of journalists a trailer of the series including some shots that were edited in non-chronological order making it erroneously appear that Queen Elizabeth II had stormed out of a photo shoot with Annie Leibovitz after being asked to remove her 'crown'. On 11 July 2007, the controller of BBC One, Peter Fincham, told journalists at the BBC1 new season launch that the trailer showed the Queen "losing it a bit and walking out in a huff". However, the clip which appeared to show the Queen abruptly leaving in an agitated mood was actually of her entering the shoot. The next day, the BBC issued a statement which pointed out the error and formally apologised to the Queen. Both Fincham and the Chief Creative Officer of RDF Media, Stephen Lambert, resigned as a result of the controversy.
First Among Equals
First Among Equals is a ten-part serial based on Jeffrey Archer's 1984 novel First Among Equals, produced by Granada Television for the ITV network and first shown in 1986. As in the novel, the series follows the careers and personal lives of four fictional British politicians from 1964 to 1991, with each vying to become Prime Minister. Several situations in the novel are drawn from Archer's own early political career in the British House of Commons. While the novel depitcts the fictional characters interacting with actual political figures from the UK and elsewhere, this adaptation uses different names for the real-life politicians.
The Queen
The Queen was a 2009 British drama-documentary showing Queen Elizabeth II at different points during her life. Broadcast on Channel 4 over five consecutive nights from 29 November 2009, the Queen was portrayed by a different actress in each episode. The Queen was portrayed by Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn and Diana Quick. Katie McGrath played Princess Margaret in the first episode and Lesley Manville played Margaret Thatcher in the third episode. The series was co-funded by the American Broadcasting Company, the network which aired the series in the US. This reunited Emilia Fox and Katie McGrath who had played sisters in BBC One's Merlin.
The Line of Beauty
Crawl deep under the skin of Thatcher's Britain, seen through the eyes and experiences of a young, gay man, from the euphoria of falling in love to the tragedy of AIDS. A story of love, class, sex and money.
The Escape Artist
A chilling and bloody legal thriller that explores the line between law and justice. Will Burton, a talented junior barrister of peerless intellect and winning charm, specialises in spiriting people out of tight legal corners. He is in high demand as he has never lost a case. But when his talents acquit the notorious prime suspect in an horrific murder trial, that brilliance comes back to bite him with unexpected and chilling results, not to mention a shocking twist.
Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper is a 1988 two-part television film/miniseries portraying a fictionalized account of the hunt for Jack the Ripper, the unidentified serial killer responsible for the Whitechapel murders of 1888. The series coincided with the 100th anniversary of the murders.
Secret State
Secret State explores the relationship between a democratically elected government, big business and the banks.
The Queen's Palaces
Fiona Bruce fronts this eye-opening new three-part series on the stories behind Britain's official royal residences: Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Jack the Ripper: The Definitive Story
Two-part docudrama recreating the famous investigation using reenactments and state-of-the-art CGI.
She-Wolves: England's Early Queens
Historian Dr Helen Castor explores the lives of seven English queens who challenged male power, the fierce reactions they provoked and whether the term 'she-wolves' was deserved.
King George and Queen Mary: The Royals Who Rescued the Monarchy
King George and Queen Mary: The Royals Who Rescued the Monarchy. Documentary examining the couple who rescued the monarchy. King George V was an unlikely moderniser but his innovations were key. A two-part portrait of Elizabeth II's grandparents, King George V and Queen Mary, which examines the lasting legacy of the couple who rescued the monarchy from potential disaster, and whose influence persists to this day.
Queen Victoria's Children
With Nicholas Rowe, Helen Rappaport, Lucinda Hawksley, Matthew Sweet.
Yes, Prime Minister
The Rt. Hon Jim Hacker is back in office as PM, leading a coalition government confronting the greatest economic crisis in a generation.
The Railway: Keeping Britain On Track
Documentary series revealing the inner workings of Britain's railways, introducing the track-workers, train guards, drivers, police officers and management teams determined to keep the country moving.
Banned in the UK
Four-part series demonstrating different kinds of censorship, such as censorship by the government or of art.
Queen & Country
Her 60 years on the throne make her the second longest-serving sovereign in history, and in 2012 all eyes are on Queen Elizabeth II as Britain marks her Diamond Jubilee. In this fascinating series, veteran newsman Sir Trevor McDonald looks not only at the traditions and institutions surrounding the monarchy, but at the fabric of British life and history. From Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace to the collection of Historic Royal Palaces; from a privileged glimpse at the making of a royal portrait to 600 years of counting royal swans on the River Thames; from a potential change to the rules of succession to the pomp and circumstance of a state visit, this is truly a showcase for a queen and her country.
The Secret
Freddie Musgrave's life is in turmoil when a letter implicates him in murder, things are further complicated by his feelings towards his bosses daughter, Belle, who is married to a madman.
37 Days
This three-part political thriller follows the catastrophic chain of events leading up to World War I from the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on 28 June 1914 to Britain's declaration of war on Germany 37 days later. This tense and gripping miniseries set among the corridors of power in Whitehall and Berlin tracks the unfolding crisis through the eyes of leading politicians and civil servants struggling to prevent the world's first global war. 37 Days unlocks the mystery of the war s origins, overturning assumptions about its inevitability, demonstrating that World War One was neither a chance happening nor was it a foregone conclusion.
Wolf Hall
Following the fact-based historical book of the same name, this drama follows the rise of Cromwell as he becomes Henry the VIII's closest advisor. England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the King dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn. The Pope and most of Europe oppose him. Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell: a wholly original man, a charmer, and a bully, both idealist and opportunist, astute in reading people, and implacable in his ambition. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?
The Devil's Crown
The Devil's Crown was a BBC limited series which dramatised the reigns of three medieval Kings of England: Henry II and his sons Richard the Lionheart and John.
Kings and Queens
The twelve episodes of this BBC series cover a millennium of English monarchy and portray lives of twelve important English monarchs and how each of them impacted the history: William the Conqueror, Henry II, Edward I, Henry V , Richard III, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Charles I, Charles II, George III, Victoria, and to the present Queen Elizabeth II. Each 23-minute episode is filmed on location, with historian Nigel Spivey providing the narration describing bloodshed, lust and political intrigue. Actors provide mute dramatization.
Long Live the Royals
Long Live the Royals follows a fictional British Royal Family—King Rufus and Queen Eleanor and their children Peter, Rosalind, Eddy, and Alex—as they honor the annual Yule Hare Festival. The family must battle having to rule their kingdom while maintaining a normal family at the same time. Meanwhile, the festival continues with the parties and feasts that comprise it.
The Windsors
Comedy soap opera re-imagining the lives of the British Royal Family as you have never seen them before.
Power Monkeys
Following the success of their 2015 election comedy Ballot Monkeys, Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin (Ballot Monkeys, Outnumbered, Drop the Dead Donkey) return to Channel 4 with a six-part satire lampooning the fictional communications and social media ‘experts’ on both sides of the EU referendum, as well as taking audiences a few doors down from the Kremlin and into the imagined world of Donald Trump’s campaign plane.
Scotland and the Battle for Britain
Andrew Marr discovers why the Scotland he grew up in has changed so much politically, and whether, after the Brexit vote, we will see Scottish independence and the break-up of the UK.
Strike
A war veteran turned private detective operates out of a tiny office in London’s Denmark Street. Although wounded both physically and psychologically, his unique insight and background as a military police investigator prove crucial in solving complex crimes that have baffled the police. Based on the bestselling novels written by J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.
British History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley
Lucy Worsley explores how British history is a concoction of fibs and stories manipulated by whoever was in power at the time.
Inside Windsor Castle
A look at life in Windsor Castle over the last 80 years, including the tragedies, triumphs, romances and scandals of the Royal Family.
Prime Suspect 1973
Prime Suspect 1973 tells the story of 22-year-old Jane Tennison's first days in the police force, in which she endured flagrant sexism before being thrown in at the deep end with a murder enquiry.
The Royal House of Windsor
Drawing on newly available evidence, this epic series explores the Windsor dynasty's gripping family saga, providing fresh insights into how our royal family have survived four generations of crisis.
The Great Fire: In Real Time
Revealing what actually happened during the Great Fire of London of 1666, hour by hour, and street by street.
Henry and Anne: The Lovers Who Changed History
Historian Dr Suzannah Lipscomb unfolds the extraordinary story of the tumultuous love affair between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, and asks: was it really love that brought them together – and was it love that tore them apart? Suzannah's journey will take her from Anne's childhood home at Hever Castle in Kent to the French palace where, some say, she learned the art of love. She will also visit Hampton Court, where Henry built the Great Hall for his new queen, and the Tower of London, where he had her beheaded.
Fit to Rule: How Royal Illness Changed History
Lucy Worsley, chief curator at Historic Royal Palaces, explores how the physical and mental health of our past monarchs has shaped the history of the nation.
The Story of Diana
Princess Diana's life and legacy is explored through interviews with those who knew her best, as well as the world's leading experts on her.
Surgeons:At the Edge of Life
Documentary series going beyond the theatre doors of Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, where surgeons push medical boundaries to the limits.
England's Forgotten Queen: The Life and Death of Lady Jane Grey
The rise and fall of Lady Jane Grey. England's Queen for only 9 days
Elizabeth: Our Queen
This eight-part series interviews the Queen's Prime Ministers, members of the Royal Household and closest friends, to build a uniquely personal picture of Elizabeth, the woman, the mother, the Queen.
The Royal Wives of Windsor
This two-part prime time social history documentary explores how the women who wed into the house of Windsor over the last century have transformed the most famous dynasty in the world.
Princess Margaret: The Rebel Royal
This two-part series profiles Princess Margaret, whose life and loves reflected the social and sexual revolution that transformed Britain during the 20th century.
Wild Bill
U.S. police chief Bill Hixon lands in the British town of Boston, Lincolnshire, with his 14-year-old daughter Kelsey in tow hoping they can flee their painful recent past. But this unfamiliar, unimpressed community will force Bill to question everything about himself and leave him asking whether it's Boston that needs Bill, or Bill that needs Boston?
MotherFatherSon
Max is a charismatic self-made American businessman with media outlets in London and around the world. When the self-destructive lifestyle of his 30 year-old son, Caden, spirals out of control, the devastating consequences threaten the future of the family, its empire, and a country on the brink of change.
Paxman on the Queen's Children
Jeremy Paxman examines the lives and roles of the Queen's children - looking at their changing relationship with the British public over the past 60 years. Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward, were the first generation of royals to grow up as celebrities.
The Spanish Princess
The beautiful Spanish princess, Catherine of Aragon, navigates the royal lineage of England with an eye on the throne.
Thatcher: A Very British Revolution
The irresistible rise and dramatic downfall of Margaret Thatcher. Her inner circle reveal how a political outsider won power and dominated British life through a turbulent decade.
Her Majesty's Cavalry
This six-part-series follows one of the oldest and most recognisable regiment of the British Army, The Household Cavalry, in a year of dramatic change. From riding horses at the Royal Wedding, to riding armoured fighting vehicles across the Middle East, cameras were allowed inside to see what life is really like for the soldiers, from the newest recruits to the most decorated officers.
The Trial of Christine Keeler
The minister, his mistress, and her lover the spy. The story of the woman at the centre of one of the 20th century's biggest scandals – which changed Britain forever.
Becoming Elizabeth
The fascinating story of the early life of England’s most iconic Queen, Elizabeth Tudor, an orphaned teenager who became embroiled in the political and sexual politics of the English court on her journey to obtain the crown.
Royal History's Biggest Fibs with Lucy Worsley
Historian Lucy Worsley debunks popular myths and royal as well as anti-royal propaganda about key events from British royal history including the English Reformation, the attack of the Spanish Armada and Queen Anne's forgotten legacy.
Secrets of the Royal Palaces
Behind-the-scenes tales of the British monarchy's residences, with contributions by royal commentators and ex-staff members, who give the lowdown on the stories that have shaped the modern royal family.
The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty
The incredible story of Rupert Murdoch’s influence on world events and the dramatic personal battle for power at the heart of his own family.
To Play the King
Francis Urquhart's survival at the top is threatened by the new king's populist agenda.
Richard Osman's House of Games Night
Each week a group of four famous faces go toe-to-toe testing their general knowledge in a variety of entertaining games. The series includes all the favourite, funny games from the BBC Two series, with the addition of some new items for the prime time shows, including the appearance of a house band and some special guests. As ever, all of the games are rooted in general knowledge and can be played along at home by viewers.
This England
Inside the halls of power, Boris Johnson grapples with Covid-19, Brexit, and a controversial personal and political life during his tumultuous first months as Prime Minister.
Joanna Lumley’s Home Sweet Home – Travels in My Own Land
“I seem to have spent a lifetime travelling the world, but as I get older, I realise there’s so much of my own country I haven’t seen. So, I decided that using my traveller’s eyes…I’m going to turn that vision onto this country, the place that I now call home.” Joanna Lumley. After a lifetime of travels that have taken her across the globe, Joanna Lumley is making her most personal journey yet. Over three episodes, she’ll travel from the Yorkshire Dales to St Michael’s Mount, from the Highlands of Scotland to the cobbles of Coronation Street, retracing old steps, meeting inspiring people, and exploring the wonders of the country she calls home.
The Serpent Queen
Considered an immigrant, common and plain, Catherine de Medici is married into the 16th century French court as an orphaned teenager expected to bring a fortune in dowry and produce many heirs, only to discover that her husband is in love with an older woman, her dowry is unpaid and she’s unable to concieve. Yet, only with her intelligence and determination, she manages to keep her marriage alive and masters the bloodsport that is the monarchy better than anyone else, ruling France for 50 years.
Anne Boleyn
The final months of Boleyn's life, her struggle with Tudor England's patriarchal society, her desire to secure a future for her daughter, Elizabeth, and the brutal reality of her failure to provide Henry with a male heir.
New Scotland Yard Files
Current and former New Scotland Yard detectives open their case files to tell the inside story of how they caught some of London's most notorious killers. Presented by Peter Bleksley.
The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family
Part documentary, part historical drama, this series follows the fortunes of the different members of the Boleyn family, ultimately made notorious for daughter Anne’s marriage to Henry VIII and execution.
The Final Cut
Urquhart aims to secure his legacy on the international stage, but faces threats both from abroad and closer to home.
The Life and Times of Lord Mountbatten
Narrated by Lord Mountbatten himself, this is a positive feast of history and archive material, some of it part of Mountbatten's personal collection. A masterpiece in history.
Darcey Bussell's Royal Road Trip
Sees the Royal Ballet star follow in the footsteps of the Queen as she sets out on a regal adventure across the magnificent landscapes of Britain and visits a raft of breathtaking locations that have shaped our monarch's identity. English
Victoria Regina
Patricia Routledge gives a career-best performance as Queen Victoria in this 1964 series of plays based on the celebrated collection of dramas by playwright Laurence Housman. Self-willed, obstinate, imperious and passionate... a now-familiar description of one of history's longest-serving female monarchs – but Housman's satirical tribute marked a decisive break with the tradition of the uncritical historical portrait. A Broadway hit deemed too disrespectful for public performance in Britain until the late 1930s, Victoria Regina is a frank portrayal of an extraordinarily complex woman, tracing her development from royal teenager to inconsolable widow at the helm of a vast empire, with all her contradictions, prejudices and unconstitutional behavior.
Afghanistan: Getting Out
Finding a way to end a war. Insiders tell the long and troubled story of a chaotic conflict, revealing the political pressures that helped seal the fate of Afghanistan.
Queen of Oz
Princess Georgiana is the black sheep of a fictional British Royal Family. A PR disaster, she's spent her spoilt, party-girl life plastered over the tabloids. On the back of her latest scandal her mother, the Queen, makes the unprecedented move of abdicating her Australian throne in favour of her daughter. It is hoped that giving her some real responsibility will finally be the making of her – and if it isn't, at least shipping her off keeps her 10,000 miles away from London.
Blood, Sex & Royalty
A modern take on the British royal drama, this steamy series offers a window into the lives of history's deadliest, sexiest and most iconic monarchs.
Harry & Meghan
From their courtship to their exit from royal life, Harry and Meghan share their complex journey in their own words in this docuseries.
Prime Minister’s Questions
Questions to the Prime Minister. Held weekly since 1961, Prime Minister's Questions, also referred to as PMQs, gives Members of the British Parliament a chance to question the Prime Minister in the House of Commons. PMQs takes place at midday every Wednesday at the Palace of Westminster when the House of Commons is sitting.
Royal Autopsy
Royal Autopsy investigates the cause of death of two of Britain’s most famous monarchs: Queen Elizabeth I and King Charles II, in an entirely new and realistic way. Professor Alice Roberts will bring together a blend of historical and medical expertise and by using contemporaneous accounts and documents piece together how and why these monarchs died.
Queen Elizabeth II: A Diamond Jubilee Celebration
Celebrate the Diamond Jubilee by taking a look back at the Queen's incredible reign.
London Calling
News, reviews and interviews. Topical magazine program about what's going on and happening in London.
Trudeau II: Maverick in the Making
This three-hour prequel to the 2002 miniseries, "Trudeau", chronicles the coming of age of Canada's 15th Prime Minister and the forces that shaped his brilliant mind and fierce political will. Fatherless at 14, a thorn in the side of his Jesuit professors, the young Pierre Elliott Trudeau chafed under the suffocating pressures of the very conservative Quebec of the '30s and '40s. Iconoclast, gadfly, a restless traveler and ladies' man, he helped plant the seeds for Quebec's Quiet Revolution by challenging all of its sacred cows—including the Catholic Church and the autocratic premier of Quebec, Maurice Duplessis.
The Crown
The gripping, decades-spanning inside story of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Prime Ministers who shaped Britain's post-war destiny. The Crown tells the inside story of two of the most famous addresses in the world – Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street – and the intrigues, love lives and machinations behind the great events that shaped the second half of the 20th century. Two houses, two courts, one Crown.