- I'm Alice Loxton, and
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realroyalty, all one word, when you sign up. Now, on with the show. (gentle music) (majestic music) - [Narrator] September 2015. - Monumental day for Her
Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. - [Narrator] One of the great landmarks in Britain's royal history. (metal clangs)
(cannon booms) Queen Elizabeth is the UK's
longest reigning monarch. - And I thank you all, and
the many others at home and overseas for your touching
messages, great kindness. - [Narrator] She has broken a
record held for over 100 years by her great, great
grandmother, Queen Victoria. - I declare before you
all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service. - [Narrator] This isn't the
only record Elizabeth holds. She's also the world's
oldest living monarch. - She doesn't change, but she adapts. - [Narrator] Her years on the
throne have been momentous. The world has moved from the age of steam to the edge of artificial intelligence. - [Man] What do we do
when we see the blue? (people laughing) - [Man] Elizabeth R, as
she signs off, tweets. - [Narrator] With a few stops in between. - [Neil] That's one small step for man. - [Narrator] She has reigned
with a short and safe hand, fiercely keeping her nation's secrets. But around her, her
family has kept the media and the royal commentators busy. - I sometimes wonder
how future generations will judge the events
of this tumultuous year. - [Narrator] Driving a
worldwide royal business that has enthralled
millions and made billions. - I'm not saying whether we
should be printing it in there, but it helps to sell newspapers. - [Narrator] But how much do
we really know about the woman who's become an extraordinary queen? - To the queen! - [All] To the queen! (majestic orchestral music) - [Narrator] In 1926,
London was the largest city in the world, an industrial
hub bustling and heaving with a population of over 7 1/2 million. But it wasn't a happy place. Amongst the steam-driven
lorries and soot-covered workers was trade union militancy,
economic depression, and a deep-set fear of communism. A general strike had brought
Britain almost to a standstill. Armored cars were on the streets. Amidst the mayhem, almost unnoticed, another momentous event had taken place. At 2:40 a.m. on the 21st
of April in a quiet street in Mayfair, a royal baby was born. Elizabeth Alexandra
Mary was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York. The Duke's father was King George V, making Elizabeth the third
in line to the throne. In those days, it was the male
heirs who took precedence, so the chances of her
becoming queen were remote. Elizabeth was nicknamed Lilibet because she was unable to
pronounce her own name. The early years were mostly
out of the public eye. The glimpses ordinary people had of her were in carefully controlled
cinema newsreel footage. There were no press
scrums, and it was clear that the young royal enjoyed
an almost idyllic childhood. Her father was a man who preferred to stay out of the limelight. His elder brother, Edward,
the Prince of Wales, was destined to become king. The Duke of York's low profile enabled him to bring up Elizabeth and
her younger sister, Margaret, mostly behind the closed
doors of a London townhouse and at various royal estates
in the English countryside. Life behind the ramparts
was not all fun and games for Elizabeth and Margaret. In keeping with royal tradition, the princesses were not sent to school. They were taught at home, as
this rare photograph shows, by an array of nurses and governesses. The lessons did not always
follow a conventional curriculum. Outdoor pursuits were mixed
with French, art, and music. Learning to ride was a priority
and a regular activity. It gave the future queen
an extraordinary grounding in horse riding, a close relationship with the animals themselves,
and a lifelong love affair with all things equestrian. - [Reporter] Death has come
peacefully to the king at 11:55. - [Narrator] When Elizabeth was just nine, her grandfather, George V, died. Her uncle David, the Prince of Wales, became King Edward VIII, and
her father, first in line. But before he could be crowned king, Edward gave up his throne to
be with the woman he loved, and Elizabeth's gentle father became king, and she, his heir. This meant the family had to
move into Buckingham Palace, the headquarters of Britain's
monarchs since 1837, and the administrative
hub of the royal family. This is where the House
of Windsor does business. A coronation soon followed. - [Crowd] Long live the king! Long live the king! - [Narrator] On the balcony of the palace after the ceremony, Elizabeth, now 10, showed off what was to become
her trademark royal wave. As her father got to grips
with being George VI, the family set about preparing her for the job she would one day inherit. This meant learning how to be a leader. But the war clouds were gathering on the other side of the Channel. And when Elizabeth was just 13, fighting broke out across Europe as the full fury of Hitler's
might struck London. - [Man] This is the form of
warfare Germany introduced into the civilized
world, this is total war. - [Narrator] Elizabeth and her family found themselves on the frontline. - [Man] Buckingham Palace
has been bombed again but this kind of savagery
on king or people will never bring the Nazis
one day nearer victory. We shall stay on the
job till it's finished. ♪ The king is still in London, in London ♪ ♪ In London, and he will be ♪ - [Narrator] While her parents
stayed to face the blitz, the princess and her sister
were moved to Windsor Castle. The oldest occupied castle in the world, it stood for a thousand years,
and has become the real home of Britain's kings and queens. Its thick ramparts were
deemed safe from German bombs. Elizabeth and Margaret
were not the only children to be evacuated from their homes. As Hitler tried to crush Britain's cities with his air force,
almost 4 million people were moved to safer rural areas. Around a million of them were children, and many were sent as
far afield as Canada. They called the operation Pied Piper, and the war cabinet enlisted
the help of young Elizabeth. She was to speak publicly
for the first time on radio. - [Elizabeth] Thousands
of you in this country have had to leave your homes and be separated from
your fathers and mothers. My sister Margaret Rose
and I feel so much for you, as we know from experience
what it means to be away from those we love most of all. - [Narrator] 60 years later,
Elizabeth's wartime experiences of a London under attack
served her in good stead. - [Reporter] Three of the suicide bombers had struck underground. The fourth detonated his device
on the top deck of a bus. - Sadly, we in Britain
have been all too familiar with acts of terror, and
members of my generation, especially at this end of London, know that we have been here before. Atrocities such as these simply reinforce our sense of community, our humanity, and our trust in the rule of law. - [Narrator] In 1939, a teenage Elizabeth also boosted morale by visiting those who were to take the fight to Hitler. On a visit to the Royal
Naval College at Dartmouth in Devon, a teenage
princess was shown around by a young cadet, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. It was a meeting that was
to change both their lives. In the summer of 1947,
after knowing each other for eight years, Elizabeth and
Philip were formally engaged. Elizabeth was 21, Philip, 27. - [Reporter] The betrothed
couple are seen in happy mode, as are Their Majesties,
the king and queen. - [Narrator] They were
married four months later in Westminster Abbey. The ceremony was a regal affair. 2 1/2 thousand people
from around the world were there to witness the royal union. - [Reporter] Side by side they appear, heading the procession down the nave, the bride and bridegroom. - [Narrator] A year later, the
couple had their first son. They called him Charles. Elizabeth's father and
mother were overjoyed, as were the rest of the royal family. But the king's health was
failing from six years of war and a lifelong smoking habit. For Elizabeth, life changed
forever in February 1952. She and Philip were on
a royal tour of Kenya, which had seemed like a second honeymoon, when news came through
that King George had died at the age of 56. As the nation went into mourning, a devastated daughter returned home. - [Reporter] Only a week ago she had left lightheartedly as the princess. Now, it was the sad
homecoming of a young queen. - [Narrator] The young
queen wasn't a token novice. Her father had been preparing for this day ever since he became king. It wasn't long after her father's funeral that Elizabeth had to start thinking about another state occasion, a lavish affair that was going
to take a lot of planning. (bright music) - My job is set the stage
and to build a theater inside Westminster Abbey, to arrange flags, floodlighting, fireworks, and other expressions of public rejoicing. - [Narrator] In June
1953, at the age of 27, Elizabeth II was proclaimed
Sovereign of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and the British Empire. Though the Empire was fading fast. (bright music) There were more than 8,000
of the great (indistinct) Westminster Abbey, representing
129 nations in totals. 2 1/2 thousand reporters,
photographers, and journalists lined the coronation route, where 3 million people
stood to see the procession. The world was also watching. (bright orchestral music) Television was still in its
infancy, but growing fast. For the first time in history,
people were able to watch a coronation from the comfort
of their living rooms. - [Crowd] Long live the
queen! Long live the queen! - [Narrator] Mostly it
was in black and white, even though it was also filmed in color as part of the first color TV experiment. But only a very few got to see
it in color as it happened, and they were 150 patients and staff in the Great Ormond Street
Hospital for Sick Children. Just over 20 million Britains watched the documented ceremony,
1/3 of the entire nation. Nowhere near as many
tuned in for Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee, but there
were far more in the streets. - We love you, Queen Elizabeth! - [Narrator] With drumming and dancing, lunches and laughing, Britain
brought out the red, white, and blue, and threw the queen a party. - As far as we're concerned,
she has never put a foot wrong, and we're proud of her. - [Narrator] It was a celebration
of an enduring popularity. Even though it rained, it
was a right royal occasion. In Piccadilly, Charles
and Camilla popped in for cake and a cuppa. There were around 9,000 parties
up and down the country. - It's been a fantastic
day. We've had a great day. We had the rain, we expected the rain. We saw the queen, we
laughed, we danced, we sang with people, we waved our
flag, it is what we wanted. - [Narrator] It's not only
at home that Elizabeth is highly regarded. In America, she's a particular favorite. - You have been our closest partner. - As all of that change is
coming, she's continuity, she's still there, she's still the same. Dignified, honorable, straightforward. - There is an awe, there is a respect, there is a fascination. There's an absolute fascination
by the American people with the monarchy. - [Narrator] Elizabeth space
is the most reproduced image of any human being, gracing
billions of banknotes, stamps, and coins around the world. But her reign has not been
entirely without drama or political controversy. The British Empire disappeared. The Commonwealth of Nations dwindled. And there have been many protests
on the streets of Britain. The queen has been unable
to intervene in any of this. As a constitutional
monarch, she has no power, and cannot publicly get
involved in politics. - [Woman] Are you supposed
to be enjoying this lunch? - [Reporter] Perhaps
the most impressive fact of her six decades is that
on none of the global events of that time, from Suez to the euro, do we really know what the queen thinks. - She's extremely prudent.
She doesn't make statements. She doesn't talk to friends in private, these so-called friends who
suddenly appear the next minute in the newspapers having
sold their story to them. She talks principally, privately to her dogs and to her horses. - [Narrator] She also talks to her nation at the annual state opening of parliament, where she sets out the
government's political agenda, even though she writes not a word of it. - A bill will be introduced
to remove the rights of hereditary peers to sit in
wait in the House of Lords. - [Narrator] It's a strange ancient custom that doesn't always meet with approval. - We are simply saying,
my lords, that what may have been appropriate
800 or even 200 years ago is not appropriate now. - [Narrator] But Elizabeth
does have tremendous influence. Every week, she sees
Britain's prime minister for a private audience,
during which matters of state and international affairs are discussed. During her years on the throne, 12 different prime ministers
have attended those meetings. Only rarely do the politicians
reveal what was said. - Actually, Your Majesty's
closing words to me at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday at the end of our weekly session were,
"Please don't be too effusive." - [Narrator] The look on the
queen's face says it all. Most of the relationships
between Elizabeth and her prime ministers
have been close, bar one. According to those in the
know, the queen and Britain's only female prime minister, Mrs. Thatcher, never really saw eye to eye. It was said to be a class thing, which the television satirists of the day were quick to pick up on. - My father was the King
of England. (laughs) - Be that as it may, Your Majesty, there's only one woman in power
who really matters. (coughs) - [Narrator] Queen Elizabeth has ruled for more than 60 years. She has done this without any formal academic qualifications of any kind. She did not go to college or university. She was educated at
home behind palace walls by governesses and teachers,
schooled in the royal way of life and taught to be a
queen by her father and mother and various royal advisors. Her only official training came
during the Second World War when she joined the
women's branch of the Army. She was taught to be a motor mechanic and passed out as a fully qualified driver and the rank of Junior Commander. Throughout her long reign,
Elizabeth has been close to many of the world's great
leaders, from Winston Churchill to Ronald Reagan and Nelson Mandela. - No one in the entire
history of the human race has had such a range of personal contact with other world leaders. 12 British prime ministers for a start, from Churchill to Cameron. 12 American presidents,
from Truman to Obama. And a host of other
colorful historic figures, from President de Gaulle
to Emperor Hirohito. If there's an event in a far-off country, David Cameron says, whether an
election, a coup, or a riot, Her Majesty will not just know about it, but have chapter and verse. - [Narrator] The queen has
featured on the silver screen too and met many of its stars, including those who have played her. - I honestly feel half of
the award really belongs, maybe 3/4 of the award
belongs to Queen Elizabeth because I'm portraying
her, you know, and I think it's that character that
people love on the screen. - [Narrator] Helen Mirren
of course is now a dame, as well as an award-winner. Queen Elizabeth is one of
the most closely protected people on Earth, and
the bearskins and tunics of her personal guards
at Buckingham Palace have become a huge tourist attraction. But no one is ever totally safe. In 1982, an intruder broke
into Buckingham Palace in the middle of the night. His name was Michael Fagan, a 33-year-old painter and
decorator from London. Where still, he managed to
get into Elizabeth's bedroom. - [Reporter] Michael Fagan
managed to break into the palace and found his way to the queen's bedroom. He sat on her bed and
chatted for half an hour before the queen was able to summon help. The home office say that Fagan intended to cut his wrists in front of the queen. The palace alarm systems
come in for much criticism. - [Narrator] Fagan, who was suffering from mental health issues,
was later able to talk about his break-in, admitting he had no idea whose room he had got into. - I went into a room, you know. I remember seeing a light there. I can't really say that
even if it was the queen. - [Narrator] A year earlier,
Elizabeth had another close call when a man shot at her during the Trooping of the Colour. - 17-year-old Marcus Simon
Sarjeant, an unemployed youth from Folkestone in Kent, had been charged in connection with this morning's events. - All of a sudden I heard a noise, and I counted this noise six times, which I now realize to be six shots. Her Majesty seemed very, very scared. I saw a look of sort of
fear pass over her face. - [Narrator] By far the worst year of the queen's reign was 1992. She dubbed it her annus
horribilis, horrible year, as the papers revealed. First, her son Prince
Andrew split from his wife. - [Reporter] The fate of the
House, the duchess's title, and the welfare of the
children are all at stake. Her daughter was to divorce. - Divorce? Never been mentioned. By anybody. - [Narrator] Next, her
eldest son's marriage to Princess Diana fell apart. Then she and Prince Philip
were forced to agree to pay tax on their royal income
and curb their expenditure, a row that was to rumble on for years. - Funding of the monarchy has
always been a sensitive issue. The Accounts Committee is now
demanding the royal household gets a much firmer grip on how it plans to generate more income
and achieve savings. - [Narrator] To cap it off,
in November, her beloved family home, Windsor
Castle, went up in flames. - [Reporter] This castle, dating
back to the ninth century, and which survived the wartime blitz, now struck at its heart. - [Reporter] It was as
the nation's monarch and family matriarch that she
told of the pain and trouble she suffered over the past 11 months. - In the words of one of my
more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to
be an annus horribilis. - And we all love her. All love her, yeah. - I think she's great.
I think she's brilliant. - Just over the last 10
years, the royal family has regained a lot of
popular public opinion. - Just lovely, such a great
atmosphere. Everybody's happy. And it's just lovely to get
all the country together. - [Narrator] After 60 years as queen, Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee
sealed an extraordinary reign. Only one other British
queen has ever celebrated 60 years on the throne, Victoria, in 1897. The royal pageant of
2012 was just as grand, but far more colorful. - [Reporter] London had
seen nothing like it since the lavish river processions of the 17th and 18th centuries. They carried the queen down the Thames on a tide of devotion. 60 years on the throne, a
monarch in an age where privilege and authority have
increasingly been questioned, but whose popularity it
seems has never been greater. - [Narrator] July 2013,
the world is in turmoil. Europe is in the midst of the worst economic downturn of all time. The Middle East is in
the throes of terrorism, military coups, and civil war. (man yelling in foreign language) In Britain, temperatures are soaring as the country's hit by the
hottest heatwave in a decade. - [Reporter] This is what
the heatwave is doing. Not just here, but in
many parts of the country. And the dangers are all too clear. - [Narrator] The nation
is also in the grip of royal baby fever. A media feeding frenzy is in full flood. - [Man] Mad in the street. Crazy street. - [Narrator] It's not only
reporters who are here. Royal fans are gathering, too. (people cheering) - (indistinct) time having the baby. - They're looking for
something to feel upbeat about. - And I'm just here to
join in some of the fun. - [Narrator] They've come from all over. - This is nuts.
- Yeah, it's like a party. - I think so far it's been
the best Monday in my life. - The royal baby! - [Narrator] To the waiting
millions, it's not just a question of when the
royal baby will be born. - We've been waiting
what feels like forever. - We buy all the magazines, we're stoked and ready for it to get here. - [Narrator] The big unknown is its sex. A real royal secret. ♪ Congratulations, baby ♪ ♪ From all of us, whoo ♪ (crowd cheering)
- Here we go. - [Narrator] The latest heir to the throne was born on Monday the 22nd of July, 2013. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, called him George. As the young family drove
home, royal baby mania got hot. - It's hard to describe,
but they just feel like they're so much part of our community. - It's just so amazing.
It's a piece of our history. - How can we not be excited?
It's like we had our own. (both laugh) - [Narrator] The national colors
became flavor of the month. - [Reporter] I seen a telecom
tower which said it's a boy around the rotating roof, and here is the London
Eye, red, white, and blue. - [Narrator] And souvenir
shops did a roaring trade. - And many tourists will
come to see the baby, new plans and come here in the UK. So definitely there's
gonna be good business. - One of the T-shirt says, "Keep Calm, My Great Granny is the Queen." I mean, who buys that? - Everyone. (laughs) - [Reporter] By the end of
next month, our appetite for souvenirs, memorabilia,
and a spot of extra champagne is expected to earn the economy
a cool quarter of a billion. - [Narrator] For the House of Windsor, babies are more than income generators. Prince George is the
latest in a long line. Every birth gets the full treatment. (cannons booming) Royal births are always
a uniquely British event. (gentle music) Two years earlier, when Kate
Middleton married her prince, William, the confetti had not even settled before attention turned to the
pattering of tiny regal feet. - I think we'll take
it one step at a time. We'll sort of get over
the marriage thing first, and then maybe look at the kids. But obviously, you know, we want a family. So, you know, we'll have to
start thinking about that. - [Narrator] It was in December 2012 that Britain got the
answer it was yearning for. Yes, Kate was pregnant. But for the royal family, the
news broke in an unusual way. - Prince William left his
wife's bedside this evening without comment, or even
his normally cheerful smile for the cameras. Kate is suffering from what's known as hyperemesis gravidarum, an extreme form of pregnancy sickness that doctors say should not cause concern. The royal family decided
that under the circumstances, they had no option but to
make a public announcement about her pregnancy. - [Narrator] 64 years earlier, the royals were able
to be more controlling. Prince William's grandmother Elizabeth was less than a year into her marriage to Philip Mountbatten. Royal watchers noted that the princess was gradually withdrawing
from public life, eventually disappearing altogether. In the few photos the
press were allowed to take, she was always sitting down. Elizabeth was eight months pregnant. Without an official announcement,
the papers of the day had to rely on sources
close to the palace. At this time, pregnancy
was not openly discussed, and women were patronized
with public information films. - [Video Narrator] For nearly nine months, you will have been providing
a snug home for him and supplying food for
his rapidly growing body. You'll be waiting. And waiting. - [Narrator] If pregnant
women were to venture out, the bumps should be minimized with a little help from
the world of fashion. But as the '50s became the '60s, there was a sexual and fashion revolution. - [Reporter] Here at one
of Britain's only chain of combined mother and baby shops, mothers in waiting can
today get well-designed foundation garments and
inexpensive and pretty clothes. - [Narrator] By 1964, when
Elizabeth was carrying her fourth child, she publicly and proudly displayed her bump, and in doing so, became
a maternity fashion icon. But 18 years later, the tabloid thirst for royal baby stories hit rock bottom when a pregnant Princess Diana was photographed in the Caribbean. The queen was outraged,
calling it to the blackest day in the history of British journalism. Even when she wore the
most shapeless of dresses, the focus on Diana's bump remained. - [Reporter] The most
photographed woman in the world often finds all the attention irksome. Behind the fuss, the insatiable
demand for Diana pictures, and some freelance operators
hoping to get the one shot that could make them a fortune. - [Narrator] By the summer
of 2013, the royal family and the press patched up their differences so far as royal babies were concerned. Kate Middleton's pregnancy
was seen as an asset, and she was dressed into the limelight. Not only did this boost the
royal family's popularity, but the economy got a helping hand, too. - [Reporter] Business cottoned
on to what can be the magic of the so-called Kate effect long ago. She wears something like
this spotted maternity dress, within hours, it has sold out. - [Narrator] Unlike
previous royal pregnancies, Kate's due date took no one by surprise. The world's press were fully briefed and camped outside London's
Saint Mary's Hospital well before the big day. But in the 1940s, royal births
were covered differently. - [Reporter] Prelude to
a nationwide rejoicing as on the historic day,
news of a royal birth was patiently awaited. To Princess Elizabeth, heiress
presumptive to the throne, a son had been born. - [Narrator] Back then, television did not have breaking news. A royal proclamation was hung on the gates of Buckingham Palace, and
there were no photographs of the prince himself until
the royal christening, four weeks after the birth, by which time his carefully
chosen names were in place, and an orchestrated photo
opportunity permitted. - [Reporter] First official film record of the infant Prince Charles of Edinburgh. - [Narrator] But 34 years
later, the royals changed. Breaking with tradition,
Prince Charles's firstborn, William, made his public debut on the steps of the
hospital where he was born. He was also the first
heir to the British throne to be born in a hospital. - It's known the queen
would've preferred the princess to have her baby here at the palace, but in the event, it's
assumed the princess bowed to medical opinion known to
favor a hospital confinement. - [Narrator] Public reaction
to the birth was joyous, even though Britain was
facing tough economic times and industrial unrest. ♪ It's a boy, it's a boy ♪ ♪ It's a boy, it's a boy, it's a boy ♪ - [Reporter] Still, the
celebrations went on. Some colorful spectators
stood outside the main gates for nearly 10 hours. - [Narrator] By the time Charles's
grandson George was born, the great recession was becoming a memory, and the commercial value of a royal baby could be fully exploited. - And it's not just the obvious royal bibs or royal baby grows. There are a huge range of themed products from washing liquid to teabags,
and the royals themselves haven't been shy about taking part, royal baby booties being sold
by Prince Charles's estate. - [Narrator] Even the queen joined in. - Here at home, my own family is a little larger this Christmas. The arrival of a baby
gives everyone the chance to contemplate the future with
renewed happiness and hope. - [Narrator] The future was
the usual royal christening and a job for life. - It is history today, it's
also the day that Prince George is brought fully into the family firm as a member of the Church of England, of which we know the queen
is Defender of the Faith, and so will be Prince
Charles and Prince William, one day, Prince George. - [Narrator] When George's
grandmother was born, she was not a direct heir to the throne. In those days, females
gave way to male heirs, and her father's brother Edward was the direct heir to the throne. This meant Elizabeth's first steps were not the center of attention. Press coverage was limited
and carefully controlled by the palace, enabling
the young princesses and their mother to travel light. This happy childhood was in stark contrast to the one experienced by her father. Few knew it at the time,
but the Duke of York had been abused as a child. His father, George V, was
a military disciplinarian. He expected order and
obedience in his children and frequently beat young George. King George's harshness left his son emotionally and physically scarred. He suffered from lifelong
abdominal problems and a debilitating stutter. - Of the exhibition is an empire and a (indistinct). I have the greatest pleasure
in declaring it open. - [Narrator] As second in
line to his father's throne, the Duke of York was able to
give his wife and daughters a family life far removed from
the one he had experienced. But this was all about to change. In 1936, the world was
shocked when Edward VIII abdicated his throne to be
with the woman he loved, the American divorcee, Wallis Simpson. His younger brother George became king, and Princess Elizabeth
unexpectedly became his heir, there being no male children. The family's happy, peaceful,
and mostly private life was turned upside down as they
moved into Buckingham Palace. Their lives changed forever. Two years later, they changed again as war broke out across Europe. The family became a
symbol of unity and hope. - [Reporter] The Buckingham Palace. This was the effect of a
time bomb that exploded in the grounds of the king's London home. Truly this is a war of all
the people, they're all in it. - [Narrator] The young
Elizabeth and Margaret were thrown into the frontline of an increasing propaganda war. When the government of the
day decided to evacuate Britain's children to
safety, the royal family refused to send the princesses to Canada. And the queen-to-be found herself making her radio debut to show solidarity. - [Elizabeth] Thousands
of you in this country have had to leave your
homes and be separated from your fathers and mothers. My sister Margaret Rose
and I feel so much for you, as we knew from experience what it means to be away from those we love most of all. My sister is by my side, and we are both going
to say goodnight to you. Come on, Margaret. - [Margaret] Goodnight, children. - [Elizabeth] Goodnight,
and good luck to you all. - [Narrator] As Britain
struggled to recover from the gravities of
the war, it was the birth of a royal baby that lifted spirits most. As heir to his mother's
throne, Prince Charles found himself the center of attention even before he could walk. His early years coincided with
a golden age of the press, with annual national newspaper circulation reaching 6 billion. And there was also a new
kid on the media block. When Elizabeth's father died in 1952, when she was just 25, life
for Charles changed as well. As direct heir, he inherited
an intense relationship with the British press, a burden he was often left to bear alone. He also had to care for
his sister, Princess Anne, as his mother and father spent
six months touring the world. When the family eventually came together, the new queen seemed
detached, her family life now secondary to royal duties. By the time Prince
Charles became a father, the world was living in
an increasing news cycle. Media interest in royal children had reached epic proportions. Diana was determined
to give her eldest son as normal life as possible,
and a very different upbringing to that experienced by Charles. And she had all the right credentials. - [Reporter] Her two main
jobs before her engagement both involved looking after children. First, there was Patrick Robertson, an American child living in London, then at the Kindergarten in London, where she helped the teachers. - [Narrator] In 1983,
Diana flouted tradition and her in-laws when she insisted that nine-month-old William
accompany her and Prince Charles on an official visit to the antipodes. Until then, royal babies
had been left behind in the care of nannies and minders. Prince William was to follow
in his mother's footsteps. 21 years later, he
insisted that baby George be part of his royal tour to Australia. (Prince George cooing) - [Reporter] For Prince George,
this was only the second official engagement, carefully controlled with limited media access. On a tour that's provided
some appealing images, today's will cap them all. (crowd laughing) - [Narrator] In her lifetime,
Princess Diana was unable to curb the insatiable
appetite of Britain's media. (camera shutters clicking) Like his father before him,
William appeared mystified by the press scrums. It's a sign of the times
that his first words in public related to the media. - That? That? That? That? That?
- Camera. Camera. - That? - [Charles] See the faces?
That's the people in there. Look at them. Trapped. - [Narrator] Both Charles and Diana tried to protect their
sons by feeding them regular organized photo opportunities. (piano bellowing) - [Reporter] They think they're doing fine for the photographer Tim Graham, but let's get ready for a better shot. - One more kiss. One more kiss, please. - [Diana] Ready.
- [Tim And Diana] Steady. - [Tim] Go. (camera shutter clicks)
(people laugh) - [Narrator] It was a
strategy that worked. For a while. - [Reporter] We have a flash here saying that Diana Princess of Wales has died in a car crash in Paris. - [Narrator] Diana's
death was in part at least blamed on the paparazzi
who had always pursued her. - [Reporter] They were
seen being rounded up by the police on the night of the crash when they swarmed around the wreckage, ignoring the dead and injured passengers. (somber music) - [Narrator] The tragedy
brought an abrupt end to the childhood of her boys. William and Harry not only
have to carry the burden of the loss of their mother, they have to publicly shoulder
a kingdom's grief as well. - Thank you so much. Thank you. - [Narrator] Their mother had
become the People's Princess. (horse hooves clomping) As Britain grieved, the young princes presented a united and dignified front. (somber music) Diana's death brought about a change in the boys' relationship
with their father. The three men formed a tight unit and threw themselves
into outdoor pursuits. (camera shutters clicking) It was as if they were finding themselves for the first time. When William himself became a dad, he was able to avoid most of the media by staying with his wife
throughout her labor. - Prince William is going
to spend the night in here with Catherine, and of
course with the baby. And I think that's a measure
of not only the sort of modernity of them as a young royal couple, an indication of their modern
outlook to family life, but I think it also speaks
a lot about the real genuine affection
between William and Kate. - [Narrator] As Prince Charles
drove off to play polo, William drove his family
home, where he stayed for the next two weeks,
taking full advantage of the modern tradition of fathers taking their paternity leave. (crowd cheering) He's even said to have
changed the first nappy. Kate and William also made other changes. They didn't hire a royal nanny, another break with tradition. When the queen was a child,
royal babies were raised by nannies, who mostly
remained in the background or behind closed doors. It was only when Prince Charles came along that royal nannies became
part of the bigger story, media personalities in their own right. Prince Charles's first
nanny, a stern Scotswoman called Helen Lightbody,
became No-Nonsense Lightbody. Charles formed a special bond with her. His first word was said to
be Nana rather than Mama. But when it emerged
No-Nonsense forbade Charles from eating a pudding, she was fired. Newspapers reported it was
done personally by the queen. Prince William had a
nanny too, Barbara Barnes. She was the opposite of
No-Nonsense Lightbody. Barnes had no professional
childcare qualifications at all. She turned out to be a
soft touch, and it was said became too close to the young
princes for Diana's liking. She had to go. Diana did find one nanny
she liked, Olga Powell. Nanny Powell was much more in the No-Nonsense Lightbody mold. The press dubbed her firm, but fair. And she was not beyond dishing
out clips to royal ears. But William and Harry adored her. The bond between them
strengthened as she guided them through the breakup of
their parents' marriage. After the divorce came Tiggy Legge-Bourke, more of a surrogate
yummy mummy than a nanny. 29-year-old Tiggy worked
for Prince Charles. The tabloids had a field
day as they speculated she was getting a little too close to him. Tiggy had to go. - [Reporter] Diana was
said to have resented her high-profile role as
Girl Friday and mother figure to Princes William and
Harry, and being instrumental in getting her removed from the job. - [Narrator] 14 years
later, William and Kate were determined not to
make the same mistakes. But the pressure got too much,
and a Spanish-born nanny, Maria Borrallo, was hired. She was trained at the elite
nanny school Nolan College, where recruits learned such
childcare skills as lifesaving, kickboxing, and evasive driving. (car tires squeal) As baby George, third
in line to the throne, shares Play-Doh with his future subjects, there is already speculation
about his future education. In his grandmother's day, the
royals didn't go to school. Queen Elizabeth was
educated entirely at home with her sister Margaret
her only classmate. But with Prince Charles, the
family broke with tradition by sending him to boarding school. - [Charles] I think perhaps
that I've gone to school and university and everything
in a much more normal way than any of my predecessors did. It's been an experiment
in royal education, and of course it has
been slightly difficult, and there have been disadvantages,
and I've regretted it. - [Narrator] Charles's
royal educational experiment was far harder than anyone realized. His school, Gordonstoun, was a cruel place where violence was common. He was regularly bullied by older boys, but the abuse was kept
secret from his mother. When it came time to send
Charles's son William to school, Princess Diana initially put
her foot down, no boarding. She relented only when it became
clear that sending him away would give William a
shield from the media. - At Eton, Prince William
has been protected from the media. The new rules mean a
picture of William drinking outside a pub would be acceptable
since it's a public place. A photo of him eating inside a restaurant would be considered an intrusion. The real test of this agreement is whether carefully planned photo
opportunities will be enough to satisfy the appetite
of press and public alike. - [Narrator] The world's
appetite for stories about Britain's royal babies has changed dramatically through the ages. From the carefully staged
newsreels of the young Elizabeth to the golden era of the tabloids, which devoured her eldest son and Diana, to the 24/7 news cycle that now holds the latest young royals in its claw. No longer are the lives of royal
babies shrouded in mystery. They are now subjected
to even greater scrutiny from the day they are born. Prince George and Princess
Charlotte are the first to be born into the world
of social media and selfies. Their parents hope they
will turn out to be the most normal royals
Britain has ever seen. (majestic orchestral music)
