From ancient rituals at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral to quirky royal customs, this series explores how tradition shapes the monarchy's image-from symbolic orbs to secret messages in royal fashion.
There is nothing like the pomp and ceremony of a Royal State Visit. We delve into the history of this very British tradition to discover the origins of these three-day spectacles.
This edition explores the Coronation, a ceremony that's followed the same template for over 1000 years. Plus, a look at other grand royal set pieces.
How royal banquets are a feast for the senses - a display of opulence and ritual. Plus, a look at playboy princes, and the monarch's role as head of the Church of England.
A look at the happy, glorious and traditional royal wedding, a day full of pomp, ceremony and touching customs that capture the imagination of the nation. In this episode we look at the spectacular wedding day of Prince William and Kate Middleton to discover how royal wedding rituals originated and evolved over the years. For decades the traditional place to take a royal honeymoon was aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia but the yacht seemed to be cursed when it came to the fate of some young royal honeymooners on board - many of their marriages would end in divorce. But for Queen Elizabeth II, the yacht was her traditional happy place. Other traditions investigated in this episode include how the horse became the royals' most loved form of exercise, and one of the most bizarre of all royal rituals - the Debutantes Ball.